“Ask for 85% effort and encourage 85% right decisions”.

Early in my career I was what the psychologist Daniel Goleman called, ‘a pacesetter’; I worked hard as the leader in the hope that others would emulate me. Fortunately, I got rid of that habit before it led to my burnout and demise thanks to some good role models and timely feedback. (Big thanks Paolo Lanzarotti and Dave Shlager)

Last week someone shared this excellent article from Greg McKeown in the HBR with me that re-enforces what it took me a long time to learn. 85% today is better than 100% tomorrow. The effort required to get that final 15% distracts you from other tasks, and they include resting so that you can renew your energy for the next day.

Letting go of that desire for 100% is difficult to do. It runs counter to our competitive spirit. But it sets the right example for the people you want to lead. Today, burnout and the obsession that drives it is one of the main topics people want to talk about in Coaching sessions. There is no quick fix, just small steps, and experiments to bring about change.

https://hbr.org/2023/06/to-build-a-top-performing-team-ask-for-85-effort