Leadership and Confidence: Do You Focus on Progress or Perfection?

Where Do You Place Your Leadership Attention?

Pause and reflect.

When you review your team’s work, what do you notice first, the progress they have made or the imperfections that remain?

Many leaders, with the best intentions, focus on what is missing.
They set high standards and hold themselves and others to them.

Yet, when the focus is always on gaps, teams can begin to lose confidence rather than build it.

In executive coaching conversations, I often hear:

“No matter what I do, it is never enough.”

These words reflect not a lack of capability, but a lack of acknowledgment.

The Trap of Perfection Versus the Practice of Excellence

Perfection is unattainable.
Excellence is a practice.
The distinction is subtle yet profound.

Perfection often creates:

• A constant focus on flaws
• Reluctance to take risks
• Fear of making mistakes
• High stress and eventual burnout

Excellence encourages:

• Progress over perfection
• Learning from experience
• Strength-based leadership
• Resilience and growth

Five Reflective Questions to Lead with Confidence and Compassion

1. How do I define success for myself and my team?
2. What message do I send when I focus on what is missing rather than what is working?
3. How do I offer feedback that builds trust and confidence rather than anxiety?
4. In what ways do I encourage learning from mistakes without judgment?
5. How can I shift my leadership to celebrate progress while still guiding toward excellence?

How to Encourate a Culture of Confidence

• Acknowledge what is working before addressing gaps
• Celebrate small wins to build momentum and trust
• Provide feedback that encourages learning, not perfection
• Create space for experimentation and innovation
• Model self-compassion to inspire resilience in others

The Leadership Impact of Building Confidence

Leaders who focus on progress:

• Build resilient, confident teams
• Foster psychological safety
• Encourage risk-taking and innovation
• Strengthen engagement and collaboration

Final Reflection: What Catches Your Eye First?

When you look at your team’s efforts, where does your attention go?
To what is missing or to how far they have come?
Leadership is not about lowering standards.
It is about inspiring confidence while pursuing excellence.

Begin Your Leadership Journey with Executive Coaching

If you are ready to lead with confidence, build trust, and inspire growth in your teams, executive coaching can support you. Let us explore how coaching can strengthen your leadership presence.

Learn more about my coaching programs here.