You're Missing Deadlines
If your project's deadlines are reasonable but you just can't seem to meet them, ask yourself why. If you've got more to do than any one person can handle, you'll need to speak with your manager to address the problem. But if you're spending all of your time looking for a better approach, or constantly tweaking so your code runs at peak efficiency, you may be aiming for a level of quality that goes beyond what the business needs. “I don't think this is the only dynamic in life where you have to balance speed and quality,” Hicks said. Very often, a successful product is one that gets a specified task done and is delivered according to a set schedule, even if the workings under the hood could be streamlined. “In most commercial software companies, speed is important,” he added. “They want things to be as good as they can be, but they also want them out the door.”Upload Your ResumeEmployers want candidates like you. Upload your resume. Show them you're awesome.
Everything Is Written in Stone
“Many time perfectionists think in black and white. They don't see the middle of the road,” said Susan Morris, a Norristown, Pa., coach who works with technology professionals. That can lead them to an inflexible reading of things such as user requirements and specifications. Perfectionists may also put pressure on themselves to deliver on everything at once, even if there's room for negotiation with a client. “Perfectionists are hard-wired not to see paths to the middle,” Morris said. But the middle is where the solution often lies. When you first review a project’s requirements, discipline yourself to be realistic about what you can achieve within its schedule. If your client is adamant that the product be completed by a certain date, document what you believe the deliverable can include. Don’t set yourself up for trouble by assuming you’ll push everything through by sheer force of will.Your Relationships Have Grown Tense
Regularly missing deadlines when others depend on you is a sure way to create frustration within your team. If your work is the focus of questions, don’t get defensive. Instead, examine the goals you’ve set for yourself to see if they’re realistic. For example, are you revisiting the same challenges time and again in search of a more “elegant” solution? If that’s the case, you need to decide whether the amount of effort you’re putting into an issue is in sync with the project’s overall mission and business case. None of this is meant to imply that the quality of your work doesn’t matter. It does. However, the realities of business dictate that professionals balance quality and delivery time. “It's good to find an environment where your approach fits with the company. Otherwise, there'll be a weight on you constantly,” Hicks said. “Being perfect in every situation is just not practical.”Related Articles
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