A few decades ago, key performance indicators (KPIs) for managers were simple and easily understandable. I remember the words of my boss at that time: “I expect you to take care of the top and bottom line of the P&L; everything in between is your personal life.”

The immense pressure on all business fronts today has led to the proliferation of KPIs that managers receive as part of their annual goals. Adjustments are sought in all areas of business, often with each matrix function having its own requirement without considering the bigger picture. Such demands push the manager towards an impossible mission and perfectionism. It becomes unrealistic to demand perfection from oneself, and this spills over into the organization. The pursuit of perfection consumes a lot of energy and likely slows down the organization. Working in such an organization becomes exhausting and often unproductive.

The concept of “being good enough” can be useful in such situations. It was created by the British psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott in the mid-20th century and can be applied to managing modern organizations. It starts from the fact that there is no ideal achievement or ideal manager. There are only good enough decisions and good enough results. Resolving one problem carries the seed of a new problem.

From my experience as a mental health advisor in organizations, sometimes just uttering the phrase “you are good enough” can bring relief. The manager’s engine, which was running at 3,000 RPM due to the pursuit of perfectionism, starts running at 1,500 RPM. Having lower expectations of oneself and others also leads to less judgment if a certain KPI is not perfect. This brings the necessary calmness for sober thinking and longevity in business. The brain likes to work at lower RPMs that allow for prioritization.

A manager who repeats to themselves that they are not perfect and that being good enough is sufficient doesn’t waste energy inflating the balloon of perfectionism. Instead, they focus on the KPIs that are most crucial for the business at a given moment. Good is actually good enough.