Perfectionism is probably the entrepreneur's biggest management problem. The fear that the exact mix of resources, talents, and timing keeps many would-be entrepreneurs from taking a leap:

Just what's wrong with placing high demands on employees? Nothing at all. A deep commitment to excellence is an essential ingredient in building a thriving business. But perfectionism is different. Companies thrive when they do the important things right, but perfectionists "get sidetracked by trying to get every detail perfect. The Irony is that this kind of perfectionism frequently causes imperfection," says Ken Lloyd, an organizational behavior consultant in Encino, California. "By concentrating on little things, you may miss bigger things – like deadlines – entirely."

Then, too, an ever-watchful boss – no matter how well-intentioned – will be seen as a meddler, and that constant "over the shoulder" presence is guaranteed to rocket employees, stress levels through the ceiling. The up-shot? Their performance and job quality drop, and their anxiety rises.

Worse still, a perfectionist boss drives away the very employees he most wants and needs to keep," says Lloyd. "Employees who are innovative and creative will leave because they aren't given room to freely exercise their talents. Only the plodders will stay on board."

Will there be stumbles along the way? Possibly. But, by going slowly and handing employees increased responsibility in measured doses, you're minimizing the risks of catastrophe while building the foundation that will let your business bloom.

Source: A perfect mess: when perfectionism becomes a problem, Entrepreneur, August, 1996 by Robert McGarvey