Written by Dr. Suzy Burke

My husband says this to me all the time. Usually when I’m frustrated about a decision I’d make differently if I could rewind it, or staying quiet instead of adding value in a meeting.

“Suzy, nobody’s perfect.”

It sounds simple. Maybe too simple. But the more I work with leaders, the more I realize how radical those words actually are.

Because here’s what I see: leaders who demand perfection from themselves create teams that hide.

They hide mistakes. They hide the fact that they don’t know something. They hide the half-formed idea that might actually be brilliant, because it’s not polished yet. They hide until the problem is either gone or impossible to ignore.

And by then, it’s too late.

The research backs this up. Teams with perfectionist leaders report lower psychological safety. They’re less likely to speak up. They innovate less. They make more unethical choices because the pressure to appear flawless gets internalized as permission to cut corners elsewhere.

But here’s what’s interesting: the leaders I’ve seen break this cycle don’t lower their standards. They just change where they set them.

Instead of demanding perfection, they demand honesty. Instead of hiding their own mistakes, they own them. Instead of expecting flawless execution, they expect people to show up, think hard, and be willing to be wrong.

That one shift changes everything.

Because the moment a leader says, “I missed that call,” the team stops holding its breath. The moment a leader asks for help, people feel safe admitting they need help too. The moment vulnerability becomes normal, excellence becomes possible.

Your team is already watching you for permission. Permission to be human. Permission to think out loud. Permission to fail and try again.

The question is: What are you actually giving them permission to do?

So the next time you’re frustrated with yourself for being imperfect, remember: that frustration might be the exact thing your team needs to see.

Because nobody’s perfect. And the sooner you stop pretending you are, the sooner they will too.