I read this statement years ago. I am in two minds about this. Do I accept this or challenge this?

I have seen people like Mr. Xerxes Desai, former Managing Director of Titan Watches. Mr. Desai is a perfectionist and his sense of aesthetics, quality and detail raises the bar on everything. Because of him everybody associated with the Titan Watch project raised his own quality of work. However perfection had a cost. It took longer, required rework till we got things right. It was not easy, it was even frustrating some times. Yet, it was worth all the blood, sweat and tears.

Then I was introduced to a concept called – QFD – Quality Function Deployment. As I understand it, the concept talks about designing things appropriate to the way a product or service might be used. Very often discussions on QFD led to discussions on over-engineering and high costs. It almost suggests that perfection is not relevant all the time. When a man is hungry give him food and don’t worry about the perfect meal, in a perfect setting.

I have also seen many people in a pursuit of perfection. Very often they were trying to perfect one aspect or the other of something already created and ready to move forward. I am guilty of this behaviour. I compiled some of my earlier blog posts and put it together as an e-book called Uninvited Coach. In my view it is still not perfect but I decided to go ahead and publish it. I had given myself a deadline and I was already three months late.

“What are you getting at?”

“Prasna, I am saying that everything does not require perfection.”

“Why don’t you just say it? I think you have made a case already. You do not have to labour over it.”

“Ok, if you say so. The case rests, my lord.”