A Fresh Perspective on Perfectionism, Inspired by HBR Ideacast

A Fresh Perspective on Perfectionism, Inspired by HBR Ideacast I recently listened to a thought-provoking episode of HBR Ideacast featuring Dr. Ellen Hendriksen, which explores how to understand and manage perfectionism. The episode draws on insights from her book How to Be Enough—a read I highly recommend. For me, the conversation was eye-opening. It prompted a fundamental shift in how I approach perfectionism. Why? Because it led me to revisit the first principles behind this often misunderstood mindset. Here are a few key takeaways: -Perfectionism isn’t about wanting everything to be flawless. Rather, it stems from overvaluing performance—viewing outcomes in binary terms (success or failure) and tying one’s self-worth to results. -It’s often driven by a positive trait: conscientiousness. This includes a strong sense of responsibility, diligence, a desire for excellence—all admirable qualities. However, when unchecked, they can push us beyond the point of diminishing returns. In essence, perfectionism arises when our conscientiousness compels us to keep refining or reworking something—whether it’s a report, decision, or assessment—even when further effort no longer adds value. In other words, when we ignore the “good enough” principle. Reflecting on my own habits through this lens, I recognize that I often struggle to draw that line. More than once, I’ve spent excessive time on tasks that, in hindsight, didn’t warrant it. To address this, I’m adopting a simple rule: Before continuing to improve a piece of work, I’ll ask myself—Is this already good enough for the purpose it serves? Lastly, if a recruiter asks me about my biggest weakness, I may still say "perfectionism"—but now, I can explain it with a deeper, more nuanced understanding of what that means and how I’m working to manage it constructively. https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/hbr-ideacast/id152022135?i=1000683028403

- Pedro

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Book Review – The Fifth Risk, by Michael Lewis | Rating 3/5 | Qualitative: I liked it

Book Review – The Fifth Risk, by Michael Lewis Rating: 3/5 Qualitative: I liked it "There is an upside to ignorance and a downside to knowledge. Knowledge makes life messier—it makes it a bit more difficult for a person who wishes to shrink the world into a worldview." The Fifth Risk carries all the hallmarks of a Michael Lewis book: sharply written, engaging, and built around a compelling story. As expected, it’s both entertaining and accessible, with a strong narrative arc that makes for a seamless reading experience. If I’m not mistaken, this is the third book I’ve read by Lewis (after Moneyball and Flash Boys), and I still have a couple more on my shelf. This one did not disappoint. The book explores the early ethos of the Trump administration, revealing—through personal stories and concrete examples—the widespread chaos, unpreparedness, and lack of competence that defined many parts of the transition & the ensuing 4 years. It portrays a culture marked by ignorance, arrogance, and a disregard for knowledge, values, and fundamental governance principles. Lewis structures the book around five main areas: the transition process itself, the titular “fifth risk” (tail risk), the degradation of public-sector talent (people risk), and the mismanagement and commodification of public data by private interests—often through crony capitalism. In essence, The Fifth Risk refers to the kind of organizational decay that happens when long-term risks are routinely met with short-term, simplistic solutions—solutions that are fast, easy, and often wrong. It’s what occurs when systems fail to attract and retain the best minds, when the wrong people are promoted or celebrated, and when technical knowledge and scientific rigor are steadily eroded. The result is a weakened capacity for innovation and long-term planning. At the root of this failure is a lack of vision, purpose, and investment in critical public functions. Lewis illustrates how decisions with lasting consequences were made by individuals who lacked the necessary skills, understanding, or ethical grounding to make them responsibly. The book walks us through specific examples across several departments, including the Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), showing the human and institutional costs of mismanagement. It’s worth noting that the book was written in 2018, yet it resonates deeply in 2025—perhaps even more so now. While one could argue that there is another side to this story, even if only half of what Lewis reports is accurate, the implications are sobering. The damage described may take years to fully undo. For anyone seeking to better understand the state of public institutions—and the broader risks that come from neglecting them—this book is essential reading.

- Pedro

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Book Review – The Pricing Roadmap, by Lehrskov-Schmidt | Rating: 3.5/5 | Qualitative: I really liked it

Book Review – The Pricing Roadmap, by Lehrskov-Schmidt Rating: 3.5/5 Qualitative: I really liked it As part of a book club (#BOP) that I’m a member of, I was invited to read The Pricing Roadmap a few weeks ago. I must confess: when the title was selected, my expectations were low—borderline apprehensive. I feared this might turn out to be “wasted” time. But, having committed to the group, I dove in—albeit reluctantly. To my surprise and delight, this journey turned out to be anything but a waste. This book offers tremendous value—not only for pricing professionals in B2B SaaS, but for anyone working in pricing or revenue management. Lehrskov-Schmidt writes as a seasoned practitioner. The concepts he presents are not just theoretical; they’re battle-tested and grounded in real-world experience. His approach is highly practical, yet anchored in solid theoretical frameworks that prompted me to pause, reflect, and reconsider some of my long-held assumptions—both in familiar areas and from entirely new angles. A particular highlight for me was his use of Clay Christensen’s “Jobs to Be Done” framework, which immediately caught my interest and added depth to the discussion. Key Learnings & Takeaways: Pricing is inherently complex—but that doesn’t mean your customers need to experience it that way. The value lies in the pricing structure, not the price point. Don’t just price the product—price the customer. Invest in designing a pricing process that enables segmentation through product packaging and pricing metrics. Understand your business’s economies of scale, which can provide a sustainable competitive advantage by keeping profits above your weighted average cost of capital (WACC). A business can scale through: Unit Sold Unit Price Unit Cost Each of these can reveal different scalability patterns—linear, critical mass, and diminishing returns. Unit cost decreases with volume—up to a point, per Economics 101. Unit price or network effects reflect increasing product value as user numbers grow. Units sold can drive down selling costs as customer numbers increase. Pricing strategy should align with scale patterns and always be grounded in overall business strategy. The CUPID framework (Customers, Users, Products, Iteration, and Distribution) helps define key product attributes and stakeholders, guiding the pricing process. Two key concepts tied to the product model: Fencing (akin to segmentation, aligned with Jobs to Be Done) Laddering (the customer journey within a segment—enhancing and monetizing value) Every pricing model should contain: The mechanism that determines what the customer pays A structure for differentiating prices across segments Pricing mechanics are based on pricing metrics, which should meet these criteria: Operational viability Relevance in the customer value chain Willingness to pay and fairness Metric density and monetization clarity Metric density stood out to me: your pricing metric should be unambiguous and tightly aligned with customer value. Wallet structure is a fascinating (though challenging) concept—tailoring your value proposition to multiple stakeholders within a customer to unlock monetization opportunities. Price points are relative, influenced by competitors and customer sophistication. Anchoring strategies include: Cost-based Niche-based Perceived value-based Fair value-based Establish a clear discount structure, distinguishing between structural and sales-driven discounts—governed by clear rules. Raising prices should be demystified. Treat it as a normal part of doing business—communicate clearly, transparently, and consistently. If this has sparked your curiosity, I recommend checking out the author’s https://www.youtube.com/@SaaSPricing for further insights into his thinking. This book may not have the hype or social media buzz of more mainstream titles, but it’s a must-read for anyone serious about pricing and revenue management. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (text revised by a LLM)

- Pedro

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Book Review – A Sense of Urgency by John P. Kotter | Rating: 4/5 | Qualitative: I really liked it.

Book Review – A Sense of Urgency by John P. Kotter Rating: 4/5 Qualitative: I really liked it. This book had been on my reading list for several years—one that consistently piqued my curiosity and interest. Yet, for one reason or another, it was never the book I selected next, each time I faced that familiar decision (a choice I make roughly 25 times a year). Given this long anticipation, the bar was set high by the time I finally picked it up in March 2025. I’m happy to say it not only met but exceeded my expectations. This is one of the few business books I’ve read recently that I truly enjoyed. It resonated deeply with me—both in how it framed the context and in the practical value of the principles and recommendations it sets forth. Its lessons are highly applicable to day-to-day professional life and relevant across all types of organizations. Kotter explores the persistent need for change that organizations must embrace in order to thrive—or even survive—in an increasingly competitive landscape. Typically, “change” is addressed only in times of crisis, whether driven by internal dysfunction or significant external disruption. However, as Kotter aptly points out, the need for change is a constant. It must be proactively embraced, enabled, and managed to avoid or minimize the spread of what he calls the "complacency virus"—a condition that often stems from past successes and leads, sooner or later, to the very crises organizations hope to avoid. To counteract this, Kotter argues that a true sense of urgency must be cultivated. This means more than just reacting to problems or appearing busy—it means eliminating both complacency and false urgency. The latter misdirects energy toward unproductive meetings and meaningless activity that generates motion without progress. A genuine sense of urgency must be embedded in the everyday rhythm of the organization—not just activated during moments of survival. It includes: A clear understanding of the organization’s risks, opportunities, strengths, and weaknesses. A compelling plan to address these challenges and break free from the status quo. A vision supported by an actionable strategy and effective tactics to build the necessary capabilities. Relentless communication of that vision and strategy. Empowerment of every individual to act within their sphere of influence. The first step in this journey is recognizing and addressing complacency, which may already be deeply rooted in your organization. This involves identifying its sources, watching for red flags, and engaging in honest self-assessment. Kotter provides vivid examples that will likely resonate with your own experiences. To instill real urgency, the author proposes one core strategy supported by four enabling tactics: Strategy: Each organization must define its own strategy, grounded in solid analysis and ambitious yet logical goals. But this strategy must also stir emotions—winning hearts and minds. It should be uplifting, exciting, and personally meaningful. To achieve this, leaders must share key facts and construct a logical, emotionally compelling case that drives engagement. The Four Tactics: Bring the outside reality in—ensure external realities are part of every conversation. Lead by example—demonstrate urgency in your own behavior. Identify and seize opportunities that arise from crises. Confront the “NoNos”—those persistent resistors—relentlessly. For further insights and actionable takeaways, you’ll need to read the book yourself—which I strongly recommend. This is a book I’ll keep in my “petit” library, as I know I’ll return to it time and again throughout my professional life.

- Pedro

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