John Legend sings a love song called: “All of Me”

In it he describes the object of his love as “perfect” in her perfections. The chorus goes:

“Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections”

There is something attractive about imperfections and there is something very unattractive about perfection.  Imperfection shows the real, the authentic, and the genuine.  Perfection as we know is unattainable but the projection of perfection reveals the one imperfection that isn’t very attractive: pride and self-deception.

Here are a few imperfections that I’ve noticed are appealing:

-one of the greatest speakers/teachers I know said, “Uh…” all the time—the number one thing speakers are told never to do, yet when he did it, it sounded compelling, even adding a bit of charisma to his delivery.

-There are some restaurants, otherwise known as “dives,” that are appealing simply because of their flaws—old creaky floors, odd wallpaper, strange artifacts, or the same menu items they’ve had for 50 years, etc

-The church that has a moto: “this is a place where it’s’ ok to not be ok”

In every great organization and within every great leader there are imperfections.

The greatest leaders admit to their flaws and imperfections.  To me, nothing is more becoming of a leader than for him or her to admit to their frailty and where they’ve failed.

-The leader who admits to struggling with some form of addiction.

-The leader who says, “this is where I am weak,” or “I’m not very good at this or that.”

-The leader who admits they don’t know or understand something

Quit trying to make yourself and organization perfect!

Rather, understand where your imperfections make you, uniquely you.