The Perfectionist Squirrel

There is a leadership pattern I see from time to time, but not very often. When it shows up, it tends to be memorable.

I think of it as the Perfectionist Squirrel.

This is someone who is highly driven, easily stimulated, and deeply invested in getting things right. They move fast. They notice everything. Ideas lead to more ideas, and momentum builds quickly. There is a strong desire for excellence paired with an equally strong pull toward action.

I once worked with a headmaster at a private school who was an extreme example of this combination.

Anytime you spoke with him, he was busy. Not distracted, but fully engaged. His mind was always working. He moved quickly from conversation to conversation, decision to decision, improvement to improvement. He cared deeply about quality, and he had little patience for inertia.

At his best, he was incredibly productive. His energy lifted the school. Progress happened quickly. People felt the pace, the vision, and the expectation.

At his worst, he was a bit like a tornado.

Or maybe more like Wile E. Coyote, moving at the speed of light and so focused on the next objective that he was not always aware of the dust cloud he left behind. Sometimes those dust clouds were small misunderstandings. Sometimes they were larger disruptions to people, priorities, or trust.

That tension is the heart of the Perfectionist Squirrel.

Two Forces Pulling at Once

As we worked together, we spent time naming what was really happening beneath the surface.

These characteristics are not naturally aligned.

On one side is speed, stimulation, and spontaneity. On the other is structure, precision, and a desire for things to be done the right way. One thrives on movement. The other thrives on control.

It is uncommon to see both operating at such a high level in the same person.

I asked him to imagine standing in the center, with a rubber band pulling him in two different directions.

When that tension is held in balance, it is powerful. The energy fuels progress. The standards drive quality. The pace keeps things moving forward. In that state, this combination can serve both the leader and the school exceptionally well.

But when the tension is not managed, when self awareness and prioritization are lacking, that rubber band stretches too far.

Eventually, it snaps.

Why Self Awareness and Prioritization Matter

For leaders wired this way, the work is not about slowing down or changing who they are.

It is about direction.

Self awareness creates the ability to notice when speed starts to feel like chaos to others. Prioritization forces intentional choices about what truly needs to be perfect and what simply needs to be good enough. Reflection creates space to consider not just what is being accomplished, but how one’s energy is landing on the people around them.

The goal is not to eliminate the squirrel.

The goal is to harness it.

When leaders understand their natural tendencies and learn to manage the tension between them, they become both effective and sustainable. Their teams experience clarity instead of whiplash. Their schools benefit from momentum without unnecessary disruption.

The Perfectionist Squirrel, when well directed, is a powerful force.

When left unchecked, it is just motion and dust.

The difference is rarely effort.

It is awareness.