Hi Reader,

Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with:​
1 real story
1 leadership insight
1 practical takeaway

Know When to Fail

1 Real Story​
One of my “Amyisms” is: words matter.

Last week, I was in the car, chatting with a friend, well, venting (a little exasperated) about someone’s quirks. I was rapidly ranting on…when out it came: She’s just persnicular!

We both stopped, laughed, and said, “Yes! That’s exactly it.”

Not just persnickety. Not just particular.

But a mashup.

persnicular(adjective)​
/ pər-ˈsni-kyə-lər /

– Excessively precise or exacting in standards.
– A mix of the fussiness of persnickety and the discernment of particular.​
– Marked by attention to detail that can be both admirable (for its rigor) and exasperating (for its rigidity).

You know, it’s like how some people rearrange the dishwasher after someone else loads it… not just persnickety, not just particular…persnicular.

1 Leadership Insight​
It’s easy to laugh at quirks like dishwashers or coffee orders, but persnicularity shows up at work too.

  • The colleague who demands rechecking for perfect alignment in every slide deck after approval.
  • The manager who insists on triple-checking numbers before a meeting.
  • The leader who can’t let go of minor details, even when the big picture is on track.

Persnicularity is a double-edged sword.

  • At its best, it protects quality and signals pride in work.
  • At its worst, it slows momentum and frustrates teams.

The key is knowing when detail serves the mission—and when it gets in the way.

1 Practical Takeaway

Ask yourself (or your team):
– Where am I persnicular in a way that helps?
– Where might I be persnicular in a way that hinders?

Then try this experiment:

The next time you catch yourself being persnicular, pause and ask:

Is this about impact, or is it just about preference?

If it’s impact, lean in. If it’s preference, let it go.

Oh, and spread the word…Persnicular. It’s good, right?!

See you next week with another Dose.

– Amy

Even though this is a “mass email” I mean it when I say—let me know what you are up to. Reply, book a Zoom, pick up the phone. I’d love to catch up.

Thanks for letting me show up in your inbox.
We’ll do this again next Thursday.

More joy. Less friction. Always.

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