This blog post is a little different than my others, as I try something new! Often I read, wonder, learn, make mistakes, and grapple alongside clients and colleagues, and I want to write about that in shorter snippets. I hope to engage and explore more frequently with you by sharing these quick notes. You are invited to share your thoughts, reactions, or wonderings in the comments below. Let's give it a try!
The Egotistical Leader
"An unchecked ego can warp our perspective or twist our values." - Harvard Business Review
Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter wrote this piece in HBR in 2016 and it has me thinking about leaders with unchecked egos.
"The inflated ego that comes with success – the bigger salary, the nicer office, the easy laughs – often makes us feel as if we’ve found the eternal answer to being a leader.
But the reality is, we haven’t.
An inflated ego makes us susceptible to manipulation; it narrows our field of vision; and corrupts our behavior, often causing us to act against our values.
Breaking free of an overly-protective or inflated ego and avoiding the leadership bubble is an important and challenging job that requires selflessness, reflection, and courage."
I experience unending hope as I daily work with tenacious, emotionally intelligent, brave leaders that tackle knotty organizational change with openness, curiosity, and a learning orientation.
We don't have to look far to find leaders stuck in their insulated bubble, particularly those in senior leadership. The authors share three tips to ground us in selflessness, reflection and courage, which I've shortened here for a quick summary.
- Consider letting go of privileges that promote your own status and power
- Surround yourself with people with the confidence to speak up, those that won't feed your ego
- Practice humility and gratitude to feed yourselflessness
What tips would you add to the list that help you check your ego? How does this article challenge you in your leadership practice?
In closing, I hope you'll read the source article. Please share your reactions or additions below in the comments!
I wish you courage and resilience for the leadership and learning journey.
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