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Leadership and the Ego

Leadership is often seen as the ability to inspire, guide, and achieve a vision.

But beneath the surface lies an invisible force that can either amplify or undermine a leader’s potential — and that’s the ego. Today, I want to talk about the role of ego in our lives and businesses and how understanding it can lead to more authentic and effective leadership.

Ego, at its core, is our sense of self. It is the voice inside us that craves recognition and validation. In leadership, ego can serve two very different purposes. On the one hand, it can be a source of confidence. It gives leaders the courage to take bold actions, make tough decisions, and pursue ambitious goals. A healthy sense of ego allows leaders to step into the spotlight and take responsibility for their vision.

However, when unchecked, the ego can become a leader’s greatest obstacle. It can morph into arrogance, making leaders blind to feedback and resistant to change. An inflated ego can create a toxic environment, where collaboration gets hindered by personal pride and ambition. In a culture that tolerates leaders consumed by their ego, you’ll likely find those who prioritize their own image over the well-being of their team, leading to poor decisions and eroded trust.

And as I’ve raised my kids to understand, trust is a delicate fabric. Once it starts to tear, it takes care, effort, openness, and patience to repair. And even with all of those ingredients and the willingness of all parties, sometimes it’s just not possible.

Great leadership requires balance. It’s not about erasing the ego but about managing it. A leader with a well-balanced ego listens more than they speak. They embrace humility and acknowledge that their success is intertwined with the contributions of others. Such leaders foster environments of mutual respect, where ideas are valued not for their source but for their merit.

One of the most profound acts of leadership is the ability to set aside ego in the service of a greater purpose. When leaders lead with self-awareness, they demonstrate the strength to admit mistakes, the wisdom to ask for help, and the grace to uplift others.

To be clear, our ego is not something to attempt to remove from our personalities. It is essential to our survival and it can aid our performance. When it comes to our businesses, it is neither inherently villain nor hero. It is simply a force. When understood and managed with care, it can empower leaders to inspire and achieve. But when amplified, usually from a place of fear or unconscious compensation for a source of shame or low self esteem, it can diminish even the brightest of visions.

So let us all strive to lead with confidence, not arrogance; grace not grandiosity; openness and curiosity rather than righteousness.

A balanced, whole self, guided by purpose and grounded in humility. That is the kind of leadership that transforms teams, organizations, and the world.

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