Tag Archives: leadership ego

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ego stumble

Ego Stumble and Getting Out of Your Own Way

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Have you ever had an ego stumble? One of those cases where you let your emotions guide your choices and it didn’t end well?

Emotion is critical in the workplace. Passion is an emotion. So is the excitement of launching a new marketing campaign, closing the sale, or achieving the goal. Emotion is important, yet it can also go wrong.

One of the biggest problems in the workplace with harassment claims is that ego got in the way.

A problem between two peers and you may find that ego played a role.

Supervisor to direct report, or the opposite, direct report to supervisor, and ego’s may be involved.

Leading by Inspiring

Leading today in a social environment that is much less about authority and much more about inspiration can be challenging. Inspiration means emotion and emotions are sometimes difficult to navigate.

When you make a choice about attending the meeting, participating in the meeting, or workplace respect you can bet that ego is involved.

Ego may feel like the right choice. Consider supervisor to direct report interactions. The supervisor, who clearly has the authority should lead, right?

Most would quickly say, “Yes.” However, the way we lead today may look a little different. Leading should be more pull and less push.

Navigating social climates and workplace culture has never been more challenging. We sometimes label this experience, workplace politics.

Yes, workplace politics, many people don’t like that game.

Ego Stumble

Blowing off the meeting may be about ego. The same is true for who gets credit for the project, the promotion, or even who gets the pay raise.

Sometimes you have to get out of your own way.

Making waves with the new hire, or the old regime, may feel satisfying for the moment. Yet, leading is going to require buy-in and buy-in is created by shared experiences.

If what you are sharing is mismanaged conflict there will be fewer opportunities for your future.

Don’t get in your own way.

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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leadership ego

The High Cost of Leadership Ego

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Ego has many faces. Sometimes it is blunt and obvious, other times it is disguised as a workplace objective.

Sometimes it goes unrecognized. Simple acts that derail workplace engagement, disable loyalty, and disregard simple respect. Is leadership ego getting in the way?

Leadership Ego

Here are some leadership actions that should speak louder than words:

  • Hiring low or under skilled employees. Apparent because there is no succession planning within the organization. Employees are tools.
  • Never getting your hands dirty. (It’s a metaphor.)
  • A new organizational leader bringing in talent from a previous employer. Often to illustrate that everyone wanted out and will gladly follow for a new (better) opportunity.
  • Introductions that include, “He works for me.”
  • Rules only apply if you get caught. Especially true for harassment, diversity, and ethics.

Some employees only want paychecks. Yet, humans are surprisingly motivated by purpose. Yes, a paycheck can be a purpose, but likely it is not the organizational purpose.

Ego Derails Respect

People are problem solvers. They want to fix, repair, and accomplish. They also have a universal truth, they want respect. Respect may be defined differently by everyone, but without respect they’re only working for a paycheck.

Perhaps nothing derails loyalty more. Show your employees that you don’t respect them and they won’t care about you or the organization. Their underground rule will be, “Every person for themselves.”

Leadership is not about authority. Yes, authority matters and can be helpful. No, authority is not what makes you a leader.

Employee turnover, lawsuits, and disengaged employees cost organizations millions each year. In addition, stuck organizations or those with very limited frames often cannot get out of their own way. Look to leadership and culture as a potential problematic area.

What costs more, good leadership or bad?

-DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.


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