Ditching the Ego Makes Business Sense

Is your ego tripping you up as you walk into the office each day?

I am lucky to have experienced some success over the years, but my leadership style and way of doing business have changed considerably. The fact is that I was forced to change. My ego didn’t only trip me up at the office door. It led me down a path of overwork, micromanagement, and acute anxiety.?

During the holiday break, I had some time to reflect on how I did business THEN and how I do business NOW. There are some similarities and a few interesting differences worth unpacking. The main difference is that I used to operate from my ego. “I” was in charge. “I” was the kingpin. Nothing happened without me signing off on it. These days, I leave my ego at the door. In the past, it was all about “ME” and “I.” Now I am much more inclusive - it’s all about “WE” and “US.” And that has made all the difference.

I changed my leadership style to one that is more inclusive. Business is about people, starting with the people around you, those that you work with. My mission and vision are centered around building “with” others, and the results have been incredible.

Have this comparison of the past and now, and you’ll see what I mean:

Removing the “I”

I realized that our companies had had the same leaders since 2001. We have been going since 1996 -- so we have quite a bit of history to fall back on. The leadership style was always traditional, with the CEO and Executive Team heading up all the decision-making, closing the deals, and handling all the stress that comes with building and growing a company or companies. Stress, tension, and drama affected our business lives.?

It took us until 2017 to figure out the “secret door” to a more wholesome and fulfilling form of leadership. We realized that the secret wasn't beating the competition. It was getting out of our own way and defeating our own egos.? At least my own ego!? Leadership begins with removing the “I,” which meant it wasn’t all about Gary all the time but about growing a group of people to work together to make the company's vision happen.?

Look, it took a lot of hard work, especially in the beginning! Just ask David Goodall how often my ego would rise to the occasion when I was not always the main player in big company decisions. A few times, I have been outside the room, and the exec team has been in there, hashing out the big decisions! It’s been hard, let me tell you!

However, creating strong partnerships with colleagues, mentoring others, and asking myself, “How can I serve others” as a leader has made all the difference. Whether you are part of the management team or one of our nurses taking care of patients, this spirit of “we are all in this together” permeates our company culture.

Without my ego, I am not making this journey alone - and the results say it all. Palmetto Infusion is stronger than it’s ever been. We are making a success of things, and being part of a caring, productive, and empowered community makes incredible business sense. Our staff feels it, our customers feel it, and our CFO knows it!

Ditching the “I” in my business is the best decision ever made, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for our incredible team as we navigate this New Year and work together to make a real difference.?Although, I do sometimes still need to be reminded by my partner and good friend David Goodall, to leave my ego at the door.?

?

Until next time.

Gary C. Cooper