The Good and Bad of Leadership Ego

Have you ever had a boss or manager who was very driven, decisive, and confident? Or maybe you had a boss or manager who was too focused on their own success and neglected the team’s and company needs?

These two examples may seem quite the opposite, but in reality, they have one thing in common: leadership ego.

Leadership ego involves the idea that leaders sometimes may have a high sense of self-importance and let their personal feelings and agendas influence their decision-making and their approach to leadership.

Everything in life has a silver lining. Even though leadership ego may come across as something negative at first, there are also positives to having it.

The positive aspects of a leadership ego include confidence, decisiveness, and a drive to take charge. Leaders with a healthy dose (it’s key) of ego are not afraid to make tough decisions and can often inspire their team through their confidence and conviction. They usually care deeply about the success of their organization and are motivated to make a significant impact.

True leaders are incredibly ambitious - but their ambition is first and foremost for the company and the team, not themselves.

On the other hand, when leadership ego becomes overly inflated, it can and will lead to negative outcomes. Leaders may become too focused on their own success and recognition, neglecting the needs of their team and the health of the organization. They may struggle to accept criticism, respond defensively to feedback, and lack the ability to listen effectively to others. This could create a toxic work environment, and can lead to low morale, high staff turnover, and reduced productivity.

Leadership is not a popularity contest; it’s about leaving your ego at the door. The name of the game is to lead without a title. Robin?Sharma

Leadership ego is good if there is self-awareness (read: high level of emotional intelligence) and balance. Then, as a leader you will have enough confidence and drive to lead decisively, but also the humility to listen to others, accept feedback, and put the needs of their team and organization first. It’s about the team and not only you. Share this message with another leader who might need to hear this.

Feel free to book a meeting if you are looking for leadership coaching for yourself or your team, company culture uplift, or other workforce development training.

Yours,

Anna Gandrabura