Hot Take, Ep 8: Taking Your Ego Out of Business

By Stephen Osomba

Every human possesses the ingredients of the infamous dark triad: narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. We all lie somewhere in the continuum of good and evil. However, what separates the virtuous from the wicked is the degree of predispositions. Many people can control their bad side by leveraging their conscience. But those who are unable to control their urge to commit unsavoury acts often end up serving jail time.

Even with a working conscience, it is still possible to slip up from time to time. Of the three building blocks in the dark triad, narcissism is the most dominant human behaviour. It manifests in different forms and shapes. The most common one is egoism, an inflated feeling of pride in one’s superiority to others. You must have encountered a few egoistic people, either in your personal or professional life. Remember, that colleague at work who dismisses everyone's ideas during a brainstorming session or the other douche who doesn’t give others a chance to talk during company meetings. They are plenty, hiding in plain sight.?

Business overlords

From my experience in the world of entrepreneurship, so far, I would say that ego is a pervasive trait. I’ve met business owners who are very contemptuous and arrogant, to say the least. If you are unlucky to sign one as a client, it often ends up in tears despite putting forth the best foot forward. They don’t listen to counsel, even if the facts are direct opposition to their position. When the evidence is overwhelming, they belittle your arguments. The drive to feel superior to anyone else, whether within or outside the room, cannot allow them to back down whatsoever.?

Small businesses are particularly notorious playgrounds for ego games. Normally, you will find such enterprises made up of just a handful of employees with the owner sitting at the top of the hierarchy where they play God. With limited autonomy, every single decision, even the most minuscule, must be passed by them. Doing anything without consultation will be construed as insubordination and can lead to summary dismissal, depending on how the actions have bruised the owner’s ego.

The urge to maintain dictatorial control of the company usually stagnates the business, though. You may have noticed, in your neighbourhood or wherever, that some businesses, despite being established ages ago, seem frozen in time. Years go by yet they don’t grow. They exist for existence’s sake.

Growth requires innovation. But then, innovation only takes place in an atmosphere where employees feel empowered and are free to express ideas or opinions without fear of being reprimanded. At Google, for instance, employees have been given one day in a week to work on a project of their choosing. And it is through this initiative that Gmail came to be. Imagine that! It is no secret why Google is among the most successful companies in the world.?

Ego is the enemy

Indeed, you can achieve so much when you decide to take ego out of business and your personal life. Being egoistic can be a pleasurable feeling, but in truth, it is a limiting factor. If you are unable to control your ego, developing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships will be impossible, be it associates, employees, or even friends. In the world of business, narcissism is such a repulsive trait that many people would rather leave a deal on the table instead of putting up an egotistical person. Being open-minded and humble can help you manoeuvre?the complexities of life.?We improve by learning from other people, either through constructive criticisms or simple observations. Letting your ego take control is a sure highway to self-destruction.?

Stephen Osomba?currently serves as the Lead Partner, Communication & Marketing at SMD Consulting Associates where he helps SME clients deliver value by adjusting the solutions to each company's mission, product, strategy, and industry.