The last part of our Leadership Arsenal series covered problems like when and who to fight and how to do it. Now I am going to cover leadership ego.

Choose the Size of Your Head

So you are a leader. Either by default or by nomination. Big deal! How you handle your ego is telling of your ability to lead.

Arrogance will lead you down a path that is of no interest to your team members. People easily pick up on cues that someone thinks themselves better than others. This will lead to resentment that can manifest in counterproductive ways. For example: other team members may think “He’s so full of himself. Let’s see what happens when he falls on his face.” They may actively seek to sabotage projects knowing that ultimate blame for the project’s failure rests with the team leader. Even if they don’t resort to such tactics, there is an atmosphere of hostility that is damaging to productivity.

Be humble. Acknowledge what, and more importantly who, it took to get you to your position. Be willing to roll of your sleeves and work in the trenches. While your hard work and abilities have secured you the position, and you should never down play them, neither should you flaunt it. Effective leaders take their leadership role as a responsibility not as a privilege.

As always, there is a balance in this, as in all things. If you take too little credit for your work, if you downplay your achievements too much, you will be perceived as weak. Employees have the preconception that leaders should be better than themselves if they truly deserve their position.

Always remember that you earned your position, that you deserve it and carry yourself so that confidence is clearly visible. Confidence, not arrogance!

If you enjoyed this article stay tuned for next week when I will  tell you how to accept criticism.