When you enter a fancy restaurant or event, have you ever left your coat at the door? Just like a jacket that can be taken on and off, good leaders need to able to push their egos aside.
Being self-aware and understanding what others think of you is important. If your ego is doing all the talking, you are stifling agility. It’s important to be aware and take a look at yourself and decide if your ego is overly active when interacting with people around you.
A healthy corporation needs talent that can move, grow and develop. Agile leaders aren’t afraid to take risks and create conditions that reward employees for stepping outside the comfort box and meeting new demands. It isn’t enough anymore for a leader to understand the management process and follow a checklist; rather, good leaders need to be open to many types of thinking and be able to set aside their own egos sometimes.
To be successful, you really have to put your ego in the background and try to be diplomatic to achieve what you want to achieve.
Ken Adam
An agile leader is a person who is always scanning and reassessing, using both the ‘left’ analytical brain and the ‘right’ intuitive mind. Skills such as adaptability, creativity, and thinking on your feet are increasingly valued. And great leaders have to not only possess these skills, but they also need to ensure that their employees have opportunities to take risks. But when a leader does all the talking, and his or her ego is the biggest elephant in the room, agility and risk-taking will be stifled.
Science is allowing us to glimpse the inner workings of our brains, and the results sometimes aren’t that pretty. The brains of business leaders can resemble the brains of people afflicted by disease. We think we are healthy, but in reality, we are neglecting our brains.
It takes a certain awareness, however, to understand when your ego is a problem. The line between standing up for your work and yourself and going too far can sometimes be hazy and unclear. To ensure that your ego isn’t constantly trying to be the belle of the ball, you need to make sure that you are flourishing mentally and physically.
By using the techniques and principles from from the i4 teachings, you will have the tools to become an agile and aware leader. Being able to see the bigger picture and understanding how your actions and decision can impact the future is critical.
Take a deep look at yourself. Decide if you need to set your ego aside to create an atmosphere where people want to speak up and present new ideas. The i4 Model can open your eyes to what others think about you, and help you realise your full potential.