Thinking about your ego as something to be stuffed down and barred from your professional life isn’t just counterproductive, it also misunderstands what ego actually is and how it works. They’re led to believe their egos will only get in the way of their credibility and effectiveness and spell certain doom for their ability to forge a purposeful, positive, productive work culture. While ego experts differ over the stages, cut points, and pacing of ego development.
Key Takeaways:
- Ego tends to get a bad rap in leadership circles, and it’s no wonder why. When somebody is said to “have an ego,” it’s typically meant that they’re arrogant, condescending, or self-absorbed.
- Thinking about your ego as something to be stuffed down and barred from your professional life isn’t just counterproductive, it also misunderstands what ego actually is and how it works.
- You may think of ego as a relatively new concept, a modern concept developed by Sigmund Freud or Friedrich Nietzsche. It’s not.
“Embracing your ego doesn’t automatically make you a raging narcissist, either. Instead, it can give you a personal advantage that, if you harness it appropriately, translates into a competitive advantage for your company. Your ego is a good thing.”
