These Ego Craving Leadership Firsts Undercut Morale
by Kate Nasser | 3 Comments »
Ego Craving Leadership Firsts, Often Undermine Morale
Ego Craving Leadership Firsts Undercut Morale Image by: Steve Bowbrick via Flickr Creative Commons License.
The image of successful leadership often includes exploring new territory. Finding new markets, imagining new products. spotting unmet needs are on leaders’ radar. These challenges can rally employee morale as they ride the excitement of something new.
That same employee morale can plummet when leaders move their focus from charting new territory to being the first leader to do these things.
Ego Craving Leadership Firsts That Undermine Morale
- Talking about how many awards they (the leaders) have won for being first. To inspire employees, focus on their talents not yours.
- Pushing employees with too many new ideas with insufficient time to do the work. Set the bar at an achievable level and control your ego craving leadership firsts.
- Using threats when the firsts don’t materialize. One leader used to say: “Who do I have to fire to get results. We need to be first not last!” When there is a specific business need to be first to market, make that challenge tangible and inspire vs. threaten to get there.
Distinguish between innovating and being first. Highlighting new opportunities inspires morale. Focusing only on being first in everything douses it.
From my professional experience to your success,
Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™
Related Posts:
7 Ego Actions That Stifle Leadership & Teamwork
18 Things Respected Well-Liked Leaders Consistently Do
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Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™, delivers coaching, consulting, training, and keynotes on leading change, employee engagement, teamwork, and delivering the ultimate customer service. She turns interaction obstacles into interpersonal success. See this site for workshop outlines, keynote footage, and customer results.
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~Kate Nasser, The People Skills Coach™
As I read this, I swear I could hear one of the old leaders I worked for speaking. He wanted to explore outsourcing to overseas. He wanted the research to be detailed and exact, partners identified, and all of it presented in a handy package that he could share with the people above him. Needless to say, the three days he gave to get it done was not optimal. Instead of recognizing the tight timeline for his radical new approach and appreciating what they were able to accomplish, he was fuming. This is a leader who I respect who was under pressure to be the first instead of co-create a first. Not pretty.
Great piece, Kate!
~ Alli
Such a great distinction Alli. Thanks for that true story example. It says to me and hopefully to everyone to stay vigilant in our behavior. Extremes can drives us to other extremes — not pretty as you say!
Many thanks,
Kate
[…] Leaders who chart new territory, products, & markets inspire employees. Yet ego craving leadership firsts undercut morale. Tips fr The People Skills Coach™. […]