“The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance” – Albert Einstein

 

As a coach, I get the privilege of working with some very talented leaders and for that I am extremely grateful.

After being in the leadership development business for more than 20 years, I am stilled floored by the level of ignorance and arrogance amongst some of today’s leaders.

It is if they are unconscious and oblivious of the fact that leadership is and needs to be about their people. They exhibit arrogance, ignorance, pride, self-centeredness, and even the ability to lie without the least bit of regret. These are the folks whose people loath them.

And then there are those leaders who really get it. The ones who realize that leadership is not simply a reward for performance but a privilege and a calling, these are the ones people love to follow.

I have written many times about ego and the destruction it does in the life of any individual, but also the amplification of the damage it does to those around them, especially their direct reports.

As I was paging through a few of my blogs I came upon a post entitled, Arrogance…Death of a Leader! 

I thought it would be appropriate to share it again, as arrogance seems to be running amok, not just in the corporate world, but the world in general!

Here it is…

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Arrogance…Death of a Leader!

You know one…you’ve worked for one…you are one?

God I hope not!! How would you know if you were an arrogant leader?

Below is a list of 10 things that arrogant leaders do.

10 Things Arrogant Leaders Arrogant Do:

1. They put their own self-centered needs before the needs of their people.
2. They make irrational business decisions based on their emotions and how they feel and it is usually all about a power trip.
3. They take everything personal. because they think the world revolves around them.
4. They attempt to control everything and everyone.
5. They believe that others are in their lives to serve them.
6. They’re the first one to point the finger of blame and the last one to take ownership for their mistakes.
7. Their actions are incongruent with their words…in other words they lie!
8. They slow the development and growth of others so that they get ahead and stay on top.
9. They talk big and play small.
10. They play small because deep down inside they are small and insecure no matter how much bravado and over-inflation they do.

The good news is that just like Extraordinary Leaders…they always, always, always…reap what they sow!

It is not always immediately, but it is eventually!

Interested in being a better leader? Read these!