Like a lot of things in life, pride can be a positive or a negative. When you’ve worked hard to accomplish something it can be a great thing. But, if pride gets caught up with ego, it becomes arrogance. And arrogance can be dangerous to your leadership effectiveness.
Leadership can make you proud and has a predisposition to make you self-centered. There is a thin line between confidence and pride. Great leaders resist the pull the take credit for work their team has done. They don’t have a need to take confidence from others just to prove themselves. Great leaders are humble. Pride can cause you to come across as arrogant, self and with a sense of self-entitlement.
Follow these principles to preserve your humility:
- Ask others that know you well for honest and constructive feedback.
- Ask yourself why do you do what you do?
- Be confident in yourself; do not depend on others for your self-confidence.
- Focus on aiding and empowering others
If pride is driving you to do your best or towards excellence, it’s most likely helping you become a better leader. But, if pride is about taking the credit or feeling superior then it is a problem. Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position. —Brian Tracy.
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