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Technorati6. Pride Encourages Poor Character Choices
Because of arrogance, ignorance, or a little of both, leaders start taking shortcuts that compromise their values. In their conceit, they think they’re above the rules or are too smart to get caught.
As flawed human beings, we all fall into prideful traps from time to time. However, failing to recognize the error of pride and change course will doom our leadership. Pride is a fatal character flaw and leaders that leave legacies have their character in tact. Leaders who fail to prune their pride will meet demise. That’s not a guess, it’s a guarantee. With pride, it’s not a matter of “if” we will fall, but “when.” There are no exceptions.
7. Pride Hinders Us from Reaching Our Potential.
For leaders to reach full potential, they must be aware of areas in which they can improve. Unfortunately, pride blocks honest self-assessment and prevents leaders from finding the path to better performance.
8. Pride Destroys Relationships.
The opposite of loving others is not hating others but rather obsessing over oneself. When we become self-absorbed, we cut ourselves off from the enjoyment of the relationships in our life. What I call, “The Celebration Principle” says that the true test of relationships is not how loyal we are when friends fail, but how thrilled we are when they succeed. If we can’t get excited about the accomplishments of our friends, we had better do some soul-searching.
9. Pride Distorts Your Perspective on Reality
Constantly viewing life through the lens of selfish ambition colors a leader’s outlook. Many problems in business are caused by the ego interfering with judgment. Choices that should be clear to the leader become clouded by an obsession with self advancement.
How to Correct the Pride Problem
1. Recognize Your Pride
“If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, you are very conceited indeed.”
~ C. S. Lewis
2. Admit Your Pride
“There is perhaps not one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.”
~ Benjamin Franklin
3. Express Your Gratitude
“A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher
4. Say Your Prayers
“Lord, when I am wrong, make me willing to change, and when I am right, make me easy to live with.”
~ Anonymous
5. Practice Serving Others
“The high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule.”
~ Albert Einstein
6. Learn to Laugh at Yourself
“Blessed are they that laugh at themselves, they shall never cease to be entertained.”
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Called the nation's foremost expert on leadership, John C. Maxwell is founder of The INJOY Group, a collection of three distinct companies that employ 200 people and provide resources and services that help people reach their personal and leadership potential. In addition to building a successful organization, John has authored more than thirty books, including the New York Times best sellers The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and Failing Forward.
This article is used by permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell's free monthly e-newsletter Leadership Wired available at www.injoy.com.
