Author Archives: webtechs

Ego gets in the way of progress, creativity and growth.

I am not talking about confidence – I am referring to the person that operates with an inflated opinion of oneself; and the person that deep down masks their fears with thoughts of “I know best”, “don’t tell me”, or “everyone else is wrong”.

This attitude destroys trust, undermines culture, and stifles progress.

Over the years I have coached and trained hundreds of executives that lack the necessary self-awareness of ego.  Many cross their arms, lift their chin, and send the message, “go ahead, see if you can teach me…” These same executives criticize their own employees for not wanting to change.  So who’s to blame? The executive or the employee?

Surprisingly, our brains are largely to blame. We are wired with a mindset that both safeguards and reinforces our Status. Status refers to the relative importance of ourselves as compared to others.

Everyone’s brain is designed to protect our own well being, while simultaneously responding to the reward of feeling more important than others.

Dr. David Rock, co-founder of the NeuroLeadership Institute, coined the term SCARF (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness) to illustrate the drivers of social behavior.   Status can be activated by giving someone feedback – ‘feedback for improvement’ stimulates an individual’s threat response, and ‘positive feedback’ stimulates a person’s reward response.

Becoming aware that we are all predisposed to react to Status influences is the first step in keeping our egos in check.  Every time ego leads the way, it adversely impacts one’s ability to learn new skills, share information, enhance team collaboration, and accept feedback.

Make a conscious effort to check your ego at the door. Change depends on it.

For more information read David Rock’s article: http://www.davidrock.net/files/NLJ_SCARFUS.pdf

Imagine a football team attempting to score a touchdown blindfolded.  Or driving from L.A. to N.Y. with no map, compass, or GPS.  You may eventually end up in the right place… but not without added chaos and inefficiency.

I dare you to ask 10 people in your business what your company’s top goals and business priorities are.  You will most likely get 10 different answers.

Now ask several individuals, what your company’s core strategy is.  I’m sure most will look dazed and confused.  So how can you expect high performance when everyone is unclear of the goals and clueless about strategy?  Well frankly, you can’t!

It’s common practice for management to point the finger at an employee, or even an entire department, for not communicating.  It’s also tempting to scold team members for their lack of accountability.  Step back. Take a look at the big picture. Where must communication and accountability begin?

Whether you have 2 employees or 10,000… you must start with providing the fundamental direction of your business.  You can help employees prioritize their time, execute their roles, and follow through on responsibilities, by providing the “what’s, how’s and why’s” of business.  Take the time to ensure everyone is aware of, and aligned with, your company’s goals.   Define your business strategy and give all team members a clear map to follow.  The truth is, a clear, focused direction will profoundly impact performance. Good leadership begins with opening everyone’s eyes.