Few things derail a leader and hurt organizations more than unhealthy personal perspectives and pride. The more senior a leader, the more painful the impact of unhealthy pride and narcissism. Napoleon was both a genius and a disaster.
Make the decisions now to have people around you who aren’t impressed by your position or what you’ve done. Getting in the company of people who aren’t impressed or beholden to you is healthy and humbling. They’ll keep you grounded. This isn’t a drag on your dreams – it’s a community experience that keeps you from heading down a road to destruction.
Your work and contributions are important. You are significant. You are not THAT significant, because you are part of a larger story.
Husbands and dads are usually smarter than the typical sitcom portrayal, but it’s also true that we need wives and kids to point out when we are complete morons. We’re part of a generational story.
You might be a genius. You might be a stellar leader in some contexts. The people in your group might think you’re the cat’s meow and like Mary Poppins, “practically perfect in every way.” You and your group are human therefore your perceptions are suspect.
It also helps to study history. I was recently studying a chart of the great civilizations going back 4000 years. The ebbs and flows through the generations are sobering. The United States is a little uptick at the end of the timeline. I’m a middle-manager in a large corporation but it’s only so much influence in a very large world. 75 years from now my bones will be dust.
The world needs your leadership. I encourage you to stretch, to dream, to invent, to make your grand mark in the world. It’s what you’re born to do.
The ancient wisdom is that “Humility comes before honor.” Don’t ruin honor and accomplishment and significance by letting it go to your head. Engage with a community of people who keep you grounded.
Leave a Reply