This exercise is about looking behind the mask of artificial leaders. Read the list of the ego driven leaders listed below. Ask yourself the following three questions about each of the roles:
- What is the fear behind this role? (i.e. fear of appearing weak, not smart enough)
- What is the benefit to this person? (i.e. feeling important, smart)
- What are the costs to the employees and the organization under this leadership?
Ego-driven roles:
- The Dictator / Bully
- Star-Of-The-Team Leader / Know-It-All Leader
- The Fault-Finding / Blaming Leader
- The Discounting Leader
- The Empire-Builder Leader
- The Patronizing / Placating Leader
- The Micro-Manager
- The Martyr / Self-Righteous Leader
Now ask yourself, “Can I see myself in any of these roles? Which ones and how does this affect my relationships?â€
Having the courage to look behind your own mask is the first step toward enlightened leadership. Building trust with those you lead starts with authenticity and integrity.
