This post ties in directly to the issue of Accountability. Having someone in our lives who will shoot straight with us is incredibly important.
Many times as leaders we start losing a sense of reality and get "too big for your britches," as my grandmother used to say when I was growing up. When that happened as a youngster, my grandmother would go grab a switch from the tree outside and I would quickly shape up. Or at least start paying more attention.
Here are a few warning signs of this potentially occurring for leaders. The pitfalls of becoming too much of a prima donna.
1. You feel like you need an entourage. Everywhere you go.
2. You're unreachable. You have so many systems and handlers in place to shield you from the outside world that not even your closest friends can get in touch with you.
3. The only people who get any time with you are those who you need something from or who you see as further up the ladder of success. Anyone "below" you gets pushed off to someone else. Along with the only people you want to interact with are peers at your level.
4. You speak and give advice WAY more than you listen and ask questions.
5. You quit laughing consistently, especially at yourself.
6. There are certain jobs or projects that you feel are simply "below" you. You would be offended if someone asked you to do some of these tasks.
7. Nothing is ever good enough or done well enough. A standard of excellence is one thing. But when nothing ever meets your approval or is good enough for you, you've crossed the line to being way too wrapped up in your own world and in your own sense of hero status.
8. You quit learning, growing and innovating. You focus on being the expert, the hero, the speaker and the teacher, instead of being the learner, the guide, the platform, the shepherd, and the aggregator. Your posture becomes the arrogant loud 1st instead of the confidently quiet and humble 2nd.
Any of these consistently showing up in your world? If so, I recommend you take a chill pill, make some adjustments, and lighten up!
