CHAPTER 5
PRACTICE HUMILITY
Prevent Hubris by Keeping Your Ego in Check
As long as there have been leaders there have been people kissing their rear-ends. The manipulative art of brownnosing has won the favor of rulers and despots, generals and chiefs, high-priests, and priestesses throughout the ages.
It feels good when the people you’re leading fawningly agree with your decisions, affirm and parrot your opinions, and enthusiastically carry out your directives. Some leaders start to surround themselves with yes-people, misjudging sycophantic fealty with genuine loyalty. While it feels nice when your direct reports massage your ego by telling you how smart you are, don’t get sucked into being sucked up to. You don’t want to be manipulated by ...
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