Have we reached an all-time high of self-celebration and bravado? You certainly don’t have to look far to see ambitious people enthusiastically self-promote. When hubris becomes second nature, leaders need to recognize and overcome arrogant tendencies.
When this topic comes up in my coaching conversations, we discuss how this is a “we” problem, not just an “I” problem. You see, some environments support old-school thinking, and blind spots keep certain realities hidden. Help comes from another pair of eyes that can see what’s happening: a trusted colleague, mentor or the eyes of a trained executive coach.
Help for Leaders
A leader who’s ready to address interpersonal difficulties in their role can turn to a trusted coach to get a sense of what the issues are. This is the most critical step for an arrogant personality. In an HBR article, Bill Taylor writes that arrogance typically rejects the notion of interdependence and the reliance on others for assistance or wisdom. However, leaders benefit greatly by breaking one the most powerful paradigms: the belief that strength is best portrayed by personal independence, to be smart enough and capable enough not to need guidance from anyone else.
This is a false strength, where a facade hides an insecurity of self-image and the fear of what others think, based on the premise that needing help shows weakness or unworthiness. Think about it: history has shown that the most truly successful, most truly admired leaders are the ones who admit they need assistance and get it. This is true strength founded on a confidence and positive outlook that overcomes insecurity and public opinion.
Getting help is a leadership strategy that makes the best use of available resources to achieve the best results. It’s smart, tactical, courageous and bold. Humility, contrary to cultural views, is the strongest position to lead from. A qualified coach can instill these concepts and encourage leaders with arrogant tendencies to break their crippling pattern.
Help for Employees
Another paradigm needing to be overturned pertains to how employees respond to leadership behavior. The old-school mentality of power and control is outdated and damaging. People no longer tolerate those conditions and use their feet to escape them. A telltale sign of arrogant tendencies in leadership is the rate of employee turnover.
People want several key things from their leader: consideration, support, encouragement and security. Arrogance subverts each of those. People engage in their duties when they are cared for and valued, when their efforts are purposeful and appreciated. The leader and the entire organization benefit from an engaged, willing and healthy staff, who can rise above any challenge as a team when nurtured properly.
What do you think? How do you recognize and overcome arrogant tendencies? I’d love to hear from you. You can call me at 561-582-6060, let’s talk. And as always, I can be reached here, or on LinkedIn.
