Ego is like the wick in the midst of the wax of a candle. It will burn too quickly if it is too large, and if it is too little, the wax will melt and put out the flame.

Similar to how a candle needs its wick to produce light, ego is essential for it to function. Despite his reputation for having a large ego, Steve Jobs had what was needed to manage a team and accomplish great things. His contextual reality and impact allow his ego to fit in and deliver results.

Source: Entrepreneur

There is no ideal balance, therefore you must be conscious of the ratio between your ego, your vision, and your professional surroundings. You must determine where the balance rests. You could have self-doubt if your ego is too little, and you might have trouble collaborating if it's too large.

Finding the ideal balance is crucial, much like choosing the proper ratio of wick to wax for effective lighting.

Practices

For personal and professional growth, it's important to find the right balance between ego, contextual reality, and your impact. Here are some suggestions on how to find that balance:

  • Be aware of yourself: Know your strengths and weaknesses and how they affect your ego. Be honest with yourself about what you can't do and what you could do better.
  • Hear what others say: Ask people for feedback and be open to what they say. Take the time to see things from their point of view and figure out how they see you. Don't be defensive, and try to see things from their point of view.
  • Always be willing to learn new things and grow your knowledge: This will help you feel good about your skills and keep you in touch with reality.
  • Put yourself in someone else's shoes and try to see things from their point of view. This will help you connect with them and get along better with them.
  • Set goals that are realistic: You can be ambitious, but you should also set goals that are realistic. Don't take on more than you can handle, but also don't settle for less than your best.
  • Celebrate your successes: When you reach your goals, take the time to celebrate, but don't be too proud of them. Don't let them make you feel too good about yourself.

Remember that it's important to have a healthy ego, but it's also important to stay grounded in reality and keep strong relationships with other people.

Examples

Bob Iger used to run The Walt Disney Company as CEO. Iger is known for being sure of what he wants to do and for being a good listener and team player. He knows he doesn't have all the answers and is always looking for other people's ideas and opinions. Under his leadership, Disney bought Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, all of which did well, and moved into new markets, like streaming with Disney+. Iger's success as a CEO has been helped by his ability to keep his ego in check while still being willing to learn and work with others.

Source:CNBC

Satya Nadella, The CEO of Microsoft, is often used as an example of a CEO who has a good balance between ego and reality. Nadella is known for being humble and putting his team's needs first instead of his own accomplishments or ego. Under Nadella's leadership, Microsoft has grown and been successful in many ways, such as putting more emphasis on cloud computing and recommitting itself to innovation. People have also said good things about Nadella's ability to listen to feedback and change with the times. This shows that he has a good balance between his own vision and the reality of the company and industry.

Source: The Seattle Time
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