It’s easy to get carried away with ourselves in our Jobs At The Top. 
We’re all susceptible to some degree. But susceptibility depends upon our level of comfort with ourselves. Getting carried away with ourselves is a greater risk for people who are hiding something about who they are. Pretending to be something they’re not. Or feel they need trappings to indicate their worth.
Why is this significant? Because organizational effectiveness runs inverse to pretension at the top. And parallel to authenticity, selflessness and trust.
The thermo nuclear alternative? Humility. Intense humility.
Why? Because everyone loves an effective leader who’s humble. And they’ll do everything they can to make their humble leader succeed. Possibly because there are so few of them.
Humble CEOs never take themselves too seriously. Their businesses yes, but not themselves. They’re brutally committed to the needs of their businesses, without it spilling over to self-importance. And they never make others feel like they’re better.
So, how do you become one? It’s all a matter of will.
Willingness to see yourself … still at the point of the pyramid … but with the point facing down, not up! Seeing your role as setting up circumstances that maximize the likelihoods for everyone giving your business all they’ve got to give. Enabling them to be more effective in your organization than they could be anywhere else. And feeling proud about your company … and about themselves in it.
Some of the ways I do this include:
· Taking a small office with nothing in it that doesn’t relate directly to my job … no golf or fishing pictures.
· Touring the plant every day … eating sometimes in the plant lunchroom.
· Wearing the company shirt, answering my own phone, making my own coffee and copies.
· Arriving early, staying late, parking in the back of the lot … and not driving a fancy car to work.
· Looking people in the eye, remembering their names and something important about them … and taking notes when they talk.
· Listening more than talking in meetings, asking questions, summarizing others’ ideas … and doing what I say I’ll do.
· Signing Christmas and birthday cards with a note, telling people how glad I am to work with them … 1,000 a year is not too many … I’ve done it and it’s worth it!
