From Ego to Elevation: How Humility Transforms Leadership and Inspires Success

Years ago, I had an ego problem. It was glaring me in the face in my 20’s and yet I refused to see it.  Can anyone truly connect with a leader who comes across as consumed by self?

One valuable lesson that still sticks with me today came when I wrote a column for my organization’s newsletter. My editor handed me back a proofread copy with every instance of the word “I” circled. It was glaringly clear: I was talking too much about myself. My perspective. My accomplishments.

As an only child from a small town who had been bullied by a couple of kids in school, was scrawny until late high school and had no idea what he wanted to do with his life, I had a longtime chip on my shoulder, causing me to overcompensate for my insecurity with cockiness and arrogance for far too long.

Being humbled in my career, having a family and finally rekindling with my faith have made me far more focused on servant leadership, elevating others and ensuring those I serve are the heroes – not me.

What I learned:

True leadership isn’t about you – it’s about others.

Servant leaders elevate, empower, and shine the spotlight on their teams.

You’re not the hero of the story. Your people are.

Are you leading to serve or to be served? Are your conversations filled with “I” or “we”?

Key Takeaways:

Humility builds bridges where ego builds walls.

Focus on lifting others, and watch how they rise.

Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice; it’s about creating space for others to be heard.

Let’s remember: the best leaders are those whose success is measured by the success of the people they serve.

#LeadershipMatters #ServantLeadership #EgoCheck #TeamSuccess #HumbleAndHungry #FaithAndFocus #GrowthMindset #PeopleFirst #ElevateOthers