It takes courage and self belief to be an entrepreneur. To successfully run your own business you need an ego; otherwise you wouldn’t have ever taken the risk and started out on your own.
But a couple of years in, how healthy is your ego now? Is it still driving you and your business forward… or driving you both towards business failure?
Once you’ve been in business for a while, you ego can become your biggest liability. You’re so used to being in control; in charge and centre stage, that it can be difficult to distinguish your business and yourself as separate entities.
You can become so focussed on business success; you lose sight of your customers. Business contacts start to avoid you, because of your “me first” attitude, people don’t want to work with you… and your team can end up feeling undervalued, de-motivated and invisible.
So, how can you ensure you’re ego isn’t getting the better of you? Follow these five simple steps and you’ll never have to worry about your ego damaging your business.
Step 1 – Delegate
Don’t feel like you have to do everything yourself. Instead of micro managing every project, delegate tasks to other members of your team. Once you have handed over the task, trust that they will complete it to the best of their ability.
Step 2 – Let others shine
Give your team the opportunity to have an input in things. Ask for their feedback and say on a new project, let someone else run the next staff meeting and introduce your team members to the clients they are working with. Give individuals the opportunity to shine and show you what they are capable of.
Step 3 – Give praise where praise is due
It’s natural to want to take pride in your achievements, but remember those other people who helped you along the way. Take the time to thank them for their input, share the praise, the limelight and the rewards of your achievements.
Step 4 – Don’t take things personally
When you are faced with problem employees or negative customer comments, it is easy to get personally offended by them… but this is your ego getting in the way again. Switch the focus from you and onto the problem at hand.
Ask yourself how you can improve the situation for the person involved and ensure it doesn’t happen in the future. Ensure you are coming from a place of service, rather than ego.
Step 5 – Seek outside advice
Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Whether that’s in the form of a business coach or mentor, legal advice or someone who is in a similar business, seeking outside advice can help you move past any blocks you may have, both personally and in your business.
So, how healthy is your ego? Have you devised a method to ensure your ego is kept in check? What systems do you have in place to ensure you are giving your team the reward and praise they deserve? Why not share your thoughts in a comment below?
