I’ve been thinking a lot about this thing we call our Ego.

Our ego is not who we are. It’s a constructed lens of our world, which tells us who we think we are.

It’s much more common to hear about mindfulness in the workplace. Meditation has become known as a tool to help us focus our mind and make better business decisions with less stress.

But it still doesn’t feel like we’re talking much about the ways in which our Ego gets in the way.

I was recently working with a client where the phrase, “He has a big ego,” was mentioned a few times.

After spending the last year and a half going through a professional coach training program, a yoga teacher training, and practicing yoga on a daily basis, all in an effort to help dissolve the ego, these words impacted me in a way they hadn’t before.

The way in which the Ego was accepted and normalized within the organization compared to my personal view felt like a small collision of two different worlds.

The other thing I noticed is when the Ego is tied closely to position or title, the fear of losing one’s job becomes a powerful motivator. It can lead one to make critical decisions based solely out of fear of getting fired. Bottom line: It’s not possible to be a great leader if you’re afraid of losing your job.  

Is this you? Here are a few questions to consider if it might be:

What decisions are you making based on an underlying fear of losing your job?

What is the absolute worst-case scenario of losing your job?

What would you do differently if you weren’t afraid of losing your job?

If you’re able to eradicate the fear of losing your job, it’s not a gateway to becoming apathetic. It’s an opportunity to take authentic, bold steps that can actually transform your outcomes, processes, and the people around you.