Everyone has an ego..........subordinates will never be rewarded and eventually they will leave.

Everyone has an ego. Some of us find it difficult to contain it, while others require time to control it.

An ego develops when we feel we have some superior quality in us. This quality can take many forms. It can be physical, such as height, strength, and beauty, or it can be mental, such as cunning and wisdom. It may also be financial wealth or influence through position, power or even popularity. We find it difficult to accept the fact that others may be better than us, especially in that particular quality where we feel we are better than others. Sometimes we go overboard by claiming that we are right even though it is obvious that we are wrong. It is simply our ego that prevents us from admitting our own mistakes.

People who are ego-driven are dominated by fear and the need to be right all the time. They are afraid to fail because they think their worth as human beings depends on how others see them. To them success is measured by the number of wins they achieve. Furthermore, there is very little humility in those who are ego-driven.

If we excessively entertain our ego, we shall feel that our opinions are always the best, our information is the most accurate, our attitude towards things are the most apt, our method or approach to solving problems is the only correct one, our suggestions must be accepted, and our decisions must be the most appropriate. In other words, we can never be wrong. We insist that we are still right despite all the arguments against us. We become angry and irrational. We would even say things that hurt others because we could not care less about their feelings.

This behavior leads to arrogance. Arrogance occurs when there are at least two people possessing the same quality, but one feels that he is superior to the other. Arrogance is different from conceit which occurs when someone feels that he has a good quality in him and admires himself for having such a quality. He does not need to compare himself with another individual to feel conceited. From these definitions, egoism is closer to arrogance than conceit.

One of the most destructive traits of a leader today is arrogance -- behaving as if he has got it together all the time. This is why these leaders do not entertain the opinions of others. They do not recognize that there is great strength in diversity of talents, information, experience and suggestions. In most cases, they prefer to listen only to those things that are pleasing to them. This is a great weakness because their subordinates will learn in no time to just please them with pleasant information updates and sweep every bitter event under the carpet. These leaders will be made to believe that everything is under control, that everything is fine and moving along smoothly.

Worse still, these leaders will reward those who please them or present only positive feedback. Subordinates who sincerely report the truth will receive admonition. These sincere subordinates will never be rewarded and eventually they will leave.

Summary: Ego-driven people are controlled by fear of failure and they need to be correct always. They are dependent on what other people think of them, are not humble and think they can never be wrong. Their behaviour leads to arrogance. Unlike conceited people who think highly of themselves, arrogant people think much more highly of themselves compared to others. They also do not consider opinions of other people. Arrogant people only care for their own opinions and prefer to listen to people who flatter them. Arrogant people reward those who praise them and not those who give sincere feedback.