Ego

Personality Development

Every one of us has a dominant negative attitude, a defensive and potentially destructive pattern of thinking, feeling and acting which is known as Ego. It is a constraining factor or personal stumbling block.

The main reasons are self destruction, undervaluing oneself, denying responsibility, resisting to change, greed, arrogance and impatience. It can occur when someone is in a leadership position and loses perspective about his/her role in the organization.

A leader tends to garner large amounts of praise and recognition for successes both from those outside an organization and from within the organization. This is particularly problematic in situations where the leader sets up an internal organizational culture that supports communicating about positive things. It is true that some leaders succeed due to being in the right place at the right time with the right skills. But when situations change, the leaders who do not change along with the situations due to ego will tend to self-destruct. In ego-driven leaders, purpose takes a distant backseat to personal success.

The ego is one of the biggest barriers to people working together effectively. When people get caught up in their egos, it erodes their effectiveness. It is because the combination of false pride and self-doubt created by an overactive ego gives people a distorted image of their own importance. When we are told that we are wrong, we often resent it. 

Our opposition to the refutation of our misconceptions frequently stems from our ego, the part of us that insists on its correctness. The ego is not the enemy to be subdued but a compilation of unexamined habits that keep us from greatness.

When we allow ego to lead the way, we are edging out greatness. Ego is the mask we wear to cover it all up. Ego is not about power. It is about being powerless. 

Aiyan Thiruvalluvar says

வெண்மை எனப்படுவ தியாதெனின் ஒண்மை 
உடையம்யாம் என்னும் செருக்கு. (844)

हीन-बुद्धि किसको कहें, यदि पूछोगे बात ।

स्वयं मान ‘हम हैं सुधी’, भ्रम में पड़ना ज्ञात ॥ (८४४)

Explanation by Scholars

What is called want of wisdom is the vanity which says, "We are wise".

ஒருவன் தன்னைத் தானே  அறிவுடையவனாக  மதித்துக்  கொள்ளும்  ஆணவத்திற்குப் பெயர் தான் அறியாமை எனப்படும்.