Living with others in mind is healthy, noble, and useful except when insecurity drives you.
Insecure leaders:
- Defend when they should explore.
- Take things personally.
- Blame higher ups for tough decisions.
- Don’t trust others because they don’t trust themselves.
- Can’t say no.
- Threaten, intimidate, and coerce.
- Shut down input from others because feedback is frightening.
- Micromanage.
- Won’t delegate.
- Yell.
- Backstab.
- Create teams of yes-men.
- Illustrate their competence and successes too frequently.
- Hoard knowledge.
- Delay decisions and then flip flop after.
- Seem snobbish.
- Crave positional authority and respect.
- Nitpick and belittle.
- Share blame and take credit.
- Name drop.
Bonus: Think others are out to get them.
Thanks to contributors on my Facebook page for helping me develop this list. Your insights rock.
15 tips for overcoming insecurity:
- Realize success won’t help. Let it go.
- Develop trusted confidants and tell them your insecurities.
- Compare yourself with yourself, not others.
- Act with optimism.
- Engage in self-reflection every day.
- Keep a journal.
- Believe you have purpose and place. You belong in this world.
- Let your humanity out.
- Pray.
- Read biographies.
- Let opportunity rather than fear motivate.
- Say out loud, “This is a tough decision.”
- Act and speak with gentle confidence.
- Give others what you wish they’d give you.
- Center debate and decision making on issues not people.
Insecurity viciously and relentlessly pushes people around.
I wish there was a magic pill. Growing through insecurity is slow and perilous but it enhances life and leadership.
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We’ve all seen insecure leaders who hobble their own success. What symptoms and cures for insecurity can you add?