10 Symptoms of Self-Importance You Need to Know
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” Socrates
Self-Importance distorts perception. You can’t see yourself when you’re full of yourself. You can’t see others clearly. You can’t see the world as it is.
10 symptoms of self-importance you need to know:
- Shallow relationships: Relationship strengthens influence. Pride alienates. Humility connects.
- Distance: Superiority stands aloof. It’s impossible to row-with when you’re rowing for yourself.
- Self-serving decisions: Hubris prioritizes its own welfare. You can’t trust leaders who serve self-interest before organizational interests.
- Toxic talk: Superiority manifests in dismissive communication. You don’t value insight from peons. You talk over, interrupt, disrupt, and disdain when you’re the most important person in the room.
- Complacency: You don’t need to grow when you’ve arrived. How important is growth to you? Do you worry about helping others grow, but don’t grow yourself?
- Thin skin: Egoists feel hurt when you provide constructive feedback. The people you dance around are self-centered.
- Rule bending: It’s easy to disadvantage others when you’re the center of the universe. The little people conform. Arrogance bends the rules for personal advantage.
- Roadblocking: Pride hoards information to hinder others and refuses to acknowledge the work of others. Lack of collaboration hinders possibilities.
- Hard headedness: Arrogance has a closed mind. Humility listens and learns. Self-importance refuses to change its mind.
- Hard heartedness: Ego and empathy don’t cohabitate. When you’re full of yourself there’s no room for others.
Over-confidence shrinks your world.
You need enough confidence to admit you’re wrong and enough courage to make decisions.
You might know someone who needs this post. Or you might need it.
What are some symptoms of self-importance?
Which item in the above list seems most important to you?
Still curious:
5 Ways to Answer Self Importance and Move Toward Humility
Ego Is the Enemy of Good Leadership (hbr.org)
We lose ourselves along the way. The story and projects in The Vagrant show leaders a path back to authenticity.
Order The Vagrant:
Thanks for this…. great opportunity to reflect and gain insight into how we might be some of these things at times. So easy to identify in others, but perhaps not so much in ourselves. Good reminder to pay attention to how others might perceive us, and to take steps to NOT do these things….
Thanks, Susan. It’s interesting how easily I see things in others that I don’t see in myself. Here’s to daily progress.
Reflecting on your comment: “You might know someone who needs this post”….
….I’m thinking the major political party leaders in our country. Some need it in spades.
Good point, Gerry. Humility is a glorious thing.
Physician, heal thyself come to mind. Fix what is staring at you in the mirror before you spotlight the faults of others. Good reminder, Dan!
Thanks, Ken. You are right on. Sometimes our mirror can get pretty foggy!
Good subject, Dan, and some great points0
(But there are typos in #2 (omitted word) and #8 (should be “hoarding”), and the first sentence after #10 has opening quote marks but not closing ones or the source.
I always appreciate editorial help. Thank you.
I don’t see the issue with #2? I fixed horde. And, the quote before is the way wordpress does quotes. If I type them in, they look normal. If I use a wordpress block it’s only on the front end. Thanks again.
And apparently I should also have done a better job of proofreading!
No worries. 🙂
I would add self-abasement to the list. It seems counter-intuitive, but in its worst form this puts a focus on self. Instead of seeing others it can lead to tunnel vision of personal issues.
#3, #5, and #7 are the top items for me to work on.
This post is full of truth, Dan.
“It’s impossible to row-with when you are rowing for yourself” is quite an amazing quote. Thank you.