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by Aytekin Tank

Freud once wrote, “The ego is not master in its own house.” He argued that the ego, which controls your thoughts and behaviors, is influenced by the id (your most basic impulses) and the superego, which consists of the rules and norms of society. Having a balanced ego is key to personal well-being. Similarly, having and leading with a balanced ego is key to professional and team success.

Leaders with inflated egos can cause irreparable harm to workers and companies. Less willing to entertain contradictory ideas, they stifle innovation and make poorer-quality decisions. Because their egos crave positive attention, they’re susceptible to manipulation. What’s worse, the traits of egocentric leaders often trickle down through an organization, potentially undermining its very fabric. That’s why it’s key for leaders to practice leaving their egos at the door.

Here are five strategies for releasing your sense of self-importance and leading with less ego.

Train your active listening ability like it’s a muscle

If you’ve ever been to a therapist, then you’re familiar with active listening. A good therapist listens attentively, interprets when appropriate, and endeavors to understand what you’re saying. They don’t just hear you, but they make you feel heard. In doing so, they allow their own ego to fall away.

Like strength training at the gym, you can train your active listening ability as if it were a muscle. The core components of active listening are comprehending, retaining, and responding. By working on these skills, you can become a better active listener.

You should also get in the habit of clarifying misunderstandings in the moment, for example due to slang or technical explanations. Ask questions and seek further explanations. If necessary, request that someone break down a concept into terms a child would understand. Tune out any distractions and try to be aware of your own biases. And finally, communicate that you’ve understood what someone has said.

Active listening takes effort, but like weightlifting, it gets easier with repetition. Continue reading →

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by Tony Martignetti

Curiosity isn’t just a good personality trait or an indulgence—it’s a leadership superpower. In a business environment where innovation dictates success, curiosity serves as the catalyst for breakthroughs and industry reinvention. Yet, despite its transformative potential, it remains one of the most undervalued tools in leadership today.

According to a Harvard Business Review study, curiosity fosters openness and collaboration while reducing decision-making errors. Yet only 24% of organizations actively encourage it, leaving a wealth of untapped potential on the table. The best leaders don’t just seek answers; they reframe problems. Instead of asking, “How do we fix this?” they ask, “What if we reimagine this entirely?” Leaders who embrace this mindset uncover opportunities for reinvention that others overlook because they only focus on immediate challenges.

Curiosity begins with observation

In the world of art and design, curiosity begins with observation. Georgia O’Keeffe once remarked, “Nobody sees a flower, really—it is so small we haven’t time, and to see takes time.” Her words offer a lesson for leaders: True insight comes from taking the time to observe and understand what others overlook. The design thinking process mirrors this ethos, emphasizing empathy, iteration, and a willingness to embrace failure. Leaders who adopt these principles uncover unmet needs and rethink stagnant paradigms.

For instance, I once worked with a biotech executive who revitalized their R&D team with a single question: “What are we missing in the data that could change the trajectory of our discovery?” This curiosity-fueled inquiry led to a cross-disciplinary exploration, resulting in a groundbreaking treatment that shifted the company’s competitive position. Continue reading →

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by Bill Fotsch

Learn how to engage employees and drive profit growth through transparency.

Let’s say you’ve spoken with your customers, as we suggest you do regularly. They’ve told you what they value. After all, it’s your customer that defines the value of your business. Now, it’s time to get excited about the economics of your business. And not just you, but everyone in the organization, from bottom to top. Why? Economics determine profits, and when employees have economic understanding, it only increases profitability.

Employees should understand the economics of business.

The economics of your business are what the customers value (offense) versus your cost to provide the value (defense). They’re also operational. They’re the hands-on metrics your employees deal with every day:

Motivation increases when employees have a stake in success.

Once your employees understand how these operating metrics impact overall company success and how they themselves contribute to those metrics, they can focus all their efforts on improving them. This empowers employees to make smart choices and act in ways that drive performance. By giving them a voice in the important metrics of your business, their level of engagement—real engagement—soars.

Imagine two employees working at the same level in the same industry. The first employee has a clear understanding of her company’s economics. She’s not trained to read financial statements, as some experts recommend. Instead, she tracks the operational metrics that drive profitability, such as units shipped—the stuff she has a hand in. Each week, she monitors and forecasts these numbers, actively working to boost them.

As her whole team does this, customers are served more profitably. Value increases. When performance improves, her quarterly bonus improves, funded by the improving financials. Transparency fuels this improvement. Continue reading →

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• We are seeking a Hunter type who can sell into Net New accounts
• We are seeking an experienced sales leader who has sold large deals – multiyear deals (over TCV $20M)
• We need experience in selling into Banking and Financial accounts : Small , medium and large accounts like State Street, Fidelity, Citi, JPMC, Goldman, Hedge Funds, etc.
• Looking for experience in an Onsite / Offshore firm; IT Services firm
• Location between Philadelphia up to Boston
• Attractive base compensation and sales incentive plan

Please let me know your thoughts/suggestions

Larry Janis, Managing Partner, ISSG

Janis@issg.net

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by Moshe Engelberg

Here’s how you can lead with integrity in today’s chaotic world.

Ever feel like you’re trying to steer a ship through a storm, with the waves crashing around you and everyone telling you a different way to go? Welcome to leadership.

Especially in times of chaos, it’s easy to get swept up in it. When everything around you is unpredictable, your values are your compass, helping you stay true to yourself and lead with purpose.

Making the hard choice

Love-powered leadership is about leading with integrity and authenticity, even when the storm feels overwhelming. It’s not always easy to stand by your principles, especially when they’re not the most popular choice.

But that’s what true leaders do—they don’t follow the crowd, they set their own course. Leading with your values helps create a culture of trust and respect, fostering loyalty and collaboration in your team, even in the most uncertain times.

Examples of great values-driven leadership

Let’s look at a few modern-day leaders who have stood by their values, even when facing backlash or criticism. These leaders show us that holding fast to your core beliefs can lead to powerful outcomes, both for you and for the organization.

1. Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard: Protecting the planet, no matter the cost. Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, is famous for his commitment to environmentalism and sustainability. Even when it cost the company in short-term profits, he stood by his values. One famous example is Patagonia’s 2011 Black Friday campaign, during which they encouraged people not to buy their products. Despite losing sales, the company saw a loyal customer base grow and continued its strong position in the market.
2. Howard Schultz: Standing up for employees at Starbucks. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz took a stand in 2018 by emphasizing employee benefits and a people-first culture. He pushed for healthcare and stock options for employees even when many in the business world were focused solely on the bottom line. As a result, Starbucks became a model for workplace culture, with highly engaged employees and loyal customers.
3. Indra Nooyi: Leading with purpose at PepsiCo. Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, stayed committed to her vision for PepsiCo’s “Performance with Purpose” initiative focused on making healthier products and committing to environmental sustainability. While critics said these decisions would hurt PepsiCo’s profits, Nooyi stood firm in her belief that a company could thrive while contributing positively to society. Her commitment paid off, helping PepsiCo grow while being recognized as a leader in corporate responsibility.

3 action steps to stand by your values, even in chaos

Here’s how you can stick to your principles, even when time’s get tough for your company.

1. Clarify and apply your core values. Take time to reflect on your values and how they guide your decisions. Write them down, keep them visible, and regularly reflect on them. Ask yourself, “What’s the right thing to do here?” When in doubt, refer to your values to guide your decision-making.
2. Communicate your values clearly and consistently. Don’t just talk about your values—live them! Regularly communicate your values with your team. When your team sees that your actions align with those values, they’ll be more likely to follow suit. Set the example, and watch how others begin to act in alignment, too.
3. Make difficult decisions based on your values. When you’re faced with a tough choice, let your values lead the way. Don’t shy away from hard decisions—trust what you know is right.

Always better, though not always easy

Leading with your values isn’t always the easiest path, but it’s the most rewarding. The world needs leaders who are willing to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s not popular. When you act with integrity, you build trust, loyalty, and respect—all the things that create lasting success.

So, stand by your values, even when the storm hits. The courage to do so will strengthen not just your leadership but the culture you create and the legacy you leave.

This post originally appeared at inc.com.