Narcissism is bad, but hubris can lead to a downfall

Narcissism is a bad trait in a leader, but hubris, which INSEAD professor Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries defines as "a state of exaggerated self-belief and arrogance" -- or believing the world revolves around you and your opinion -- can be worse. Kets de Vries offers five ways to combat hubris, including getting feedback to uncover leadership blind spots, leading with humility and learning to laugh at yourself.

Put it into practice: Combat hubris by being willing to listen to criticism from others, admitting when you've made a mistake and realistically assessing your own strengths and weaknesses, Kets de Vries writes. "A willingness to assess oneself objectively can serve as an effective countermeasure to hubris."

The complexity of today's companies makes a bird's-eye perspective insufficient and a deeper view far more important. Author and leadership adviser Larry Robertson suggests digging down to find your company's power source, which for Airbnb could be "belong anywhere" and for Walmart could be "live better."

Put it into practice: Raise your chances of success, Robertson writes, by reminding yourself of your power source. For example, he says, Reese Witherspoon's "billion-dollar juggernaut Hello Sunshine has grown and thrived as quickly as it has while crosscutting sectors that others never thought to interrelate by constantly reminding themselves that be it book publishing, clothing retail, movie production or home decor, all of it is about being in the business of 'enabling storytellers.' "

Not only does curiosity create success, but it's "a valuable trait that can lead to personal growth, learning, and creativity" and "is actually a skill that you can develop," sales and leadership expert Steve Keating writes. Cultivate your curiosity by reading widely, asking questions and liking every idea for 10 minutes, Keating advises.

Put it into practice: Look for new experiences, actively listen to and connect with others, and experiment and play, Keating suggests. At the same time, don't forget to continue to be curious about yourself.

Many companies spend too much time solving the wrong problem, says Wendell Weeks, the CEO of Corning, so they have a "Triple A Loop" to effect change -- awareness, acceptance and action -- that helps leaders clarify problems and stop spinning their wheels. "The key thing people need to spend more time on is making sure they are clear on the right problem to solve. Because once you find the problem, you can usually solve it," Weeks says.

Researchers have identified several ant species that can add unique flavors that could replace some seasonings in food, including black ants that could take the place of vinegar and lemon juice and chicatana ants that can bring meat flavor to meat alternatives. "I don't want people to feel that they are making a sacrifice by eating these insects. I want to show that they can actually taste very good while being nutritious and good for the environment," says researcher Changqi Liu.

Gary D. sent in this photo of his office assistant, Sadie, a sweet and loving rescue their family adopted during the pandemic.

"Her leadership style can be characterized as highly empathetic to all who pass her initial sniff test," says Gary. "As you can tell, she's very astute, having successfully graduated from two dog training programs!"

What sweet and astute non-human companions keep you company at work or at home? Send me their photo and a little bit about what makes them so special!

Good for the environment or not, my first reaction to eating ants is, "YUCK!" The most exotic thing I have ever eaten is a rattlesnake, and it, you guessed it, tasted like chicken. Maybe chicken-fried ants?

Would you eat ants? Have you eaten ants or other insects? Tell me about it.

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