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Big Business/Big Egos

Monday, September 24, 2007

Business consultants David Marcum and Steven Smith explain how ego and humility must balance for effective leadership in their new book, egonomics: What Makes Ego Our Greatest Asset (or Most Expensive Liability) (Fireside Books, 2007).

egonomics is available for purchase at Amazon.com.

Guests:

David Marcum and Steve Smith

Comments [9]

Mazz from Jersey City

I came in on this discussion only during the last 10-15 minutes of it, so I apologize if I do not know enough about the research you've done to support the theories in your book.I say that because, while this topic is really interesting to me and I will probably buy the book, I have to express my utter dismay at the fact that you have written a book using examples of cultural icons yet you do not even know who Kanye West is. Apparently you did not study *all* of American culture? Shame on you. I hope you'll do better next time.

Sep. 24 2007 11:59 AM
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regina nugent from aberdeen,nj


Once we comprehend that "humility" really means the habit of being honest about yourself, and therefore about your actions, your goals, etc.(and has nothing to do with humiliation)we can see how valuable a virtue it would be for our leaders.

Sep. 24 2007 11:31 AM
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Serena from Manhattan

Do you believe that your ideas on humility and ego transcend gender, and how might egos react with each other when you're dealing with men and women in the workplace? I can see a woman admitting a mistake as being much more detrimental than if a man does so.

Sep. 24 2007 11:30 AM
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sps from Brooklyn

I'm interested in whether or not the authors studied or thought about how the fundamental error of attribution factors into this discussion of workplace dynamics. One of the more undermining qualities of a large ego is the tendency to use oneself as the sole standard against which ideas and other people are measured.

Sep. 24 2007 11:28 AM
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Paul from East Village, Manhattan

What is the difference between humility and meekness? Also the difference between the East and the West with humility, Japan has a deep sense of humility being involved in a group.

Sep. 24 2007 11:25 AM
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eric fluger from jersey city

nice story about jobs but what happened with the firewire licensing fee controversy?

Sep. 24 2007 11:23 AM
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Rabbi Matthew Stein from humility

Your guests are probably not aware of the plethora of insightful texts in the Jewish tradition. Here's one definition from the Jewish Encyclopedia:
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=962&letter=H&search=judaism

Judaism, in its conception of humility as in its conception of many other things, stands between the two extremes of self-deification and self-effacement. Jeremiah, in urging the quality of humility and in denouncing boastfulness, qualifies his statement by saying, "Let not the wise man glorify himself in his wisdom, neither let the strong man glorify himself in his might, let not the rich glorify himself in his riches: but let him that glorifieth himself glorify in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am God who exercises love, justice, and righteousness" (Jer. ix. 22-23).

Sep. 24 2007 11:21 AM
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Bruce Pribram from Park Slope, Brooklyn

My understanding is that the etymology of the word 'humble' stems from the Greek word meaning 'educable'. A 'humble' horse was one that could learn. So, one who is humble can be thought of as one who is flexible and can grow -- not one who is lowly and meek.

Sep. 24 2007 11:15 AM
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Robert from NYC

I think you must have an ego to have humility. Humility without a good ego is self-deprecation...the bad kind. Think about it.

Sep. 24 2007 11:10 AM
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