A Unified Theory of Ego, Empathy, and Humility at Work

3 hours ago

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Empathy and humility are essential virtues that help keep our egos in check, especially in the workplace.
Ego enables self-reflection and self-awareness but can also lead to self-justification and harmful behaviors if unchecked.
Developers often let their egos manifest in subtle ways, such as using jargon or gatekeeping, which can be exclusionary.
Common ego-driven statements in the workplace include resistance to change, overconfidence, and dismissive attitudes toward others.
Empathy helps gather new information, while humility allows us to adjust our behavior based on that information.
Practicing empathy and humility requires strength and patience, counteracting the easy but harmful path of ego-driven actions.
Leaders and developers benefit from fostering trust and respect by demonstrating empathy and humility, making collaboration more effective.
Small, consistent improvements in empathy and humility can lead to better teamwork, problem-solving, and career growth.

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