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Key Takeaways One of the biggest barriers most people face in their careers is themselves — specifically, how seriously they treat themselves.
Studies consistently show that leaders who demonstrate humility and approachability create stronger teams and better outcomes.
Be competent, prepared and excellent at what you do. But don’t make seriousness your personality; it makes you less human.
At the start of a session, I would sometimes ask people to do something slightly ridiculous. Turn to the person next to you. Bump them. Say, “I am a legend.”
There’s always a moment of hesitation. A few nervous laughs. Some people comply instantly; others look around, checking if this is really happening. And that moment tells me almost everything I need to know.
We have been conditioned to believe that seriousness equals credibility. That the more important we appear, the more competent we must be. That if we loosen up even slightly, we risk being seen as unprofessional, unserious or worse, unqualified.
In reality, the opposite is almost always true.
One of the biggest barriers most people face in their careers isn’t a lack of skill, intelligence or effort. It’s themselves — specifically, how seriously they treat themselves. We tend to confuse gravity with value, believing that projecting intensity makes us more impressive, but what it actually does is make us harder to connect with.
And connection, whether we like it or not, is the currency of leadership.
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