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EMPLOYEE LOGIN
I would argue that our EGO is the single greatest factor holding us back from our full potential. We all have one and it controls us to different degrees.
I am a natural teacher, and I want to help people. I go out of my way to hold a door, point out a more effective way of doing something and I try to pass along things that I have learned in my 30+ year career. I do this because I want to, and the purpose is to help people become a better version of themselves.
Sometimes I am amazed at how people respond. On one hand, some are very grateful and listen. On the other hand, some are defensive and can be downright nasty. The nasty people always surprise me and can throw me off my game, but then I realize, it is just EGO.
A week ago, I was sent a resume by a job seeker on LinkedIn. She private messaged me and attached the resume without a greeting or forward of any kind. I don’t know this person, so I would expect at least a “hello, my name is, and I am looking for my next opportunity”. I looked at the resume and it was very poorly written. The format was terrible and inconsistent, there were spelling and grammatical errors everywhere and it just looked unprofessional. I offered to help and recommended that she seek a resume writer to help her make it stronger. I know that a good resume leads to interviews. Her response to me was that she was mildly offended and that she thinks her resume is great. Oh well, I tried! You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink!!!
This is a case of EGO taking over and standing in the way of improvement. I consider myself an expert in both resume writing and interviewing. I have been hiring people for 25 years and I know what stands out. What stood out to me in this case, is the fact that this person is probably not teachable and likely knows more than everyone else. Not a fit for me or for my company.
The next time that someone offers you advice, even unsolicited advice, listen. Approach with curiosity and thank the person. You may or may not choose to do something with the advice, but at least you have it. Think about it this way. That person does not need to offer you their wisdom but is choosing to do so. This is a blessing, and you should be thankful as most people are unwilling to do so.
There are times when advice can be criticism and the intent of the person offering it is not good, but I find that these examples are few and far between. Even then, listen, smile, say thank you, and walk away. You will be better for doing so and you will be checking your EGO at the door.
