Egonomics: What Makes Ego Our Greatest Asset (or Most Expensive Liability)

All too often in teams we are unable to exceed expectations. Instead of multiplying talents to achieve superior results, we bring our team down to the lowest common denominator of each member's weaknesses. Egonomics breaks this paradigm by giving teams the tools they need to maximize effectiveness through the power of ego. You will be hard pressed to find a book with as many ah ha moments, and bent pages to mark all the items you will want to use as examples. You will find your leaders skeptical of these methods, but the dynamics of a team that uses it effectively are amazing. This book goes beyond business, and extends to how to be better in life.

When I read this book I had two thoughts: 1) as the leader of my company, why haven't I looked more closely, until now, at my own ego, and 2) why is it that, as the authors ask in the book, we get so protective of our egos when the topic surfaces? What are we afraid of? It's soon clear in the book that the authors have no interest in removing ego from anyone or anywhere, especially business; just better management of it. I think everyone will find very individual answers in this work; it became clear to me the further I read that the "answers" in this book have as much to do with self-reflection and a precise self-awareness as they do for the methodologies of communication and teamwork that they purport. In terms of that awareness, for me at least, it's difficult to let go of what's worked in the past to try something new, and the authors are clearly asking us to consider a different way to work. Not unimaginable, but certainly a different "level." The three principles they focus their work on--humility, curiosity, and veracity--seemed a very solid balance to the "power of ego." The four early warning signs of mismanaged ego outline why ego gets the best of us at times. I expected a more pure psychological read, and instead found myself comparing their writing along the lines of investigative business journalists rather than psychologists. If you're interested in the purely academic/Freudian side of ego, this isn't for you. I don't think the authors intended it for that (very much focused on the workplace). If you're looking for more of a "Blink" or "Wisdom of Crowds" POV, then this book is terrific.

The strength of this book lies in its explanation of the concepts that each of us has experienced in our day-to-day interactions. Much of the content we intuitively understand to be true, but the authors do an excellent job of providing research-based examples that illustrate the root causes of such behavior and what can be done to overcome, or in other cases encourage, the behavior.

David Marcum and Steve Smith may have stumbled on a perspective many ignored for its complexity and raw form. I find the ideas insightful and relevant to Leaders in many levels. It is a great discussion on EGO and its unique ability to shape the environment. Egonomics transforms a hard to tackle topic into an everyday measure of performance and business relevance. Egonomics is an awareness of truth in Leadership.

Egonomic is a fresh look at a sensitive topic which is rarely addressed in business or leadership books. Most of us see the negative impact of the ego in our daily settings. Rarely is there a book which emphasizes the positive power and impact of the ego as a business resource. The organization's which leverage this valuable resource as an asset will have more positive trends on their financial results. The first chapter presents compelling evidence from business people's estimate on how the ego negatively impacts annual revenue. It also demonstrates how the ego gives leaders confidence to demonstrate their greatest strengths, however, these same strengths can become counterfeit weakenesses. When an organization invests in our greatest strengths, it also inherits the potential of the counterfeit weaknesses as well. What really got my attention is the statement toward the end of the first chapter which points out how "when the pervasive power of ego shakes, everything on our task list--the way we collaborate, think, decide, execute--shakes with it." How true this is. The book then goes on to objectively explore three core principles and how to ensure the ego is an asset. I really appreciated how the three core principles of egonomics and the "deep dive" into each one provided the reader clearer understanding of how to minimize the shaking of our own egos or to recogize when someone else's ego is shaking. This books is a good read for anyone who desires to have a continual positive impact on the organization and it's business results.