Everyone is insecure about what they do, in some way. Some express this more than others. I’m insecure in my ideas, execution and about the way I lead and I know I’m not alone in this.

As a leader, you’re naturally in a position where you get more attention. There will be moments of recognition and there will be negative comments. It is natural to react to these two things in a way to keep your ego up and boost yourself. Obviously to get rid of the insecurity you feel. Not the best way to lead. Two situations where you can really shine:

Something going wrong? It is easy to blame your team to make sure no one thinks it is your fault. Blaming others is easy because you don’t have to change anything on your end. Taking responsibility is hard.

Something going well? It is easy to gloat and making sure everyone knows it was you. The attention feels great and well-deserved because you’ve worked your ass off, obviously. That’s the easy road. The hard route is to be on the lookout for opportunities to put others in the spotlight. Let them announce a major step. Get them a round of applause. Let others do the talking. Give credit where credit’s due.

As a leader it is your job to help your team shine and grow.