Let’s get something straight: ego isn’t a four-letter word. Well, it is, technically, but it’s not inherently evil. A healthy ego is what gets you out of bed, into the meeting, and through the tough conversation. It’s what says, “Yes, I can do this.”

But when confidence crosses into overconfidence? That’s where things start to unravel, often in subtle, slow-motion ways. And leaders? We’re especially susceptible.