Usually the last person to be made aware of an area of your life where you have developed an unhealthy level of pride is...you!

Though everyone else is already thinking about it, talking about it, bothered by it, and concerned for you because of it, more often than not, you are the only person who is unaware of it.

And for leaders in particular, this is a problem.

An inability to recognize and take responsibility for the areas in your leadership where you are prideful can:

Cause your team to question your self-awareness.
Discourage your team from approaching you about the issue.
Undermine your ability to influence and impact your team.
Have you removed from your position of leadership on the team.

In an effort to prevent this from happening, here are 5 questions you can ask yourself to uncover potential areas where you may have an unhealthy level of pride.

In what areas of your life or leadership...

Do you consider yourself an expert?
Do you have a hard time admitting fault?
Do you get defensive of when challenged?
Do you invest the most time and emotional energy?
Do you avoid receiving constructive feedback about?

If there is an area of your life or leadership that was the answer to all five of these questions, beware! This is very likely an area that is susceptible to unhealthy pride.

Identify it. Own it. Subdue it.

The effectiveness of your leadership is depending on it.

"Without the sovereign influence of God's extraordinary and immediate grace, men do very rarely put off all the trappings of their pride, till they who are about them put on their winding-sheet." Edward Hyde (1st Earl of Clarendon)