Jamie Dimon
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Insecure CEOs may not recognize their own behavior — or realize how much it is hurting them.Jamie Dimon recently said a lack of self-confidence can sink a leader's career by disconnecting them from what is happening inside their companies. Speaking on "The Master Investor Podcast with Wilfred Frost," the JPMorgan Chase boss recalled a saying: "When some people get a big job, some grow into it, and some swell into it."Insecurity, he explained, is what drives the swelling.Executive coaches and recruiters say recognizing insecure behavior can help leaders correct it before it damages their careers and companies. It can surface as micromanaging, rejecting dissent, seeking credit, or clinging too tightly to control."We're all flawed," said JP Pawliw, a performance coach whose clients have included Fortune 500 executives, Olympic athletes, and the CIA. Good leaders, he said, aren't afraid to "take their armor off."Here are some of the clearest warning signs of insecurity at the top: They need to come across as certainThe pressure to appear self-assured can lead executives to act as though they have every answer, even when they don't, Pawliw said. Genuine confidence looks different: Leaders can remain curious, acknowledge uncertainty, and focus on finding the right answer, he said.
