Episode 28

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Published on:

16th Mar 2026

Ego vs. Authentic Self (2 of 2): How to Read People and Lead Them at Their Best

When someone on your team shuts down in a big meeting, or a client suddenly gets cold, or a colleague comes at you with arrogance and aggression, what is actually happening? And more importantly, what do you do about it?

In this second part of the Ego and Authentic Self series, I am going to show you how to read what is really going on with the people around you and how to use that awareness to become a more powerful, more effective leader.


In this episode, we explore:

-The Intimidated Team Member: How to spot when someone has gone into their ego and what to say to bring out their best

-The Arrogant Attacker: Why aggressive, arrogant people are actually scared, and the specific tools to handle them without losing your ground

-The Influence Principle: Why you can never control whether someone is in their ego, but you absolutely can influence it


💪 Your Challenge This Week: Think about the people in your life right now. A teammate. A client. Maybe someone at home. When do they go into their ego? What does it look like? And what is one thing you can do differently the next time it happens?


And here is the thing - this principle does not stop at the office door. The same ego triggers that show up in your boardroom show up with your partner, your kids, and your friends, because this is psychology, and psychology does not clock out.


Resources:

-Join the Conversation: Join our Leadership Mindset 2.0 community on LinkedIn or Facebook

-Get Live Coaching: Move from listening to doing inside the Growth Leaders Collective. Start your $1 trial at RMichaelAnderson.com/GLC

Mentioned in this episode:

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About the Podcast

Leadership Mindset 2.0
Transform From Tactical Doer to Strategic Leader: The Psychology of Scaling for Executives & Entrepreneurs
Leadership Mindset 2.0 is the definitive playbook for executives and entrepreneurs ready to break free from the "Doer Trap" and scale their business using psychology and strategy.

Host R. Michael Anderson has scaled multiple software companies to the Inc. 5000 list and was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Now, as a 2x Executive Coach of the Year, he uses that experience to help high-performers transform from Tactical Operators into Strategic Leaders.

In this podcast, Michael blends cutting-edge neuroscience, emotional intelligence (EQ), and battle-tested business strategy to help you overcome burnout, imposter syndrome, and the "Leadership Incompetence Trap" so you can lead with clarity and confidence.

Two New Episodes Every Week which include a mix of:
• Strategy: Neuroscience frameworks & leadership tactics to start your week.
• Mentorship: Live Q&A and specific answers to your leadership challenges.
• Coaching: A fly-on-the-wall look at real, unscripted executive coaching sessions as Michael helps leaders break through their blind spots live.
• Masterclasses: Listen in as Michael and guests teach valuable leadership and management skills to a real-life audience.

Topics include: The Psychology of Scaling, Burnout Prevention, Strategic Planning, Executive Coaching, and Emotional Intelligence.

About your host

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R. Michael Anderson

R. Michael Anderson, MBA, MA has a striking combination that creates truly impactful transformation in leaders – he has the real-life business success of founding, scaling and exiting three software companies, plus the educational background of a Masters Degree in Psychology.



This combination gives him the unique ability to connect to other leaders as a peer, then teaches evidence-based leadership skills that genuinely drive behaviour and performance.