“Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.” — John Madden

Jim Collins writes in his new book, How the Mighty Fall: “The best leaders we’ve studied had a peculiar genius for seeing themselves as not all that important, recognizing the need to build an executive team and to craft a culture based on core values that do not depend upon a single heroic leader.”

For some of us, it is time to resign from our assumed role of ‘Chancellor of the Universe.’ Norman Vincent Peale put it this way: “Drop the idea that you are Atlas carrying the world on your shoulders. The world would go on even without you. Don’t take yourself so seriously.”

The Bottom Line: Leaders are humble — more concerned about building the team than exalting self.