Mohammed Ali was one of the greatest fighters of all time. Any boxing aficionado would not dispute that claim. Many loved him. Many hated him. No one could argue the fact that he was a great fighter. However, many would argue the claim that he was the greatest.

He certainly would not argue that claim. He was the one who claimed it. He could often be heard declaring, “I am the greatest the world has ever seen!”

He gave himself the nickname “The Greatest”. There was a song written about him called “The Black Superman”. It’s unsure whether he was more notorious for his exceptional boxing talents, or his ego. It’s arguable whether his greatest weapon was his right hook or his mouth. He certainly talked the talk about himself, and incessantly trash talked his opponents.

There is a story told of Ali on a flight where he refused to wear his seat belt. When confronted by the flight attendant to put on his seat belt he replied,

“Superman don’t need no seat belt.”

To which she replied,

“Superman don’t need no airplane.”

No, Ali never seemed to have a problem with confidence. What he did have a problem with was on overinflated ego. He thought too much of himself. This seemed to work in his favour as a boxer whose main objective was to defeat his opponents, and to become famous.

However, good leaders cannot afford to have an overinflated ego. Nor can they afford to have an under-inflated ego. Good leaders do not think too highly of themselves, nor do they think too lowly of themselves. They know who they are and they know who they aren’t.

Well balanced leaders are confident in who they are and what they bring. They don’t need to tell anyone else how important they are, they tell those they are leading how important they are. Mature, confident leaders know who they are so they don’t feel the need to tell anyone else who they are.

Leaders with an exaggerated sense of self-worth are arrogant and dangerous. Leaders with a depreciated sense of self-worth are dangerous as well. Leaders who think too much of themselves make everything about them, and lead their people into dangerous situations with no regard for their well-being. Self-deprecating leaders simply do not maximize the strength they can bring and, therefore, under lead.

Both are insecure. Neither is confident in who they are. One is a puffer fish – desperately trying to make themselves look bigger than they really are. The other is a chameleon – desperately trying to blend into the background so no one will ask too much of them. The puffer fish is arrogant, the chameleon is self-deprecating. Neither is helpful in leadership.

A mature, confident leader doesn’t try to be anyone they are not, yet they do not deny who they are. They confidently bring who they and know that if anyone feels insecure in their presence it is that person’s issue and not their own. They do not need to shrink so others don’t feel insecure.

As Marianne Williamson said,

“Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you…as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. “

A good leader is humble: neither arrogant, nor self-deprecating. They know it is not about them, it is about how they contribute to the betterment of others’ lives. They know they are meant to be spent for the benefit of others. However, they will not sacrifice their own well-being in that process.

To lead others we need to lead ourselves well. We need not think less of ourselves, merely think of ourselves less.

Mature, confident, humble leaders know who they are and wholeheartedly bring it. They have nothing to prove, nothing to hide, nothing to lose and nothing to fear.

And, they have no problem wearing a seat belt because they know they’re not Superman.

So let’s buckle up and start leading wholeheartedly for the benefit of others.