Leadership is protecting the mission from your own ego.

Ego and mission point in the same direction most of the time, which is exactly what makes the divergences hard to see. The moments that count are when being right, being credited, or being central would cost the outcome. Protecting the mission means noticing those moments and choosing against yourself.

Watch for the decisions where your preference and the best answer come apart. Say out loud when you are changing your mind because someone else was right. That habit makes the divergence visible before it becomes expensive.