We know humans do. And part of our ego is good and healthy, while it can also be negative. But what about organisations? There is organisational culture but what about ego. Ego defined is a person’s sense of self-esteem, self-importance, self-worth. In many ways, organisations have this too. Partly in the collective group sense and partly driven by the leadership.

So can organisations have egos? I don’t know. However, organisations tend to have a role to play in their ecosystem of other organisations. Whether they are NGOs, governments, community groups, or private sector, they function not only by themselves, but as part of a greater whole. But their roles can change too. Apple wasn’t always as dominant as it is now. But also, has Apple’s ‘ego’ changed since Steve Jobs died?

Sometimes the change we seek is within a team or organisation. Sometimes it’s within the greater system in which organisations function. Talking about organisational egos may seem cerebral and far fetched, but if the change we seek impacts the role or status of the collective, the conversation quickly becomes practical.

Photo by mariel reiser