____ can prevent a leader from conducting an honest, realistic assessment of his or her own performance and the performance of the team.

• A. Fear
• B. Fatigue
• C. Pride
• D. Ego

Answer: (D)

Ego refers to that strong sense of self-importance that makes a person protect their image rather than face reality. When ego dominates, a leader instinctively guards against feedback, rationalizes mistakes, and blames others instead of honestly evaluating both personal performance and how the team is doing. That self-protective bias creates blind spots and prevents the necessary truth-telling that leads to real improvement and accountability. Humility and a readiness to accept hard feedback help counter this tendency. While fear or fatigue can influence judgment, ego most directly explains why someone would resist an honest, realistic appraisal of effectiveness.