Maybe it’s just the profession I’m in or the era, but I’ve always been intrigued by the way co-workers have viewed themselves.

Frankly, I must have worked around some pretty optimistic people, because by and large they seemed to have an inflated sense of their talent, skills and value. Rarely have I come across people who were actually better than they thought.

As the years pass and I meet more people, I’ve come to the conclusion that people need to think of themselves as good at their jobs if they are going to be productive at all. A measured ego is important, if only to serve as motivation.

Now, along comes John McKee with his new book, 7 Deadly Workplace Sins, applying centuries-old Christian values to a modern job setting. McKee, a career coach and author of books such as 21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot and Career Wisdom, tweaks us with self-observations we all should be making from time to time.

See what aspects of yourself you find in his portrait of workplace sins.

Pride: When was the last time you took more than your share of credit for a project you did with others? It happens all the time. Bosses take credit for the work of those around them or co-workers want all the glory for themselves. Take undue credit, and getting grass-roots support from those around you might not be so easy the next time around.

Envy: The biggest problem with envying the success of a co-worker is that you damage your own self-esteem, which is a vital characteristic all successful people seem to share. Let envy serve as a motivational and positive force in your work, but don’t let it consume you.

Anger: There is nothing productive about anger, and it can impair your objectivity, poise and self-control. Plus, it makes those around you uncomfortable and can only damage your reputation.

Greed: Greed is a powerful motivator, so strong that it often impairs the judgment of otherwise reasonable people. Sooner or later, workers figure out that careers and reputations are built a day at a time, and it’s the aggregate total that spells success.

Sloth: In today’s workplace, you probably don’t need any reminder that you have to bring value to the table every day, or pretty soon your chair will be taken away. Past accomplishments are great, but they don’t give you a license to coast.

Gluttony: Just because you see a corporate ladder doesn’t mean you have to take the steps three at a time. In fact, there are probably reasons for each step. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to move up the ladder; just climb at a reasonable pace so when you get up to where you want, you’re prepared to stay there.

Lust: All successes can’t be yours, and it’s foolhardy to think that success by others is your loss. Co-workers admire those who congratulate others and go back to pursuing their own successes. Wanting someone else’s success as your own is not healthy.

An honest self-assessment is important as a gauge of how you are doing and what your co-workers think of you. Nobody will score perfectly in this evaluation, but it can serve an important reminder of the role you hold in your workplace.