Humility is perhaps the most overlooked and under rated of leadership traits. And yet, when I went online in search of good information on the value of this value, I found such a wealth of great perspective! Although I support a gentle approach in most areas of leadership and communication, I found myself wondering why I hadn’t explored this area specifically before? So, if you are like me and you have overlooked the power of humility here is some food for thought.., today I am serving humble pie… (Sorry, I couldn’t resist).
In case you need a working definition, the authors of a study published in Administrative Science Quarterly, describe this trait: “humility is manifested in self-awareness, openness to feedback, appreciation of others, low self-focus, and pursuit of self-transcendence. Humble people willingly seek accurate self-knowledge and accept their imperfections while remaining fully aware of their talents and abilities. They appreciate others' positive worth, strengths, and contributions and thus have no need for entitlement or dominance over others." The study I mentioned explored the importance of humility in effective team leadership in Chinese companies. The results, published by PsyBlog, suggest that when it comes to high-functioning teams, humility of leaders is key. PsyBlog also stresses that earlier studies here in the U.S. uncovered the same thing. One study of Fortune 1000 executives found that one important factor which lifted leaders from 'good to great' was modesty, for instance.
John Baldoni, Inc.com contributor, describes the leadership challenge when it comes to humility in a recent post he wrote for Inc.com.. “What is important to understand is that very often leaders fear humility. I find this is especially true in autocracies where a leader is expected to 'know it all and do it all.' A leader who is not in total command of facts as well as the levers of power may be viewed as one not worthy of respect. So leaders who act with excessive bravado, even when in over their heads, are doing what is expected of them.
Sadly, they view humility as a sign of weakness. They fail to understand that the humble leader is one who can open the door to improved levels of followership. Humility is integral to 'Level 5' leadership, a term that Jim Collins uses in his seminal book, Good to Great, to describe those leaders who not only guide but inspire their organizations to achieve superior results.” Baldoni goes on to say that “Humble leaders are those that others not only want to follow but enjoy following because of strong leadership as well as strong humanity.”
How can we demonstrate this important trait more often? Here are six great ideas thanks to John Dame and Jeffrey Gedmin, taken from an article they wrote for Harvard Business Review:
Know what you don’t know.
Resist “master of the universe” impulses. You may yourself excel in an area, but as a leader you are, by definition, a generalist. Rely on those who have relevant qualification and expertise. Know when to defer and delegate.
Resist falling for your own publicity.
We all do it! Whether we’re writing a press release or a self-appraisal, we put the best spin on our success — and then conveniently forget that the reality wasn’t as flawless. Drinking in the glory of a triumph can be energizing. Too big a drink is intoxicating. It blurs vision and impairs judgment.
Never underestimate the competition.
You may be brilliant, ambitious, and audacious, but the world is filled with other hard-working, high-IQ, and creative professionals. Don’t kid yourself that they and their innovations aren’t a serious threat.
Embrace and promote a spirit of service.
Employees quickly figure out which leaders are dedicated to helping them succeed, and which are scrambling for personal success at their expense. Customers do too.
Listen, even (no, especially) to the weird ideas.
Only when you are not convinced that your idea is or will be better than someone else’s do you really open your ears to what they are saying. But there is ample evidence that you should. The most imaginative and valuable ideas tend to come from left field, from some associate who seems a little offbeat, and may not hold an exalted position in the organization.
Be passionately curious.
Constantly welcome and seek out new knowledge and insist on curiosity from those around you. Research has found linkages between curiosity and many positive leadership attributes (including emotional and social intelligence). Take it from Einstein. “I have no special talent,” he claimed. “I am only passionately curious.”
So, let’s get ready to humble! And to wrap this up, I will quote C.S. Lewis who said:
“True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” C.S. Lewis
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