In recent years there has been a lot of talk (and significant research evidence) that high-level leaders who possess “humility” are more successful than those who lack it. Indeed, leaders who are at the opposite end of the humility continuum are arrogant, and that can be a recipe for disaster.
But what does leader “humility” actually entail? High-level leaders, such as CEOs and presidents of companies, tend to have supreme levels of self-confidence and an ability to wield power. How does that jibe with humility?
What Leader Humility Entails
Leader humility involves 3 key processes:
- Being open to input from others. Good leaders are always open to information that will help them lead. That includes being open to learning more about leadership, in general, and their own leadership competencies in particular. They actively seek feedback about what they are doing right and wrong, and how to improve. The best leaders consult with experts, their peers, and their followers/team members, always looking for input that will help them gain a better understanding of situations and circumstances. This might be called “intellectual humility.”
- Understanding that the leader is fallible. A big part of leader humility is the leader realizing that she or he can make mistakes. In fact, this is where leader arrogance comes in. The leader who lacks humility believes they are always right and that they don’t need others’ input in order to lead. Leader humility isn’t about a lack of self-confidence. It is simply understanding the value of soliciting input that helps in the leadership process. This is related to the virtue of prudence, which is the ability of a leader to make good judgments. Those judgments, however, are based on careful study and input by knowledgeable others.
- Being cognitively and emotionally empathic. Empathy is a construct that is closely aligned with humility. One form of empathy is being able to cognitively understand where others are coming from—to be able to see the perspectives of others. Another form of empathy is understanding others’ feelings and emotions, and this is also important for effective leadership. Good decision-making requires that a leader understand the emotional impact that their decision may have on others.
How Leaders Can Develop Humility
- Seek out feedback. Learn to consult, empower, and listen to others. Have open sessions where team members’ input is solicited. Challenge team members (and yourself) to think “outside of the box,” question assumptions, and engage in creative thinking.
- Be willing to admit mistakes—and learn from them. Leaders learn much more from understanding why they failed than from their successes. Whether you succeed or fail, do an “after-action review” and engage in continuous improvement.
- Give priority to the collective’s needs over your own. A leader who is not focused on the greater good will fall prey to selfishness and arrogance.