Humility isn’t about being passive and weak.
It’s about showing respect and recognizing truth in all situations, including in the workplace.
But among these many important attributes, the value of humility seems to be consistently overlooked. Part of this is due to common misconceptions about what humility is and what it means to be humble. In reality, however, humility is one attribute that no leader should do without.
Part of the reason humility tends to be overlooked in the workplace is because it is frequently misconstrued as a “weak” attribute. We have been led to believe that people who are humble are easily bulldozed by others and are not willing to stick up for themselves. Many define humility as having a low opinion of oneself.
While this may be one widely accepted view of humility today, it is actually a far cry from the true meaning of the word and the way it should be applied in leadership. Humility isn’t about being passive and weak. It’s about showing respect and recognizing truth in all situations, including in the workplace.
In contrast to the idea of humility as weakness, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word as “freedom from pride or arrogance.” In fact, it is listed as an antonym for words like egoism, conceit, and superiority.
C.S. Lewis has a wonderful quote on the subject, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”*
In other words, a humble professional sounds like the type of person most of us would prefer to interact with on a daily basis. It is this type of person who can become a truly effective leader.
The Value of a Humble Outlook at Work
When you’ve already found success in the business world, it can be tempting to dismiss feedback or criticism from others. But this leads to stagnation and pride. While it’s true that not all criticism is valid, professionals who don’t have much humility have a tendency to dismiss all criticism, or worse, blame others for their own mistakes.
Humble leaders must be willing to evaluate criticism to determine whether it’s valid or not. The best leaders are willing to admit when they are wrong and view mistakes as learning opportunities so they can turn them into something positive.
Strengthening the Team
Leaders who are humble are far more likely to delegate and innovate. As a result, company performance and employee satisfaction improve while turnover falls. In other words, humble leadership essentially empowers employees. They become more willing to speak their minds and offer suggestions because they know that their leaders are going to listen. This culture results in high engagement and innovation — and if there’s one lesson that has been consistent in the business world, it’s that innovation is crucial if you want your success to be sustainable in the long run.
Though humility is often underrated by leaders, it’s essential if you want to be successful as a leader not just at work but also in life. Reject the temptation to boast or lift yourself above anyone and decide instead to be at the service of others.
Here are 12 habits of humble people you may want to consider:
- They are situationally aware.
- They retain relationships.
- They make difficult decisions with ease.
- They put others first.
- They listen.
- They are curious.
- They speak their minds.
- They take time to say thank you.
- They ask for help.
- They assume responsibility
- They accept feedback.
- They start sentences with you and not I.
How do you measure up? What can you do to be more humble and to inspire others to do the same?
This is simple. It’s free. It’s easy. And very effective!
*Note from the Editor: The original authorship of this quote is the subject of considerable controversy on the internet. It is usually attributed to either Rick Warren (2002) or C.S. Lewis (1952), but also to others including Rick Howard and Jamie Lash (1998).
