A Humble Message
Kristine Mennika ????????
Head of Corporate Communications at Bite Latvija / LASAP Board Member / Humility and serving are embedded in my DNA
Four years ago I was speaking at the conference “The Human Factor” (Cilvēkfaktors) and humbleness (pazīmība in Latvian) was one of the key human principles I touched upon, along with empathy (cilvēcība) and joy (dzīvesprieks).
During these years of learning and practicing humbleness in my daily life, I have concluded, that it should be at the core of my every interaction with other people. So with everyone reflecting on the highs and lows of 2021 and building commitments for 2022 - let's look once again at the positives of humility.
What is humbleness?
For me humbleness is treating every individual the same way – every single person is perceived as a unique personality, by putting him/her in the higher position as myself.
But let`s have a quick check of humbleness in two on-line dictionaries:
Humbleness [?huhm-buhl-nis,?uhm- ] noun https://www.dictionary.com/browse/humbleness
-??????the quality or state of being modest and lacking in pride or arrogance: We need to teach a different kind of leadership, one where humbleness is more important than confidence.
-??????the quality or state of being or feeling low in rank, importance, status, worth, etc: We observed the humbleness of the local homes, but also the hard-working ethic of the people who lived in them.
-??????the quality or state of being courteously respectful: Respect and humbleness will get you far in dealing with people from other places and cultures.
-??????the good?quality?of not being?proud?or not?believing?that you are?important: He did not?want?his?picture?to be?displayed, which?showed?his humbleness.
-??????the?fact?of being?poor?or of?low?social?rank: Despite the humbleness of her?birth?she?rose?to?greatness.
As we see from definitions, the keywords are respect, not being proud and quality of state of being respectful and low importance.
My TOP 3 benefits of being humble
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We open the door for honest and respectful communication.
If you are humble from the first interaction – approach with a smile and respond positively, there will be only a few cases, when you will have a challenging communication. By being humble, you predispose communication with a positive emotion.
We help other people to feel special and unique, and this raises their self-esteem.
First, I believe that every person has unique personality regardless of education, social upbringing or status. I haven`t met a single person, that isn't in some way unique – everyone has an interesting life or work experience, knowledge, know-how and so on. Second, by making a person feel special and unique, you are raising their self-esteem and allowing them to grow. It is especially important for kids and those who feel they have been unlucky in life. And you know what? Humbleness costs you nothing! It costs nothing to be nice to the person you are meeting. By treating them as an equal human being you are making them feel special to you. Also by making another person special, you are contributing to their personal well-being. It's also special feeling you are gaining for yourself.
We leave an impression of a nice and trustworthy person, and in most cases we end up in a win-win situation.
Every interaction has a goal – either to agree on something and take the decision, or, in most cases, to leave an impression and build or maintain a relationship. It's not a secret - everyone loves someone who smiles, shows respect and trust. It's a primal human emotion. When we are meeting someone for the first time, we are filing the emotions attached to a particular person – either positive or negative. But we start from a neutral position and then form an opinion based on that first interaction. Then the next time we meet them, they may not remember your name or what the conversation was about. They will though, remember your smile or how you made them feel.
During life we are all building a network of people, and it is important to make sure that there are positive vibes within that.
True leaders are always win-win driven, and humbleness is a door to this approach. A humble person will always be well received and normally sees the same kindness and respect returned. Remember you get back what you invest. Humility - the art of being humble - only requires you to show respect, good manners and an appreciation of the other person. Humility is a rewarding emotion for everyone. As the English say "it's nice to be nice."
Summary
Humbleness moves every conversation towards a "win-win" and it costs you nothing! It is the communication principle or approach, value (take your pick), that can be developed and maintained as part of a positive personal character. It is possible, that humbleness will help you to connect with people or contacts that otherwise would not be possible (due to prejudice, pride, pride, arrogance, or your closed mind and principles).
As I have already said - you get, what you give! Remember – humility costs you nothing, but has so many benefits for society in general.
As the Chinese philosopher Confucius said "Do unto others - as you would have them do unto you".
Any reflection and feedback that would rise a productive discussion is welcomed.
I appreciate your time.
Strategic Communication | Reputation Management | GRI Certified Sustainability Professional
3 年"..there is one type of person who can never become a good leader: a person who lacks humility, People who lack humility cannot improve because they don't acknowledge their own weaknesses. They don't work to improve them, and they won't bring someone onto the team to offset their shortfalls. This person will never improve. Beware." /Jocko Willink/