HUMILITY: 4 ways leaders make it work

'Dig a hole, throw your ego into it, and cover it with cement. Find humility instead.' This 'in your face' quote by Dave Balter exemplifies how great leaders know the importance of humility to effective leadership. These leaders know how to make humility work for them. Here are 4 things you need to know about making humility work for you.

HUMBLE LEADERS KNOW THEIR WEAKNESSES - Most leaders humble brag when asked about their weaknesses. 'I'm too obsessed with details' or 'I work too late'. If you really want to know your weaknesses go get feedback from the truth tellers in your circle. And listen to to them when they provide it.

HUMBLE LEADERS KNOW THEY DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING - Confucius once quipped that wisdom is in know what you don't know. You can spot a leader who knows this by how many questions they ask and how quiet they are when the answer if given. Remember the Larry King quote, ' nothing I say will teach me anything. If I'm to learn, I must listen.'

HUMBLE LEADERS KNOW MORE AND MORE - Leaders that know the most are the leaders that genuinely know how much more they need to know! President Truman was known for calling leaders readers and readers leaders. President George W. Bush in his memoirs made note of a year long book reading contest he entered into with another staffer. President Bush lost the annual contest. He only read 94 books in the year...while being the most powerful person in the free world! If you are not consuming a lot of books and podcasts, you may not be making humility work for you.

HUMBLE LEADERS KNOW THE SUCCESS OF THEIR PEOPLE - Jacob Morgan in his book 'Future Leaders' identified a willingness to celebrate people as a skillset of the leader now and in the next decade. Humility postures you to genuinely celebrate the success of your people truly giving them the credit. And that is making humility work well for you.