The Power of Humble Leadership

Today’s leaders face many challenges that previous generations never confronted: employee disengagement, data exchanged at the speed of light, social /political correctness, cultural diversity, social /cultural sensitivities and a hyper-focus on efficiency, are just a few of the changes in the past 15 or so years. Nonetheless, the stress to excel is higher now than ever. Leaders understand that they must have an "A-game," and they continually encounter, and try new methods that experts claim will improve proficiencies. 

Humility, however, is an often-overlooked as a required character trait that flies by in the face of social received leadership norms.  The reality is it may, in fact, be the most potent attribute a leader can have to engage and inspire people. Leaders dream of motivated teams, yet many try to develop them in all the wrong ways.

 For generations, workplace humility was seen as a detriment, not an advantage. For the more significant part of past 100 years, leaders falsely believed you needed the power to run organizations. They also lead through intimidation, perceived authority, and inflated egos. Workers were told what to do and were dismissed when they failed to follow the often miscommunicated directions. Decisiveness, toughness, and assertiveness were deemed leadership strengths. Bottomline were facts and figures, which ruled business, and leaders seldom if ever placed concern or care of employee needs.

These "old school" paradigms are still found in many businesses today. Old-school leaders regard softer skills as weaknesses. Unfortunately for them, the first ganessp in this mindset is lack of positive results.

The word “humility” is full of negative overtones.  Often humble leaders may be falsely perceived as unsure of themselves, too permissive or unable to stand firm. However, nothing can be further from the truth, and outdated leadership paradigms are responsible for countless organizational difficulties.

Research over recent few years clearly show that organizational success is highly connected to employee satisfaction and engagement. It is a proven fact that a company runs much better when its people feel good about what they’re doing. With the recent emphasis on efficiency and growth which has led leaders to examine these softer skills and pay closer attention to people’s needs.

Thus, the leadership world is trying to learn how it can engage and inspire employees, through humility’s role hasn’t yet achieved universal buy-in. Many bosses still enjoy being bosses, with the authority and privileges the position affords. Thankfully, positive, and people-oriented approaches have made their way into leadership scope, including onboarding, effective communication, telecommuting, progressive office layouts and a variety of enticing perks. Still, humility, nonetheless, must become a more popular leadership skill set. 

Employee mindsets have changed vastly from previous generations. Today employees desire more than just a paycheck; they are seeking interpersonal connections with their leaders. Most have a desire and real understanding of purpose, which gives them the sense of pride associated with making a difference in the workplace. Employees genuinely want to brieng value and enjoy meaningful work. They need confirmation that they will be afforded the opportunity to succeed and grow within their assigned responsibilities. The human desire is to be valued, supported and encouraged. They're looking for leaders who will connect with them and meet these needs.

When employees’ needs go unmet, the organization also suffers. Morale and attitudes steeply decline, and engagement and work ethic follow suit. Productivity and effectiveness drop and overall business performance significantly deteriorate.

The "Big Win" for humble leaders is that they are more adept at meeting employees needs because they connect with them at the most basic human level. Employees can feel true sincerity, caring, and the honesty which resides in a genuinely humble leader. They also see a leader who places a higher priority on employees needs than their own. Employees will value a leader who helps them to succeed and further develop into a better worker; this naturally promotes purpose and self-esteem. The result is that employees become inspired and respond with respect and trust. 

While encountering a leader with humility, employees will have confidence that their voices will be heard as the leaders are now actively listening. They actually feel humble leaders growing, encouraging and empowering them, vice the regular controlling or manipulating staff. Leaders who are humility discover that thesy can better relate to their people more reasonably, fairly and personably. Humble leaders deemphasize their own importance by emphasizing their people’s worth.

With the desire to meet people’s needs the humble leader cultivates a loyal following and promotes positive actions and responses. The entire organization benefits when people and practices operate optimally and life at work is enjoyable. 

Prior to jumping straight into humility, it's essential to grasp what it is and what it looks like. Perhaps the pastor, speaker, and author Rick Warren express's it best:                    

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less."

 While strong leaders are stereotypically portrayed as egocentric, forceful, bold and self-serving, humility is by no means a lack of confidence or authority. It’s a mistake to view considerate and other-focused leaders as ineffective. In reality, self-serving leaders are ruining workplaces everywhere, to the point where most employees do not care about their jobs or employers. Selfish leaders have yet to recognize the clear outcome of extensive research: Their style doesn’t work.

True humility is a response of noble character, based on a choice to regard the needs of others ahead of one’s own. At its heart, humility is characterized by a desire to serve and dedication to bettering others. Humble leaders are fulfilled by helping others achieve fulfillment. A leader with a humble approach lifts people’s spirits, self-esteem, and confidence, which enhances overall organizational life.

Leaders who possess humble behaviors of which any can be clearly discerned when in action. A few of the more impactful things are:

Admitting mistakes – The ability to be open and honestly saying you were at fault which makes the leader vulnerable, transparent and fallible in front of your people, your true self is revealed, and people are drawn to you. You convey safety, build trust and strengthen relationships.

Empowering people – As a leader, you push authority (and its decision making) down to the most effective level, you rightfully give up some control to your people. This engages them and demonstrates they’re valued and trusted.

Actively listening – This shows people you’re interested in and care about them. You’ve laid the foundation for trust and forging a loyal following.

Crediting others – When your people succeed, give them the credit to build teamwork and inspire higher productivity. People will go above and beyond for a supportive leader who doesn’t steal the spotlight.

Empathy – Being sensitive to people’s trials helps you better understand their perspectives. You’ll lead them more considerately, and they’ll reciprocate with appreciation and allegiance.

Other humble behaviors include honesty, kindness, sincerity, and approachability, each of which sets the stage for more favorable employee responses and mutually beneficial relationships. Humble leaders exhibit behaviors that more effectively meet people’s needs—and when their needs are met, there’s no limit to what they can accomplish. 

Once you grasp the necessary skills of humility, you can better access yourself on how well you exhibit it. Start by assessing your behavior and responses to the following questions. (You can work with us at Makoto Flow Ltd., or your coach to ensure you see yourself clearly.) 

1) Are you short-fused and lose your temper often? 

Perhaps your passion for leading and method of communicating with your people is in an aggressive tone of voice. Do you push your points without regarding theirs?  Pay close attention to how people truly respond to you.

2) Are you easy to approach, and can you easily approach others?

 a) Are your employees trying to avoid you? 

 b) Do they hesitate/resist bringing up challenging topics?

If so you may be overbearing in your approach and approachability. Really work on being calm and collected, take a break before engaging your people. Keep the overall knowledge of the harm that you could cause by "blowing up," realize that people make mistakes, and you can use this an opportunity to coach the worker, hopefully like your boss does with you.

3) Are you a focused active listener?

 a) Are people frustrated because they can’t complete their sentences with you?  

 b) Do you make sense of their points, or have you missed part of the conversation?

 c) Do people’s comments indicate that you haven't fully understood their view? 

Learn to practice better active listening skills remain entirely focused on their conversation and check your understanding by asking verifying questions to ensure you grasp the full discussion.

4) Are you too focused on your own image?

a) Do you build yourself up at others’ expense?

 b) Do their victories end up on your bragging list to impress your boss?

 c) Do you allow your people the chance to present how they accomplished their tasks?

All of the attention your people draw from success reflects directly on you. Great leaders don’t need to grab credit. They earn much more respect when their people get the credit. Advance your reputation through your team’s exemplary track record.

5) Do you search for sources of blame when things go wrong?

 a) Are your stories getting more creative as you try to avoid judgment?

 b) Is "throwing people under the bus" the rule than the exception?   

Try to recognize that blame causes more damage to your reputation than the initial problem. Respect and trust are earned only when you accept responsibility for a situation, learn from it and take steps to avoid a repeat scenario. Admit to your people that you don’t know everything and you’re open to learning new ways to improve efficacy and productivity. Swallowing your pride is a significant step toward achieving humility. 

Leaders can certainly change—at least to a degree. Behavioral adjustments and upgrades are possible, but they take work. An entire overhaul of your behavior is generally not workable and may indicate you’re not in the correct role.

Hayes and Comer point out that a cognitive decision to improve is only the first step in practicing humility. Change is proportional to the effort you put into it. Lasting results are achieved only after rigorously practicing new behaviors.

Training your brain requires focus, repetition and ongoing feedback from others. Consider hiring a qualified professional coach to help you adopt a humbler approach to leadership. The rewards are well worth the investment.