Are you a leader or a hero?

There are many definitions of good leadership in the business world. In my opinion, it is no longer the era of charismatic and heroic leaders in the rapidly changing business world. It is now the era of humble leaders who prioritize collective mind, see themselves as part of the whole, prioritize team success over individual ego and can learn something from everyone. While there may be different opinions on this matter, when I look at companies and teams that have achieved "groundbreaking" success, I generally see humble, guiding, open-minded, and courageous individuals in leadership positions.

As you know, the concept of humility is defined as "modest" or "unpretentious" and is used to describe a person's character. In Islam, humility is expressed as "tevazu" and in the Qur'an, in a verse speaking of Allah's good servants, it is said: "And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace” (Al-Furqan 25/63). ‘Tevazu’ means being humble, realizing one's insignificance before God. It is not claiming superiority over those deprived of any blessing such as knowledge, position, or wealth that one possesses, in order to avoid committing material and spiritual injustice.

Jim Collins, a famous writer focusing on business management, sustainability, and growth, categorizes leadership into five levels in his book "Good to Great" and places Level 5 Leaders at the top.

He emphasizes that these leaders are surprisingly humble while also possessing a paradoxical mixture of professional will and personal humility. He says that these leaders are humble, preferring not to put themselves forward and choosing to stay in the background. They combine personal humility with unwavering professional determination. According to the author, these leaders channel all their ambition not to themselves but to their organisation; prepare their successors for the continuation of success. They always look out the window to share the credit for success. In other words, when there is success, instead of claiming the admiration alone, they direct it to all team members who contributed. Similarly, in the case of failure, they prioritize taking responsibility rather than blaming others.

Many experts agree that working with humble leaders will make the world a better place. However, they say that rather than following humble leaders who progress quietly, there is a tendency to follow superheroes who highlight their charisma.

This is where the "charismatic leader" stereotype comes into play. Charisma is certainly impressive when used in moderation. However, if it brings along with it high ego, a love for heroism, or even narcissism, then there is a problem.

If charisma is the sole source of power, decisions may be made with a "After me, the deluge" attitude. They convince those around them that things will not work without them and play the role of the "irreplaceable person." Although someone with this mindset may want successors, they cannot accommodate them because charismatic individuals cannot tolerate similar charismatic individuals for long. However, once the organization is structured according to this management style; it expects a new charismatic leader after the charismatic leader, but the sought-after leader is not around. Yet, , around a humble leader, there can be plenty of humble managers; while two charismas conflict with each other, two humilities support each other.

I am sure that as you read these lines, many organizations and leaders come to mind who quickly achieve success with their charismatic leaders, only to lose their success just as quickly...

I believe that working with humble leaders who believe in team game based on trust will bring long-term success. Instead of seeking heroes, I find the power of producing together, learning from each other, and achieving together more valuable.

But how humble are we really when we look at our daily lives or our work lives? Are we open enough to suppressing our egos to learn and develop together?

Do you think there is a reciprocation to this approach in the world and in our country?