One of the most essential, yet underrated, qualities of leadership is the ability to embrace humility. When a leader expresses humility is shows that he or she is kind, compassionate, self-aware. Some may see humility as a sign of weakness or lack of confidence, however understand that humility is thinking less about yourself, not less of yourself.
Here are a few ways that humility plays a significant role in your leadership and overall success.
Humble Listening
We have previously talked about the effectiveness of listening and the impact it has on your relationships and your role as a leader. Well, humility plays a part in this as well. When you embrace humility and actively listen to others, you show them that you are receptive and open-minded. As a leader, when you listen to your colleagues and employees, company morale improves as they trust that you value what they have to say. Additionally, you can further increase company morale by extending this level of listening to your customers and listening to (and soliciting) their feedback.
Humble Imperfection
Great leaders recognize that they are not perfect human beings and they are not afraid to admit when they are wrong. When you are able to push your ego to the side and take responsibility that you are wrong, you open up opportunities for growth. In times that you are wrong or a plan has failed, embrace vulnerability and ask for help. Seeking help or advice from others is not a sign of weakness, but rather shows you have a strong willingness to learn.
Humble Acknowledgement
You have probably heard the saying that goes something like this: “If you help enough people achieve their dreams, you will achieve yours”. This is a prime example of humble leadership. Humble leaders are able to recognize their team’s hard work, genuinely support and acknowledge their colleagues, and promote their employees to higher positions. On the contrary, when something goes wrong, a humble leader will approach the responsible department or employee. He or she will spend time to educate them on what went wrong and work with them to come up with new strategies and solutions. When you come from a place of humility, you are able to focus on the big picture; the more successful your people, the more successful the business.
