Leaders are often defined by traits such as values, drive, and passion. We often think of a leader as someone who oozes charisma, exudes a sense of authority and power, and takes charge. Yes, a leader may be all of that. But counter-intuitive as it may seem, I think, leaders are also defined by one valuable trait that often gets lost in the noise of confidence and charisma — humility. This often-neglected value, I believe, defines the truly great leaders among us.
I watched this interesting video on the BBC. The Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte walked into the Ministry of Health, building in The Hague, Netherlands. The Prime Minister was on his way to a meeting. As he walked in, Rutte accidentally dropped his coffee mug on the floor. What followed was extraordinary. Rutte grabbed a mop from the workers and laughingly started cleaning up the mess himself. It was an incident that went viral, but it wasn’t a publicity stunt. That’s just how Rutte is. It’s how he works. Rutte is also known to regularly cycle to work — work in this case being The Hague or the Noordeinde Palace to meet the King. Imagine riding your bicycle to meet the King! Closer home, we have leaders such as the late APJ Kalam, the former President of India, who was known to be one of the most humble men ever to lead the country.
The signature of humility
After years of interacting with leaders from different fields, I have found that the best ones have often been the most humble. One of the leaders I have always admired over the years has been John Chambers, the former executive chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems. Chambers now has his own venture capital firm, JC2 Ventures, and recently wrote ‘Connecting The Dots: Lessons For Leadership In A Startup World.’ He is a wonderful example of how determination and humility can build enduring success. It was in 1995 that I first heard John Chambers speak at an event in Santa Clara, US. I came away from that event, struck by how humble and grounded he was. It was an impression that would stay with me for the rest of my life and when I eventually met John, his warmth and openness only confirmed that earlier impression.
Back home, Ratan Tata’s commitment, humility, and energy has always inspired me every time I have interacted with him. He is approachable, has a great sense of humor, and displays genuine empathy and curiosity. All traits that I value and admire in a leader.
And successful leaders are not merely found in business, of course! In the glamorous world of Bollywood, I think one of the hidden facets of Shahrukh Khan has been his humility. When I met him in person, I was struck by his curiosity to listen, his candor and spontaneity. He remains grounded. In the world of sports, though I haven’t met him in person, MS Dhoni is an oft-cited example of combining leadership and management skills with extraordinary humility.
But what does humility really mean? The Hogan Test defines those having humility as:
- Being self-aware
- Appreciating others’ strengths and contribution
Sometimes, humility can be confused as being self-effacing. That’s not the case at all. To me, a leader with humility is someone who is spiritually connected to a purpose — that purpose need not be defined but is evident in the way a leader acts. We have different reasons for doing what we do. But generally, I find that humble leaders usually have a sense of community as their purpose. Their existence is not driven only by success or profits, but by something deeper. Something larger.
My Guru from the Heartfulness way of meditation says this of humility:
I believe that great leaders take the community with them in their success. In doing so, they make the world around them a little better. This larger purpose makes a leader truly engaging.
Engaging humility at work
The best leaders also carry their team with them. A leader, and by that, I mean anyone who holds even a managerial position, carries power.
That power can often result in leaders becoming obsessed with outcomes and performance. But managers and leaders who show some of the traits of humility, such as actively seeking feedback and focusing on the needs of others are able to show improved levels of engagement and job performance. (Administrative Science Quarterly). How then can we engage in humility at work?
Being open to other perspectives
When leaders are empathetic and open to differing perspectives, they garner more trust and build stronger teams. So, as a leader, think about these questions:
How do you invite inputs?
And how do you ensure you are getting authentic inputs?
How often do you seek these inputs?
How open are you to listening and considering these inputs?
This may seem easy but in practice it’s quite hard.
A leader who inspires trust and commitment is building a stronger company than one who operates by power and authority alone.
It’s often mistakenly believed that humility might weaken a leader’s authority. I think, on the contrary, humility actually strengthens that authority by giving them flexibility in how to use that power. But humility cannot be cosmetic. It has to be authentic and form the core of your beliefs.
Leaders sharing their own limitations and growth can enable team members to reach both individual and collective goals. They make everyone feel more included, giving them a sense of identity and purpose.
Seeking inputs
Actively engaging in feedback and seeking inputs from others results in a leader who creates space for openness. However, this is not to be confused with seeking consensus. Leaders do need to take timely decisions. And sometimes these decisions are not popular.
So, humility is not to achieve popularity or acceptance.
But by seeking inputs, you provide a voice and inclusiveness, fostering a work environment that encourages collaboration and embraces setbacks as an opportunity to grow.
By being humble, leaders can acknowledge that they don’t have all the answers. This acknowledgement frees them to seek the contributions and guidance of others. Doing so does not mean that a leader is incompetent — it means that the leader is secure enough and is not threatened by the contributions that others may bring.
Encourage transparency
A leader empowered with humility has a quiet, inner confidence that promotes transparency in the organization.
Recognizing opposing views creates a system where information is shared, and there is an easy flow of ideas. You can create transparency by:
- Dispersing power
- Hiring diverse management teams
- Encouraging leadership and innovation in others
I also think the hallmark of true leadership is the willingness to admit mistakes. This allows the leader to be open to feedback and constantly improve and check progress. It takes humility and self introspection to recognize one’s mistakes, which provides opportunities for self-improvement.
Today’s world requires us to solve the complex challenges we face in life and at work creatively and collaboratively. Successful leaders put others and the community first.
Being overly focused on ourselves might mean that we can forget the needs of others and lose sense of our purpose. In the end, what makes us truly better versions of ourselves and lead with integrity? It’s not egoism. It’s not ruthlessness. It’s not even authority. It’s the gentle voice of humility that guides us to connect to our better versions. To me, that’s the true mettle of leadership.
