Know Who You Are: Cultivating Humility in Leadership
We talk about leadership development as an iterative process — one that requires life-long self-reflection and practice. The characteristics we associate with leadership — honesty, compassion, self-awareness, accountability — fall under the guise of a deeper, understated virtue: humility.
Originating from the Latin word humus, meaning “of the earth,” to have humility — to be humble — is to be well-grounded. It is to lead a life rooted in a realistic understanding of who we are as individuals. By helping us to realize our strengths and reconcile our weaknesses, humility frees us from “having to pretend that we are more than, or other than, who we truly are”. In proper practice, humility is said to magnify all other positive attributes.
“Humility might best be described as clarity of vision about ourselves, our place in the world and about how we stand in relation to others.” — Paul J. Wadell
Leadership without humility is leadership with pride. We’ve all seen it, in some form or another. Characterized by pushiness and overconfidence in one’s abilities, prideful leaders fail to appreciate the work of anyone but themselves. Pride destroys the ability to appraise true strengths and weaknesses, which ultimately “keeps us from acknowledging who we really are: gifted but also limited… capable but also dependent.” In the workplace, this vice leaves us estranged from the very persons whose expertise, knowledge and support we need to do our job well.
Pride is ultimately rooted in insecurity, whereas, humility is rooted in the most sincere form of confidence and strength.
Despite all that we know to be true about humility as leaders, this virtue has the tendency to be misused and misunderstood. Feigned humility takes on the irritating inability to see and use one’s strengths, it is a chronic lack of self-confidence, timidity or weakness. In the movies, the “humble person” is depicted with their eyes facing the floor, shuffling from side to side, uncomfortable in their own skin. In the professional world, these behaviors run counter to what it means to be a leader — and quite frankly, exhibit the opposite of genuine humility. This person has not learned to know, or love, oneself.
“Humility forms us into persons who are able to live for something other than themselves, persons who, every day, respond to the call to transcend themselves for the sake of another’s good. In this respect, humility empowers a love that is altruistic and caring.” — Paul J Wadell
True humility orients our work toward others. It is for this reason that leaders in the service of others, particularly in healthcare, are called on in a special way to know and live genuine humility. In our mechanized healthcare system, we often lose sight of the person behind the problem we wish to treat. However, being humble combats our tendency to fail to recognize those we serve “as unique human beings with distinctive needs, fears and concerns”. By its nature, the virtue requires that we appreciate and respect the other and allows us to act with a particular element of compassion and love.
It was early on in my fellowship year with Children’s Health Fund that I witnessed the power of humility in caring with and for others. Placed at Community Pediatric Programs, a community health center in the South Bronx, our providers and staff worked to serve our patients with a distinct magnanimity so often lost in healthcare. For example, although our group care appointments were to be taught by a (highly trained!) pediatrician or midwife, more often than not our providers would humbly step aside and let the patients lead. In doing so, we became alert to what really mattered to our families. While we thought it important to provide nutrition education in the form of healthy recipes, often our new mothers wanted to share with the group their own recipes and tips for healthy eating.
Without humility, the “characteristics that we strengthen as leaders become diminished, if not invisible”.
I am writing about humility today, months after my fellowship has come to a close, because I think it was one of the most powerful lessons I took away from my year. As a newcomer to the city, the organization, and the field in which I was working, I felt swallowed by my inabilities. How can I possibly make an impact? However, with the support of my supervisor, co-fellow, and co-workers, I realized the importance of this “accurate view of self.” Through the active (and often painful) process of understanding my strengths and weaknesses, I was forced to acknowledge, consult and collaborate with those around me to work toward a shared goal. Together, we were able to accomplish more than I could have ever done alone.
Humility requires that we recognize our inability to solve all problems or heal all patients. In doing so, we open ourselves to those around us, including those we work with and hope to serve.
“Resolve to work on your own humility and you will begin to notice and appreciate its power all around you.” — Harvard Business Review
While one of the more challenging virtues to put into practice, the value of doing so is profound. Genuine humility has the power to transform the way we view ourselves, and the way we view others.
Here are a few ideas to get started:
- SELF-REFLECT: Assess not only your gifts, but take an honest look at your weaknesses. Know what you don’t know.
- LISTEN: Allow others to share their thoughts, ideas, opinions or advice.
- BE GRATEFUL: Appreciate the strengths of others by giving credit where credit is due. Practice gratitude in all that you do.
- ASK FOR HELP: Actively seek input from others in areas where you lack.
- EMBRACE A SPIRIT OF SERVICE: Demonstrate your ability to think of others first.
- BE CURIOUS: Foster inquisitive thinking, ask questions and gain new knowledge of all that you don’t know.
Monica Kavanaugh, MPH was a 2016–2017 Global Health Corps fellow with Children’s Health Fund.
All GHC fellows, partners, and supporters are united in a common belief: health is a human right. There is a role for everyone in the movement for health equity. Join the movement — applications for our 2018–2019 class are open through January 17.
