The Importance of Being Humble Leader
Author: Leslie Speas, VP of Culture & Consulting

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” C.S. Lewis

When we think of great qualities of leaders, we often think of traits like charisma, bravado and vision. We don’t necessarily think about humility being on that list – but it certainly should be! In the book, ‘Good to Great’ by Jim Collins, researchers studied nearly 1,500 high-performing Fortune 500 companies over a 30-year period. Humility was one of the distinct characteristics found in the successful leaders of these companies. This goes to show that humility is not only a virtue; it’s also a competitive advantage!

Here are some ways that humble leaders behave and lead their teams:
• They treat others with respect
Humble leaders are fair and consistent in their treatment of others. They treat everyone with respect regardless of their position, role or title.
• They serve others
Humble leaders shift attention away from themselves and towards serving others.
• They give others credit
Humble leaders deflect the limelight from themselves, and onto their team members.
• They admit mistakes
Humble leaders admit when they make a mistake and aren’t afraid to say, “I was wrong”.
• They listen to understand
Humble leaders listen empathetically and try to understand others’ points of view.
• They seek input from others
Humble leaders are vulnerable enough to admit that they need the help and insight of others.
• They are self-aware
Humble leaders know their strengths, limitations and blind spots.
• They are teachable
Humble leaders ask questions and are sincerely interested in the answers.

Would you like to learn more about humility, and other traits that can elevate your ability to be a great leader?

Check out our upcoming leadership development opportunities by visiting the link below:
http://bit.ly/COREleader