When we think of great leaders, humility might not be the first trait we would use to describe them. Many leaders are initially described as visionary, charismatic, bold, etc. But if we look closely, then great leaders practice humility in leadership. They are humble and always laid-back.
After all, a healthy dose of humility can foster happier team members and a culture of learning alongside hard work.
Humility in leadership is the ability to consider others’ opinions, act with self-awareness, and lead from a spirit of generosity instead of narcissism. Humble leaders practice emotional intelligence & demonstrate appreciation for others while curating a work environment that prioritizes employee benefit and empowerment.
Leaders with this underrated trait take responsibility for mistakes, strive for continuous growth, and encourage teamwork.
In this blog, we will discuss in-depth about humility in leadership, its importance, and how leaders develop this trait. So, let’s explore!
Significance of Humility in Leadership
Humility is a virtue that many people highly value. It’s something we often look for in our leaders. Yet, humility is an unsung trait and particularly the most essential one!
Here are some reasons why humility is a desirable trait among leaders.
- Fostering an Environment of Learning & Improvement
One of the most vital roles of a leader in the organization is to teach employees, helping them acquire new skills and become more proficient at their jobs. This leads to better results and improves client and employee retention.
Humble leaders shift the role from their shoulders, thereby allowing their employees to grow and improve by taking on more responsibilities. Thus, humility in leadership cultivates an environment for learning and improvement!
- Humble Leaders are easier to follow
Outspoken and arrogant leaders often aren’t liked by employees and are severely disconnected from them. Such leaders are often viewed as out of touch and seem to be unaware of the needs and desires of their coworkers/ colleagues.
On the contrary, everyone likes humble leaders because they are in tune with their teams. This is because they have an innate knowledge of the needs of their clients and employees. Moreover, they are also good enough to pick the best candidates for a specific job role.
- Humble Leaders are Transparent
The increasing popularity of transparency in business is one of the top trends in employee engagement. Research shows that there is a high correlation between the level of employee happiness and how highly they rate the company’s transparency level.
Interestingly, transparency can manifest in several ways. Humble leaders often take responsibility for what they do. They even own up for the mistakes they have made. Thus, leadership is not about bossing every employee and pinpointing their mistakes. Instead, it’s about accepting the good as well as bad decisions consciously or subconsciously made by them!
- Humble Leaders Empower Others
Empowering others is an excellent trait of humble leaders. Humble leaders often seek self-knowledge and accept their imperfections while remaining completely aware of their talent and capabilities. Moreover, they also appreciate their employees’ positive worth, strengths, and contributions to the company, thereby not entitling or dominating them.
- Employees want Humble Leaders
Humility is one trait that employees look for in their leaders. It keeps them from being micromanaged, allows them to learn, and inspires them to become better leaders in the future.
When leaders demonstrate certain behavioral traits like self-awareness, openness to feedback, broad perspective, appreciation of others, etc., employees are bound to be happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. There is a close connection between humility in leadership and getting desirable outcomes. Thus, humble leaders are more valued in the company as compared to leaders who are arrogant.
Humility is one of the most critical leadership qualities that engender strong collaboration between team members and leaders. Now that you know the significance of humility in leadership, let us discuss how one can develop this amazing trait and make their way to success in the organization!
How to Leaders develop Humility
While humility is regarded as an essential skill, it is often ignored in the workplace. However, it is vital to note that humility is not just a trait for leaders but for everyone. Below are the ways through which you can develop humility and practice it every day.
- Let others speak
While having a conversation, leaders often speak about organizational goals and derive strategies to achieve them. However, it shouldn’t be the case! It is fine to make employees aware of the objectives, but at the same time, leaders must also listen to what employees have to say.
Here’s one thing to do – ask questions and make the meeting an interactive session about how the company can achieve its targets faster. Try to get the employees’ insights and opinions. This will offer you more and better solutions to various company issues and accomplish goals smoothly and efficiently.
- Do not pry
Hearing gossip around the workplace is inevitable. People see rumors as an entertaining part of office life. However, giving in to such forms of conversation is not recommended. Gossip tends to hinder workplace relationships, and people do not deserve to be talked about behind their backs.
Moreover, because of the rumors and gossip, people tend to have preconceived notions and take sides without knowing the entire story. This hampers the self-respect of the person you are listening rumors about, and they might take some drastic steps. Thus, gossip must be avoided at any cost in the organization.
- Ask for help
Many leaders have pride that lies in being able to solve each and every organizational issue. Humility, therefore, lies in recognizing when we need help and asking for it. Humble leaders do the same. They accept that they don’t know a specific thing and ask their colleagues for help. This instigates a sense of equality, and employees feel valued and acknowledged, which curates a positive work environment.
- Seek feedback
This point is specifically vital for leaders. In order to develop humility, leaders must ask their employees, colleagues, and coworkers about the way they lead and the changes they can make for a better work culture.
Also, make sure you take their opinions/ criticism seriously and be grateful, for their views will help you become a good leader and know where you are lacking.
- Sign up for training
Training courses, webinars, conferences, etc., can help you grow professionally and inculcate new skills. However, the primary purpose of the training is to learn something new and help the company benefit from it.
When you attend training programs, you acknowledge that there is always something to learn and demonstrate that you are willing to do so. This represents that you are humble enough to recognize that you must acquire new skills to lead better!
Some additional pointers to develop humility are as follows:
- Humble leaders admit and forgive mistakes.
- They put the team member’s needs first.
- They celebrate and appreciate their employees.
- They are always up for new changes.
- They develop a growth mindset and are open to new ideas.
- They always treat their teams with kindness, compassion, and respect.
It’s time to exhibit this skill!
In our busy, ego-driven world, it is easy to dismiss humility as an outdated and irrelevant skill. However, that shouldn’t be the case! Humility is vital for our success at work as well as in our relationships.
Moreover, it is the core of great leadership. Yet, some people feel that it’s challenging to inculcate this skill.
In order to develop humility, it is best to incorporate the pointers mentioned above. In addition, you must note that humble leaders always stay grounded no matter what and give credit to the employees for their contributions to the company. Such leaders also have an unwavering belief in themselves because of their proactive attitude.
So, what are your thoughts? Do you have any other reasons or ways to develop humility? Share them in the comments below!
