There is a lot to like about humble leaders – even though there seems to be too few of them.
We appreciate people who acknowledge their mistakes, share credit with their team, and welcome feedback to improve. As it turns out, a new research study shows that these types of leaders inspire others in their organization to step up and lead. They spark ambition and drive personal growth.
Here are some suggestions from the research for developing your humility:
Focus on the Team. Make sure your team knows that this is a group effort and share praise for them – especially in front of your boss and other organization leaders.
Develop Your Self-Awareness. In the field of leadership development, self-awareness is gold. Find a few people you work with who are willing to give you honest feedback. Ask them to let you know if you seem open to feedback, admit mistakes, and celebrate team accomplishments.
Create a Culture of Humility. As best you can, within your zone of emphasis – encourage and reward acts of humility. Recognize others when they behave this way.
Guard Against Arrogance. Success naturally breeds temptations for arrogance. You don’t want to be “that person” who brags to others about how humble you are. Again, ask colleagues to help keep you in check.
Like sincerity, you cannot fake humility. You have to begin with an honest belief that you are only as good as your team. But – at the same time – you can show strength. You can call it “humble confidence.”
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Lin, X & Tse, H. “Research: Humble Leaders Inspire Others to Step Up, Harvard Business Review online, January 29, 2025.
