“Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be thankful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” — Coach John Wooden
John Wooden cut deep on that one. When people talk about leadership, they don’t use the word “humility” very often. More likely, they describe what they think a leader is as strong or focused or ambitious. They would probably say the leader is confident or assertive. “Humble” may not ever come up as a description, and if it does, it might not be used as a compliment. If there’s one thing that my past reminds me to never forget when I think about my personal leadership and growth, it’s to ALWAYS stay humble.
Some people are just born with humility. And if that’s you, chances are humility in leadership comes naturally to you. But if you’re not a person that has natural humility, you’re going to have to work to actively infuse humility into your leadership style. Humility is a character trait that every leader should and needs to value and develop. Being humble doesn’t mean devalue your strengths. Just acknowledge the areas where they need help. Pastor Rick Warren says this about humility: “Humility is not denying your strengths. Humility is being honest about your weaknesses”. I love that quote! CS Lewis hit the nail on the head too when he said “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.“
The best leaders who are graced with Humility are confident and comfortable with themselves, and feel no need to draw attention to themselves or their “status”. Humble leaders are not focused on showing off their strengths. They’re comfortable and content letting their work speak for itself. The BEST leaders I know allow, enable and empower others to shine. My version of success is not only enjoy watching others succeed, but actually focusing on what I can do daily to put the spotlight on other’s victories. The more I have focused on growth as a leader, the more I have come to realize daily that it is not about me!
There’s a very old story, from the years of the Roman Empire, that reminds us of the importance of humility: A general returning from a great victory in battle is greeted with great acclaim by the population of the city. They cheer for him as he travels in a grand procession through the streets, hailing him as a mighty warrior and leader. But the general, aware of his own weaknesses and wanting to be sure he doesn’t get too caught up in the celebration, asks a fellow soldier to do something to keep him humble. So as the procession winds through the city streets, this soldier’s one job is to crouch on the floor of the chariot, where only the general can see and hear him, and whisper, “You’re only a man. You’re only a man. You’re only a man….”
That general understood that he needed to avoid letting all the attention go to his head. He knew that by remaining humble, he would be able to keep growing and improving as a leader and warrior.
Remember this my amigos… Humility is the antidote to pride. By making an everyday choice to place credit to those around us, we remain open to continued growth as leaders, and give honor to team members when they succeed. We DO NOT need to be the smartest person in every room. Encourage your people to speak up, respect differences of opinion, and continue to champion the best ideas, regardless of whether they originate from you, or a front line Team Member. When things go wrong, admit your mistake and take responsibility. When things go right, shine the spotlight nice and bright on others!