15 Ways to tell if someone is Arrogant or Humble
Arrogant people say they believe in humility but their life says they believe in arrogance.
Humility speaks the truth.
Arrogance negotiates honesty based on what’s best for itself. If you’ve found someone who speaks the truth, give them a raise.
One indication that arrogance, rather than humility, dominates is how and when people speak the real truth.
People who use anger, bitterness, or feeling offended as fuel to speak the real truth are arrogant, not humble. They’re more concerned for themselves than others.
15 Ways to spot humility or arrogance:
- Arrogant leaders advance their own agenda by telling others what they want to hear.
- Humble people serve higher purposes – not themselves. They do and say what’s best for others.
- Humble leaders put organizational success before their own. Don’t trust leaders who put their own success above organizational success.
- Humble leaders aren’t climbing the ladder; they are going down the stairs. They aren’t at the top of the heap; they are at the bottom.
- Arrogant leaders emphasize your responsibility to them.
- Humble leaders focus on responsibility to others.
- Arrogant managers don’t have time for people.
- Humble managers value people.
- Arrogant bosses focus more on getting than on giving.
- Arrogant people expect others to serve them.
- Humility serves others.
- Arrogant people brag about themselves.
- Humble people brag about others.
- Arrogance blames.
- Humility takes responsibility.
Humble people strengthen organizations. Arrogant people use organizations.
What suggestions do you have for spotting arrogance or humility?
How can leaders develop humility?
Dare to read more: “Leading yourself into humility.” Humility yields success, arrogance blocks it.
Great post! Mind if I use it? I will be sure to let everyone know where I got it.
Another that I would add:
Arrogant people have to be right. Humble people let others be right too.
TO much words.
Randy, are you paying homage to the quantity of words used?
Dear Dan,
A very interest post Dear Dan. I like the distinguishing factor for arrogance and humility. I would like to add some more points here. Arrogant brag about themselves, humble people talk about issues. Arrogant people create space with people, humble people connect gap with people. Arrogant people wear masks and hides their reality, humble people shows their reality to others. Arrogant people create system based on opaqueness that serve their purpose and interest, humble people create harmonious and transparent system and serve others purpose. Arrogant people encourage people who can talk and support the interest of arrogant, humble people encourages people who can talk their minds. Arrogant people are fearful, humble people are powerful. Arrogant people talk much to create impression; humble people talk relevant and do not worry about impression. I strongly believe that arrogant people are ignorant. Ignorance instils arrogance and arrogance blocks their vision. Arrogant people are not visionary, humble people are visionary.
Leaders can develop humility by unmasking layers of ignorance and arrogance. They can change arrogance into humility by expecting from themselves what they expect from others. They need to introspect, and retrospect to measure with outcome. The perhaps best way to change arrogance into humility is by acceptance and openness. The willing to change arrogance into humility is the most challenging task. Nothing can change, if willing is missing.
Thank you for a well-written post. As a young teacher leader, it’s always a great reminder of how to approach challenges with humility. With the mistakes I make daily, there’s no room for arrogance here!
One question: can humility and ambition live together? I’m referring to #4. In my experiences as a leader, it has always been about the success of the initiative and growth of the team. But I am young and do hope for personal and professional growth as well. How can one balance the two?
Humility is to raise to oneself and others a higher version of oneself. Humility is not weak, or to be looked down on, or self abasing. To raise to oneself a higher version of oneself is to have ambition, to be great, and recognize are and others greatness. For a successful team, a leader must see the success within themselves, and in others, they must strive for their own betterment and for the betterment of others. Therefore they must have great ambition.
In bettering themselves and serving others they must strive to be the best version of themselves they can be. They must have ambition and should not abase their goals or dreams but live up to them.
Shifting the stairs analogy to climbing a hill or mountain. Humble leaders walk with, sometimes from behind, sometimes a bit ahead, always aware of pace, timing and challenges to surmount.
After the long climb arrogant leaders say, “I am on top” when it was a group effort. So, arrogant leaders have only one I….a very limiting vision perhaps.
Arrogant people see only their own glorious reflection in the pool of water.
Humble people dive right through their outward image to explore what’s in the depths.
Great post, Dan. Hit everything right on the noggin.
How do you so consistently and continuously come up with excellent and provocative topics, wso quickly and so well-written? You seem to be an endless well.
One difference I have noticed: Arrogant leaders fire honest employees. No wonder the majority are disingenuous!
Humble leaders give honest employees a boost. No ownder people go home happy.
Being humble is a learned skill. “Saying nothing’ more often says more than speaking for the sake of filling silent air.
The best way I know how to stay humble is to stay thankful. Gratitude is the fastest way I have found to humility.
If I’m thankful to someone who has done a great job, it promotes them instead of myself. I’ve also noticed when you’re thankful to someone, it spreads like wildfire! It causes them to be humbly thankful, too! Not to mention the respect it fosters among people!
It’s like a magic pill. Gratitude is not something you have to wait to see the results. It works right away to bring harmony and unity in any situation. Wow.
Great post Dan. I do think it’s possible for humble leaders to reach the top but it’s very rare. It’s more often a result of the humble leader just happening to be in the right place at the right time than “climbing the ladder”. Too bad, because once they get there, they’re almost always successful. They attract the best talent and people want to work hard for them.
The only place arrogant wins is during wartime.
Pingback: 15 Ways to tell if someone is Arrogant or Humble (via Leadership Freak) | Vanessa King, Toastmaster
Arrogance speaks; Humility listens.
This was a truly fantastic post…thank you.
Leaders of the attributes of humility and arrogance have no place in the world of modern management
Arrogant people believe they have the right to define others. Humble people don’t define themselves or others as positive or negative, “humble or arrogant”. Humble people accept that we are all flawed; we all bear qualities of humility and arrogance.
As a quote says..”No person can serve two masters”
A person who can’t defined himself or herself is no difference then arrogance….which means he or she is equal to God..in everything in this life there is always a Negative and Positive and if u don’t no that you are no Greater then an Animal…A real Humble Man or A Women Have An ability to Judge TO Differentiate or to Defined other not in a way of Arrogance or an Attitude but with understanding ,humbleness, with love n with a hope to change them for a Brighter life… Ara Tsuhah(nagaland)
So what you’re basically saying Greg, is that people are arrogant if they disagree with you? Sounds pretty arrogant of you to me
Arrogant people will disagree with the 15 ways.
Humble people are nice people and nice people never win in this societal climate we find ourselves in. The American Way, which was humble, has become the Chicago way…. Good guys finish last but the meek shall ultimately inherit the earth.
Love yourself, trust yourself, respect yourself, strive to live up to the best values you set for yourself and this will set an example for humility for all those you encounter.
Remember; happiness that is the goal not possessions. To achieve inner peace, self assurance, and confidence is by the quality of your accomplishments.
Great post Dan. I too believe a humble leader looks to serve others rather than himself. Keep it up!
I didn’t read the other comments but do you really believe it is not possible to have a perfect amount of each virtue… does it annoy you that I don’t use perfect grammar or pronunciation, does it really matter as long as you understand what my point is? Is it impossible for a person to be arrogant one day in a certain situation and the next day for whatever reason in that small time it takes to make a impulsive or thought out decision be humble in a similar situation? No its not. Always 2 sides of the coin right…..? WRONG. Thus far sounds like I m arrogent right, at this point you re probbaly poking fun at how I don’t use commas or apostrophes or use corect grammar or spelling, but if you understand what I m saying does it really matte, would you rather have spontanious thought fromnthe heart insintly coming out of my head as i type or pause every 2 seconds and edit and think about what to type next. Does it really matter in this unimportant comment made from some unknown loser. Would an arrogent leader put a uniform on ane steo on the battle field because he/she BLEIEVES it would make the difference in a victory in a battle that would save hundreds o dBm thoumds of innocent lives weather those lives are american or not. Would a humble leader refuse to go to war if that war meant hundreds thounsends of lives would be lost but would be a gigantic step towards creating a world dominance rather than a dominace by a leader or their particular country. I m just a nobody but doesn’t it make sense to look at EVERY situation (if there is time to do so)! From every side of the coin and then hurry up and make a damn decision that rests somewhere in the middle causenthe coin in mympocket has an infinite amount of sides, can you be right in the middle between arrogence and humble? There is nondoubt in MY mind that answer is yes. How does a “Humble” person percieve thatbquestion? How does an ” arrogent” person percieve that qustion? Because upnto this point in my miniscule dumb life it seems like the key to life is perception from the beholder. I strive to be right in the middle… no wheather you think I just typed that because it soumds good or because I believe it is up to you. There’s no way I am going back and editing this… plus I am hungry. Dry humor sometimes is dorky as he’ll. I m and american and I m about to go eat a damn cheeseburger and donate 100 bucks to breast cancer at the same time.
-SRD
unbelievable my old boss fit all the arrogant ones, and someone said arrogant people fire honest people so true, they are threatened by it.I hope hes reading this mr. get promoted because people have passed away
arrogance ends with bitter taste…while humility tastes sweet….
You know if you’re in the right state of mind, and just being yourself, you wouldn’t worry if you’re arrogant or humble, it’s a mix of both worlds lol.
You know you are somewhere close to humble when the world begins to hate you and sees you as a freak. Nothing boils another man more than understanding and love.
I was once told while at work, if you’re not pissing someone off, you’re not doing it right.
I was told by someone i make them humble , i didnt know exactly what that meant or if it was a good thing, and i still dont.. is it a good thing?
Thanks Pamela. What an interesting question. I have no idea. What do you think?
“let another praise you not your own lips” wise answer by the wisest man that that every lived. King Solomon. Of coarse, God gave it to him.
We are all a combination of both; hopefully more humble. Usually, humility is best and/or most gracious. However, circumstances may demand the scales of balance to tip . . .
Humility is a rare virtue in todays selfie world
Honestly I found this article fairly arrogant. All people ultimately serve themselves in one way or another, everyone lays blame, everyone bigs themselves up at the expense of others, and sometimes everyone does the opposite. It’s not good or bad, just so long as you try to maintain a sense of fair treatment, treating others as you want to be treated, then you’re not arrogant. It seems to me that this article is a way for people to use being humble to see themselves as superior and rationalise their behaviour along those lines
This is a powerful thing,, I’ve learnt something