The Two Qualities that Make Leaders Great
Some leaders are humble. Others are driven. The great ones are both.
When Jim Collins set out to write, “Good to Great,” he set out to write about great organizations, not great leaders. But, he found great leaders at the top of great organizations. So he wrote a book about great leaders.
Arrogant or humble:
The relationship between arrogance and humility is either or. If you have one you don’t have the other.
Self-importance might build your career but it doesn’t make you great.
Arrogance goes up as you go up the chain. Alan Robinson, co-author of, “The Idea-Driven Organization,” gave me a rich perspective on the danger of arrogance. Alan believes arrogance is a type of mental illness.
Arrogance means, “I can’t take in information from others.” (Alan Robinson interview)
Closed ears indicate arrogant hearts.
Alan in his own words: (1:43)
Arrogance ignores and rejects ideas from others – humility welcomes them.
Driven:
Driven leaders are humble when they drive toward improvement.
Alan’s experience reflects my own. You don’t meet a lot of people who are really driven toward improvement. Arrogant leaders are in it for themselves.
Teaching humility:
I asked Alan if humility can be taught. He said, it’s not so much teaching as removing and preventing environments that make arrogance acceptable. The perks of leadership create that puffed up feeling in the chest.
Distance creates arrogance. The further you are from the front line, the more likely you are an arrogant leader.
Alan on teaching humility: (2:15 )
Bonus:
Build humble organizations by promoting humble people and protecting them from the dangers of power.
What behaviors express the combination of driven and humble?
I recommend, “The Idea-Driven Organization,” by Alan Robinson and Dean Schroeder.
A quote on this article, “Be careful not to mistake insecurity and inadequacy for humility! Humility has nothing to do with the insecure and inadequate! Just like arrogance has nothing to do with greatness!”
Great add P. Much appreciated.
The idea of arrogance increasing as you climb the ranks/ladder links in my mind to an earlier post you wrote about power. You wrote about power, and the more/longer you have it, being something that can blind-side you as it can cause higher levels of self-affirmation and belief in your own ideas being the truth over others. I guess I just see a big cyclical connection between what power can do to poor leaders, what arrogance can do to poor leaders, and how that all affects the central quality of a “leader” – which is to empower/create other leaders.
Thanks for continuing to make amazing posts, day in day out, that inspire and educate me to no end Dan. Can I please ask you: how do you recover from bad experiences with leadership in a previous job, and from having trust in leadership demolished as a result? Particularly from a young person’s perspective going into leadership for the first time after those bad experiences? A future post, or a quick reply, would make my day! Thanks a million 🙂
Thanks Cat. Love the connection between personal power and empowering others. Brilliant!
You ask a wonderful question about recovering from bad experiences. If we can’t we are doomed because life has plenty of bad experiences. I’ll put your question on a list of potential posts. But, I must confess that I don’t do much planning ahead.
Cat,
I had bad leaders in my earliest experiences in the working world. I took from those experiences the knowledge of how I didn’t want to be/act. In other words, instead of remembering them as only bad leaders, I remembered them as people who taught me what I didn’t want to become. We learn from everything and everyone we encounter, if we choose to.
Have a great day!
Well the coolest Leader I see now is Vishen Lakhani.
His The Theory of Awesomeness on youtube free is inspirational and educational.
Cutting edge Leadership I guess I could call it.
He says to do 2 things
1 happy now.
If you think about that Dan that is humble!!! In spite of all that us going on, choose happy! One does not think they know or don’t, kinda humble! They just choose to have faith the big guy-gal upstairs knows what they are doing and HAPPY is the chosen response to all we have been given.
2. A Vision for the Future. This is the behavior driven, but not really!! Pulled, still movement Dan. So inspite of circumstances a positive choice of what is to come.
Yeah Cutting Edge Leadership is the coolest!!! And if anyone decides to, google Mind Valley!!! Seems his ideas in practice produce abundant results!!
Consistently voted one of the greatest workplaces on earth!!
Cutting Edge Leadership, just better.
Just my opinion based on my experience. Check it out, who knows you might see it the same way!! Never know unless you google!!!!
By the way anyone see Zuckerburg bought WhatApp? 19 Billion!!! Ahhh Verizon, AT&T, sprint. You folks now strangely look like Kodak!! Oopsie!!!
SP
EA
Thanks Scott. So are you suggesting that the two qualities that make leaders great is be happy and have vision?
Yep!!!! Absolutely 100%!!!!
Want to see proof in the pudding watch The Theory of Awesomeness. Free viewing on youtube!!
Watch, then have an informed opinion.
What, Why, How To, When
That’s Vishens order of how to get things done.
From 4.50 a month in 2008 to what Mind Valley is now.
Yeah I would say Dude knows what he is talking about.
One will never know till they open their mind to understanding what this Leader is saying.
Listening to people who DO things and they share how for me better than people writing about what others have fine or what they theorize makes sense.
Just saying.
SP
EA
Love this thinking question “What behaviors express the combination of driven and humble?”
–.perhaps a commitment to help those who provide no social or industrial leverage.
— and how about, being a consistent, faithful spouse?
..
Thanks Ken. KaPow!
They say character is best seen when we do things for those who can’t do things for us.
Fully 100% agree!
Thanks Michael!
Good to Great is my favorite leadership book! Even the title inspires!
Thanks Vicki. Yup, it’s a must read.
“You don’t meet a lot of people who are really driven toward improvement. Arrogant leaders are in it for themselves.Arrogance ignores and rejects ideas from others – humility welcomes them.” Having experienced this environment, the question I struggled with in looking for an effective method of communication was is the block arrogance or ignorance….an unwillingness to know or an unawareness that don’t know everything? Reading this in terms of arrogance and humility has given me some clarity and perspective to consider in this situation.
Thanks Becky. When Alan said, “Arrogance can’t take things in,” A light bulb went off. I thought about myself and others in a new way. I say arrogance in myself in ways I have seen it.
Along this line, perhaps we need to ask the question of “Improve WHAT or WHO?” The humble, or servant leader will tend to focus on others, or improving the situation for others.
On the other hand a leader with arrogance may tend to only focus on THEIR position, THEIR situation,often at the cost or risk of others.
One of my favorite quotes for humility is Proverbs 15:22. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” If you are arrogant, you won’t submit yourself to the advise of counsel. But a humble person would welcome advice, even when they believe they are right.
Thanks John. That’s a great proverb. I get so excited about what I want to do that I lose interest in what others think… sounds arrogant to me.
I do the same thing, Dan. Two things about counsel and setting expectations for people – 1. just because I came to you doesn’t mean I’m going to do exactly what you suggest. I’ll hear you out, but ultimately if its mine, its mine and 2. counsel and consensus are not the same thing. I think you said it previously, consensus breeds mediocrity. When you work in a large organization like I do, if you wait for consensus nothing would ever get done.
Alan mentioned it in your first audio clip that humble leaders acknowledge that others can perform their duties better than the leader can. I think that goes back to the smart people surround themselves with people smarter than they are. Understanding our own strengths and then surrounding ourselves with people that fill in the gaps of our weaknesses can build that foundation to build an ‘idea-driven organization’. I like the ‘humble’ and ‘driven’ descriptions. It paints the picture of a strong leader.
Thanks Anthony. I was glad to spend some time mulling this topic over and I’m thankful for Alan’s insights. It’s so easy to be either/or when it comes to humility and driven. His insights helped me find some clarity.
What behaviors express the combination of driven and humble?
There is almost a checks and balances built into this paradigm. It suggests two questions to me, a way of turning the mirror back on myself. “Am I driving for improvement arrogantly?” “Is there still enough *me* in the equation to fuel that drive for improvement?”
I think the answer to the behaviors question comes down to the questions we ask. If they are questions that encourage us to listen and others to share, they will express this partnership.
Great post, Dan. I wish I could put the audio clips on the RockWall. 😃
Thanks Steven. Powerful comment.
The dance between ego/humility is real. We need a power sense of self in order to not get lost in serving. Love where you took that.
YOur description of good questions is helpful… I listen — they share!
Ego is often mistaken for arrogance. Thank you for suggesting my next blog essay.
Creating smart organizations requires surrounding yourself with smart people who are encouraged to take risks–calculated and thoughtful risks. Smart organizations are those that are led by those who aren’t afraid to make mistakes, own them and move beyond them, and focus on improving the situation.
Thanks Dana. Your connection between smart and mistakes is practical and helpful. It’s funny to think that people who can’t, don’t, or won’t make mistakes aren’t smart. We wrongly think that being smart is not making mistakes.
This is a good litmus test for self diagnosis. My job requires me to create change…but the truth is that I love to see the company working better, so it comes naturally to me. To make change happen, I need to understand the current situation, so I volunteer my time to help managers who are struggling or falling behind because of a lack of change. It gives me clues as to what is causing the situation to remain stuck and refuse to change.
Signs of arrogance in myself would be: talking about business school with frontline managers, leaping to judgment, demanding rather than persuading, impatience with fear and apprehension, teaching people who resent being taught.
Humility for me looks like: employing business school principles rather than talking about them, taking in all the facts and opinions I can before deciding, listening to objections, asking the right questions to understand fearful attitudes, teaching those eager to learn, while allowing myself to be taught by people with a wealth of experience.
Thanks Dunkablog. But, I must say that second paragraph was a bit of a kick in the pants for me. 🙂
Leaping to judgement and impatience are my two “favorite” indications that I’m getting too big for my britches.
My favorite definition of humility – it’s not about thinking less of yourself, it’s about thinking of yourself less.
Thanks Annie… good one!
humility is the admission that we still can learn more about a subject.
That’s a mental shift for some of us who know “too” much.
I have always tried to instill a philosophy of continuous improvement with people and departments I supervise. And while I have grown to see that humility is a foundational character trait of effective leaders, I have not really fleshed out what that looks like in every day behavior. It makes sense that if I am arrogant and shut myself off from listening…hearing what others have to say and receiving constructive feedback from others, I will miss many learning lessons that will contribute to my development as a leader. I need to ponder on this more because I know humility is very becoming and attractive when I see it in another leader!
Thanks David. I respect your candor and transparency. I like the idea that being driven for improvement of an organization fits within a humble leader’s framework. IT seems that listening takes on new meaning when we humbly drive toward improvement.
I love the phrase “humility is not thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less.” I know there’s a close dance with both of those thoughts. I find it helpful to remind myself of the difference being “self-aware” versus “self-absorbed.” Thanks for the insights.
Thank Mick… self-aware vs self-absorbed… now thats a good one.
It is interesting that the DSM will have arrogance in possibly for the next review. In one sense this is also a matter of ‘pride’ as well. As Christians we need to ‘crucify’ our pride and be more humble, but this is extremely hard for us to do! This could be why Paul says, ‘be more like Christ.’
Thanks prdarianhybl. I’ve read that the concept of humility was rejected in Greek culture and that Jesus is the one who reversed that trend.
As we gathered for corporate prayer, last nite…we are entering into a fast from Palm Sunday to Easter! But our leader reflected on how god has called her to fast a meal a day forever! She said it humbles us and puts the flesh under authority!! This year I had a great breakthrough in our yearly 21 day fast. But to keep my deceptive flesh from deceiving me and making me arrogant….I will choose to fast a meal a day….to seek his face and keep me humble!
Thanks Mark. You remind me that self-humbling activities can be helpful. The only person who can humble me is me. “Humble yourself” … .best on the journey
I have a personally humbling anecdote to share. Several years ago I took an online evaluation of leadership based on Jim Collins’ book “Good to Great”. The evaluation put me at a Level 4 leader, with the recommendation to work on humility to be at Level 5. My problem was not that I was deliberately arrogant or taking center stage, but that I wasn’t working consciously to build others up, and deliberately taking myself off stage so they could shine. Those I love and who love me would not have labeled me as arrogant, but I was not actively elevating others to the point where they could contribute fully.
It was a wakeup call and new learning to me. Humility is not passive, a state of not acting with arrogance, nor is it putting ourselves down, but rather actively getting out of the way and building others up. Humility means putting the mission and others first, consciously stepping aside, consciously stretching others’ abilities, consciously praising them, consciously putting the mission front and center.
Jim Collins’ research is strong. I would tend to disagree with him that a level 5 leader combines the “paradoxical” traits of being focused on the organization’s mission and being personally humble. Rather, I think sufficient focus on the organization’s mission and the well-being of those it serves places them in such high consideration that personal desires disappear. This is not “paradoxical”, but rather the highest expression of dedication to organizational stewardship.
Thank you, Dan, for reminding us of what truly counts.
Thanks Marc. KaPow!!! Love the idea of active humility as elevating others… dang that’s good.
Marc: Your words make your thoughts shine. It’s pleasing to see deep and meaningful thought that make both humility and drive what they should be: Virtues in action. What’s truly excellent about your profound comments is that you draw from both your personal experience and from your reading knowledge…which leads us to leadership and management wisdom.
I must tell you I’ve never read anything so insightful or eloquent on humility insofar as what it is
and what it’s not as how you portrayed it. As I was reading your comment I was thinking to myself my superficial thought: We can’t brag we are humble–and be humble.
I continue to say, my hat is off to Dan for spawning this level of thought-response in this blog.
Thanks to both of you guys–and everyone–for some very nice work.
I agree with you. You can be assertive and humble. The tricky part is when people act humble, but are not, in reality
Thanks Rajiv. I think one test of authentic vs. fake humility is what happens when people don’t get what they want.
I like the humble, driven, types, I believe honesty is a quality that many have too! Straight shooter would be another trait I prefer to see.
Thanks Tim. I always enjoy your insights. Cheers
I always thought of people too far from the front line as out of touch, but it is arrogance when they don’t do something about it. People who worked their way up from the front typically keep in touch. Those who refuse to be in touch are being arrogant.
Thanks Jon. Grounded, in this context is staying connected to the people who know the most about the work… the ones doing it. 🙂 Just thinking that would humble some leaders.
Great post!
What behaviors express the combination of driven and humble? Pursuing the front line to take the initiative their ideas.
I would add that great leaders share success with those who actually made it possible and accept the responsibility for failures and turn them into learning experiences not blame.
Three leadership traits that never go out of style (from HBR Blog Network 8/20/12):
Trust
Empathy
Mentorship
None of these traits can exist — without humility.
Really good stuff Dan. Thank you for this blog. In my work, I’ve seen arrogance in leadership sending the message that “I’m different and better than others.” And I’ve seen this lead to having double standards and treating people like they’re objects or possessions. Underneath it all, the arrogant leader is a quitter at any sign of what they consider failure because it goes against their view of themselves. Arrogance dehumanizes the leader and those around them and keeps people dependent. I liked your comment that arrogance and humility is either or. Questions: Can a leader know they are humble or maybe believe they are humble? Or do you think it’s possible to act humble and be arrogant? Do you think leaders can have what seems to be traits of being trusted, having empathy and mentoring others and still be arrogant? I ask this because there’s so much betrayal in the news these days of leadership failing.
I think Spiritual Quotient is becoming an important leadership trait; it encompasses humility and much more. B-schools, at least in India, have started talking about it. Do check
http://amansharma5.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/spiritual-quotient-and-leadership-2/
I think this is definitely something to be nurtured in employees from day one. Otherwise their own strategies take over and if they prove to be successful they be reluctant to let go of them – why would they if they work? Right?
just read this today. I am currently working through the principals in Philippians 2… ouch, ouch, ouch! love learning – struggle with applying.