A Simple Strategy for Developing Humble Teams
Rigorous humility begins with ruthless honesty.
You might not know if you’re humble, but you can certainly know if you’re practicing humility.
Leaders practice humility in community, not isolation. From a leadership point of view, humility only matters if others are involved.
Humble team exercise:
Invite everyone on your team to come to the next meeting with a simple statement and an open question.
Statement: “I’d like to get better at ….” (Complete the sentence with a leadership behavior, skill, or quality.)
Question: “What suggestions do you have for me?”
Guidelines:
- Say, “Thanks for saying that,” after you hear a word of advice.
- Don’t make any excuses.
- You aren’t obligated to follow any advice.
- If you choose to try something, let your team know.
- Create accountability. “You can ask me about ….” (Complete the sentence with the behavior you plan to practice.)
The challenge of humility is deliberate practice, not casual intention.
I did this exercise with three men last Saturday. I felt a battle within. Was I going to be humble and fill in the blank with something meaningful, or play it safe?
I chose to practice humility. “I’d like to be better at giving direction.” I’m great at asking questions and lousy at giving direction.
Drive:
Humble leaders have drive for improvement.
There’s lots of talk about self-development, but when you dig below the surface, it’s often talk without action. The above exercise is an opportunity to take action.
Humble leaders intentionally develop their leadership. That means they know what they’re working on.
If you don’t know what your working to develop, you aren’t working on your leadership.
The drive of humility is growth.
The closed heart of arrogant leaders blocks growth.
Arrogant leaders love to develop OTHERS. Humble leaders work to develop themselves.
Tip: You go first in the above exercise.
How might you use the team exercise in this post?
What “humble practices” might help teams develop humility?
I can’t wait to do this in tomorrow’s meeting. I’m sending them this “assignment” now!
Thanks Kelly. If you get a chance, drop me a note and let me know how it works for you.
A side benefit is it strengthens connections and gets people involved with each others leadership development..
Wow. This approach could be used in many areas of character and skill development. Between spouses, in families, coworkers [I’m thinking about teachers as school starts this week], a pastor with his congregation…..Thanks, Dan!
Or I might ask students to do this exercise with another student. In my senior year I’d like to get better at …. what suggestions do you have for me?
I have been working on asking for help on projects even when “I” think I don’t need it. Even inviting someone to help me with the mundane tasks I find they do it differently then I do it and I learn a different way to do the task. I have had people actually thank me for including them…AND THEY WERE HELPING ME. I am learning a lot by asking for help.
Thanks for the encouragement to ask for help. Brilliant.
Really solid, Dan. It adds to the selfless leadership community of ideas. We need to make the peer pressure we exert more focused on the positive impacts of others whom we manage. Nicely framed.
Thanks Dr. Scott. I was surprised at how good the conversation went and how it made me feel connected to the others.
Thank you. I’m going to try this exercise. Another great post!
Thanks Fafael. Please drop a note to share your experience. Best
This is a good one. Will begin it by myself.
Thanks Joy…. Enjoy
GREAT Kelly Allen! That’s optimism with humility. It do count with one bold stepGREAT Kelly Allen! That’s optimism with humility. It do count with one bold step…
Dan,
Great post. I have been working with my team on Feedback, both asking for and managing it. This exercise will support this training perfectly. I manage a sales team and I believe that this will exercise will build humility support and understanding amongst the group. I will definitely step up first and I will strive to demonstrate humility.