4 Bold Practices of Humility
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Successful leader and entrepreneur Ron Rubin is giving away 20 copies of his new book Gold in Your Backyard. This post is inspired by his work.
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Deadline for eligibility is 06/02/2025. International winners will receive an electronic version.
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”—Rick Howard and Jamie Lash
Humility is self-awareness. It’s knowing your limits and knowing how to ask for help.
Ron Rubin shares 50 golden leadership lessons in Gold in Your Backyard. One in particular stands out to me: collaborate.
Humility is the heart of collaboration.
Practical Humility
Openness is willing to:
- Admit what you don’t know.
- Rely on others.
- Honor other people’s strengths.
- Learn from anyone.
Ego is narrow. But the heart of the humble is wide.
4 Bold Practices of Humility
#1 Ask for input before moving forward.
Ron Rubin built success by involving experts, not going it alone.
Seek wisdom before doing something foolish.
#2 Be the student.
Invite conversations that build trust and open doors.
Ask, “Does this conversation focus on winning or moving forward?”
Say, “I don’t know.” Ask questions that build trust. Be the student, not the expert.
#3 Give others credit—publicly.
Glory hogs destroy morale.
#4 Watch your pronouns.
Use “we,” not “I.” Say “our win,” not “my idea.” Humility shows up in the ways you talk about success.
“To build your business, hire the best minds you can find—then listen and learn as they teach and guide you.” Ron Rubin
Final Word
Simple practices. Profound impact.
Humble leaders learn fast, build strong teams, and earn lasting respect. Pride builds walls. Humility builds business.
Who do you rely on for encouragement, insight, and honest feedback?
This post is inspired by GOLD IN YOUR BACKYARD: Lessons in Life, Leadership and The Power of a Dream, by Ron Rubin. He is a visionary entrepreneur and thought leader with over 50 years of transformative experience in the beverage industry, leading renowned companies like The Republic of Tea® and River Road Family Vineyards and Winery.
Ron has generously offered 20 copies of his new book for Leadership Freak readers. Leave a comment below to become eligible to win one at no obligation.
Often, people equate humility with just being willing to take harsh feedback. It’s so much more than that. I love the connection here to self-awareness.
I believe humility is the secret sauce of leadership and we sure don’t see much of it. When it happens authentically, it is stunning and refreshing.
There is no limit about the amount of good that can happen when you don’t care who gets the credit. Trust is the key factor in working with people, and a big ego can’t be trusted!
One of the most impactful things you can do as a leader is to follow #3. By doing this, you show that individual that their accomplishment is theirs, not yours, and you value them and their effort.
#3 Give others credit—publicly.
Glory hogs destroy morale.
Humility used to be seen as a strength, aka “the meek will inherit the earth”. As shown in this article, there is a difference between being humble and inviting expertise/recognising help compared to being servile which is a sort of fake modesty.
Most of us all enjoy being positively called out at work as this can build morale and make us more eager to achieve our goals. However, it is always worth checking in with people before doing this in person as some people do not want to be the centre of attention due to anxiety. In these cases, there are other ways of publicly thanking them.
God Loves a humble servant. There is no better way to show staff they matter than by giving them credit for successes.
I think that:
#4 Watch your pronouns.
Use “we,” not “I.” Say “our win,” not “my idea.” Humility shows up in the ways you talk about success.
is one that can be fairly simple to implement, being that it is only on you and no one else really. And works well both written as well as spoken
While it is important to be a servant leader, it is just as important to be a servant follower.
Humility is wrapped up in ego. It takes an insightful and introspective person to see past that and to be truly humble yet it is a key to successful leadership.
This is an arrow to keep close! Any organization led by these practices will be successful! Thank you for the practical practices and quick reminders.
“There is safety in a multitude of counselors” …no one person has it all figured out!
As a leader, the only time I say “I did” is when the ball was dropped. Otherwise, it’s a team success with stand out players.
Humility brings a calmness to any organization as it is fueled by reflective pauses to take in and honor what others are bringing to the table.
Love it! —Simple practices. Profound impact.
Looking forward to a day when humility becomes the norm in world leadership…
Love the quote in the graphic, “There is no hope for know-it-alls.”
transparency
Looks like a great text for a school leader. Looking forward to diving into it!
It’s my team and the people I work and learn with who I rely on for encouragement insight and honest feedback and that come from a place of vulnerability, safety and trust.
100%! It’s “I” when responsibility is to be taken for something that needs to be fixed within your circle of influence. It’s “we”, “you”, “he”, “she” or “they” when credits are to be shared. Simple, but powerful. It works positively contagious!
When we conduct voice of customer research what we keep hearing is buyers and decision makers want human to muman conversations. A big part of that is humility and empathy
Great read!
There are times I feel like humility is a lost art in the workplace! Thanks for the push! I am a true believer in “it takes a village”!
“Pride goes before destruction.” Leaders without self awareness to be humbled will end up in the wrong direction and caused a shipreck. Humility is to the compass to navigates the idea of others to a safe dock.
Humility is a key ingredient for success in the multicultural expatriate situation in the Middle east region here.
No one gets where they are all on their own. There are always others that help us along the way. Even our failures make us better. Humility comes from knowing that you’ve failed before and will fail again. I look for encouragement from those that have been in my shoes.
“Humble leaders learn fast, build strong teams, and earn lasting respect. Pride builds walls. Humility builds business.” This is powerful – humility attracts, pride pushes away.
I love this! A leader is only as strong as their team and the only way to build a strong team is through a humble leader. A leader who is willing to give credit to others for successes and take the fall when mistakes are made.
Greetings,
Thank you for this post.
There is virtue of humility. Then there is the tactical use of it to keep one’s mind nimble, open, receptive to info/intel, and always poised for growth.
This post makes it very clear that humility can and should be exercised tactically to achieve more positive outcomes on many fronts.
Thank you!
robert
It’s only when we follow Jesus’ footsteps in gentleness and humility that we are able to do the “greater things” He promised us (John 14:12). What we do is the fruit of who we are.
Humble!
“Humility is trusting God and others with me”. Humility opens the door to trusting relationships. Without humility you can climb the ladder of capacity but the ladder will eventually become weak because the rails are built on something other than trust and grace. The character ladder has rails built on relationships of trust and environments of grace. Humility is a key, first rung, of this ladder, a ladder built to expand and last.
Publicly recognize others and being cognizant of the language we use (e.g. we vs. I) really resonate with me
The Practice of Humility Matters and Is a Great Topic:
It drives growth – The practice of humility keeps you open to learning and self-improvement.
It strengthens relationships – Humble people listen, admit mistakes, and treat others with respect.
It defines great leadership – True leaders practice humility by serving others, not their egos.
It brings peace – Letting go of pride through humility leads to clarity, calm, and self-awareness.
The practice of humility is a timeless, powerful topic—it challenges the ego, builds character, and invites meaningful reflection on what really matters in life.
I loved this article. I am currently leading a local church and these principles apply. I am not the smartest person in the room and ask for, listen to and accept council from those who are more skilled in other areas.
This is a trait I’ve worked to instill in my kids. It is one of the most admirable skills to practice.
Most of my major life decisions came when I flipped the question from “What strengths do I bring to the relationship?” to “what might this relationship be able to teach me that I need to learn?” Going from law into ordained ministry. Discerning a call within ministry. Moving from ministry to leading a nonprofit. Understanding when it’s time to retire.
What I’ve realized is that often the seeming roadblocks in my life are simply my own ego standing in my way.
Humility is the ability to recognize that you don’t know everything and all others, no matter their role in life, have experienced things that we could learn from.
Humility is the engine to a great team! Without the willingness to be the student of this means the leader may be happy but the team is not. Such important thoughtful points this post sheds light on. Thank you for the reminder!
The more advanced you get in your career the more you realize that success requires a team of experts, and therefore humility.
Being humble is more than just saying you act with humility. Actions speak, usually louder than words!
Love to learn more about how to be a leader!
ONe of the ways I’ve witnessed humility (and I try to implement) is to serve those around me. By serving others, this provides an opportunity to implement the four key points made above. Serving is not just about showing humility, it is a way to lead, showing others the path forward.
In the trenches of life, no one wants a field general leading from the rear; they want someone in the trench with them, showing the way. That’s service. That’s humility. That’s leadership.
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
As a leader of a team, this is by far one of the most important lessons to learn, and one of the hardest to learn. You are caught between wanting your team to look up to you for guidance and direction, especially during tough times, yet you need to rely on your team for their strength, insight and wisdom, knowing that you indeed don’t know it all. It is ok to say, “I don’t know”.
“#4 Watch your pronouns.” A lesson I learned early in my leadership journey from an inspiring leader, and one of the first I now teach to new managers and leaders just stepping into their careers. Best part – it requires no special skills to make this language shift, just a shift in attitude.
It is not who is right, but what is right, that is of importance. -Thomas Huxley
Thanks for this post! I have so much to learn about humble leadership.
This is a great start.
This is a very interesting topic to me. As a manager, I try really hard to be “humble” with my staff. They are not only a part of the conversations in problem solving but also usually have some really great ideas!! They are the one in the trenches and they know what works. I also feel it’s so important to know the people beyond their name and title. I’ve learned throughout the years that the more they feel cared about from me, the more they want to do well in their jobs. My caring is genuine though and not as a result I might get from that. I have other managers however, that have been more of the do what I say mentality. They find the flaws with staff versus really trying to understand and be empathetic to their situation. As a result, they appear to have less of a connection with others and staff have expressed dissatisfaction with them in several ways. I think this book would be great in learning even more techniques of being humble and could be a great conversation starter with those who aren’t so humble (maybe even subtly a suggested read for them).
Admit what you don’t know. This is hard because they assume I know it all because i have been here longer.
Rely on others. This is hard because I want to do it ourselves so it is done correctly.
Honor other people’s strengths. Once you see their strengths you know how to use them.
Learn from anyone. So True, when you see their strength and how they use it.
Everyday is an opportunity to grow and learn. Your platform is how I want to grow my skills as a leader. At times the group seems to interpret involving them in developing ideas as, I lack the knowledge. I see it as learning from each other and I keep us on track.
Outstanding article on the importance of humility!
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom. – Proverbs 11:2
At the beginning of humility is self-awareness – make it your hallmark and humility will follow
This comment really struck a chord with me: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”—Rick Howard and Jamie Lash
Then the chord turned into a symphony with this:
Openness is willing to:
Admit what you don’t know.
Rely on others.
Honor other people’s strengths.
Learn from anyone.
These are the very attributes I have always admired in leaders – both in the workplace and beyond – but I never had a word for it.
THANK YOU for giving me the words, ways and means to make HUMILITY my own leadership style.
A great leader is one who is willing to admit their faults and carry forward with the strengths of those working beside them so that everyone can be the best they can be.
I would love to learn more about asking for input before moving forward, being a student, give others credit publicly and watch your pronouns. All of these seem easier to say than do. Your final words made such a great impact on me: “Simple practices. Profound impact.” and “Humble leaders learn fast, build strong teams, and earn lasting respect. Pride builds walls. Humility builds business.” All things I would love to do and become.
Thank you for the opportunity to receive a new book. The title is very interesting, Gold in Your Backyard. Humility is home for the honorable- honor yourself and others. When the student within us remains with us for life, life is always interesting. Thank you, Dan!
“Humility is self-awareness. It’s knowing your limits and knowing how to ask for help.” This and the other lessons shared are both practical and profound, reminding us that the most effective leaders are those who lead with self-awareness, empathy, and a willingness to listen. Sounds like a must-read for anyone striving to lead with integrity and purpose!
Gotta say I love this… but it’s really, really conflicting for me.
I want to do my best work. I want to invite others to be a part of that journey.
I love being invited into their journeys.
But so many times when I’m trying to ask the good questions, I catch myself…
The questions I’m asking are straying more and more into the realms of “I don’t trust myself” or “I’m worried somebody is gonna figure out what a dork I am.”
Struggling with that level of insecurity has been a lifelong challenge, and it works it’s way out sometimes in weird ways that come out as bravado, confidence or a strong sense of security by inviting others into the conversation. Really what I’m doing is looking for validation or coaching. I’m working to be more transparent about that, and I’m hoping that in itself is developing more humility.
I regularly try to follow the practice of using “we” instead of “I” as there are very few things in any area of my life that I am soley responsible for. This practice really makes one focus on the collaboration of the day to day and feel greater gratitude for it.
There’s a lot of usefulness and insight in approaching something humbly and open to the possibility that you do not know everything. Looks like an interesting read!
Quoting: “Ask questions that build trust. Be the student, not the expert.” IMO, when we do ask questions – at a minimum, we’ll discover added and important information; very frequently, we’ll find we are more of a student / less of an expert! AND we built trust while showing humility!
Humility is so important and so overlooked. Grateful for so many lessons in humility in my life when I didn’t use these practices and needed to find a better path. I appreciate any leader who recognizes they don’t know it all and don’t get it all right all the time.
Tere is nothing more disappointing than hearing a leader take credit for a team win, especially when the team did the majority of the work.
Great read! It is the secret to Leadership
Love your book give aways.
I’ve always been of the mindset that everyone is more intelligent than me, so I try to ask for input from my supervisor and my peers on most projects. It allows me to set my ego aside and lean on outsider input and perspectives. What I’ve learned through this approach is that it creates open communication, transparency, and trust within your team. It has also encouraged my colleagues to share out and learn from one another, building a stronger team dynamic. In the end, we all win and advance together through shared feedback.
In order to learn we have to have the spirit of a student which is humble because he/she knows that he/she does not know.
I’ll be printing the phrase “The future belongs to learn-it-alls, not know-it-alls.” to hang near my desk. What a profound and succint way to frame the pursuit of life-long learning and the idea that everyone has something to teach us.
Humility, far exceeding mere openness to criticism, is the cornerstone of effective leadership, fostering trust and morale within any organization. It involves a deep self-awareness that allows leaders to genuinely give credit publicly to others, recognizing their contributions and valuing their efforts. This approach, exemplified by using “we” instead of “I” when discussing success, cultivates a culture of psychological safety and collaboration, where individuals feel empowered and celebrated rather than overshadowed by “glory hogs.” Ultimately, a humble leader, free from the constraints of ego, creates a calm, reflective environment that embraces diverse perspectives, understands that “no one person has it all figured out,” and empowers the entire team to achieve collective success.
My favorite quote was “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”— I do believe that humility isn’t a mark of not being intelligent. Thank you for your brief summaries. I am sharing them with my family.
This is so important and a huge part of great leadership. Knowing yourself and being open to others thoughts and opinions helps us continue to grow. Thank you again for sharing.
This was a great article and an inspiration to always seek humility. It is amazing to watch people when you find humility and give them credit. You see the results immediately. Thank you for this inspiring work.
Being humble, drawing on the strengths and gifts of others, and lifting others up is so important. We are better together: we not I.
I love that line: “Humility shows up in the ways you talk about success”, I’ve always steered from talking bad about others but never put much thought into how talking about success can build such a perception of someone. I’ve known to always take ownership of my mistakes, but giving credit of success, I see can really help build my humility.
Pronouns are important! I always try to say “our team” rather than “my team,” not only because I imagine it will sound more collaborative to others, but also to prevent me from feeling too possessive and controlling.
great read, selfless leadership can be accomplished through simple behaviors focused on connecting and celebrating others.
Great read – This backs up something I say to myself daily. All of us are smarter than one of us.
Humility, from my perspective, when openly practiced, has made the workplace a kinder and gentler place where team members can learn, take risks, fail forward, and collaborate more freely for the betterment of the services we provide to customers. Companies and people both win. I would love to read “Gold in your backyard”!
Love the quote ““Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”
Would love to dig deeper into this book
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.
A proud person thinks they can do everything. A humble person knows they can’t and will surround themselves with others who complement their abilities – people who have strengths to offset your deficiencies.
If you try to do it alone, the outcome won’t be as robust as what is developed by a team of people using their unique skills to work together.
“No man is an island.”
The higher you go, the humbler you must become.
As a person who is learning to be a better leader and help those on my team to see themselves as leaders, this gave me clarity on what conversations we can continue to have to support us in collaborating together.