The Humility Advantage
Jim Collins said, “Humble leaders look in the mirror when things go wrong and out the window when things go right.”
Arrogance advantages self over others.
Ego-Centric Leadership
To gain advantage, ego-centric leaders …
- Manipulate.
- Feel entitled.
- Seek status.
- Exploit the powerless.
Competence without humility creates dangerous capability.
Spotting Humility
#1. How do you deliver bad news? (Speak directly, early, kindly, with shared responsibility.)
#2. What do you do when you disagree with higher-ups? (Speak up privately with openness.)
#3. When does diplomacy become manipulation? (When the goal is control over clarity.)
#4. When is it acceptable to bend policy to get results? (When policy violates organizational values and you are willing to be transparent.)
#5. What recognition matters most to you? (Knowing my work made the team better.)
#6. What frustrates you about compensation conversations? (When expectations are unclear.)
#7. What are some things your teammates do better than you? (Most things technical. Some in specific qualities like attention to detail.)
#8. Who is easier to work with than you? Why? (Leaders who pause and listen before responding.)
#9. When does loyalty to results outweigh loyalty to people? (Short-term results never justify treating people poorly.)
#10. When do you feel embarrassed as a leader? (When I’m motivated by fear or ego.)
Humble Leadership Checklist
- Take responsibility.
- Admit mistakes plainly.
- Give specific examples rather than vagaries.
- Credit others naturally.
- Build genuine relationships.
- Refuse to cut corners.
- Don’t seek special treatment.
- Ignore the seduction of admiration.
- See the strengths of others.
Humility puts strength to work for others.
What aspects of humility do leaders struggle with?
Ego Is the Enemy of Good Leadership HBR
Hi Dan, Thanks for posting this. All of these thoughts resonate with me as a leader. I’m curios though, what exactly do you mean by “Ignore seduction of admiration”? Maybe it’s just me, but I feel that when there is a good leader, admiration will come naturally. I think it is human nature to hope that those you lead will admire your leadership. With that being said, I don’t want to fall into a trap. Will you elaborate?
I think there are two traps. First is that you forget that admiration is earned, not owed. You forget everything that made folks admire you and start behaving like you should be admired just because. Second is that you decide that admiration is the goal, not a side benefit. You start behaving in ways that get you admired rather than behaving like a leader. They aren’t always the same thing.
Either trap gets you off track. And both traps result in you acting out of ego rather than as a servant leader.
Humble leaders are open and fully consider other ideas that are being presented.
Servant leaders say, “How can I help you find the answer?”