What do you think of when you think of a leader? What words would you use to describe them? Strong. Disciplined. Knowledgable. Charismatic. These are all great traits for any leader, but one thing that stands out between good leaders and great leaders is humility. Being a humble leader is the magic ingredient that can lead to having a thriving business.
Humility? Really?
You probably think that humility is a strange trait to add on based on what you think of a humble leader. But a leader who is humble is an effective leader. They are willing to admit and even embrace that even as a leader, they can be wrong.
Being humble also goes into your growth as a person and in the workplace. In fact, let’s take a look at how having a big slice of humble pie will make you an effective leader.
Good for business, good for personal life.
In your own personal growth, you have to have a constant want or need to learn. Learning gives rise to humility. It causes you to be a better communicator and it even gives you more compassion for your fellow man.
In general, it makes you a better person. And who doesn’t want that?
So let’s dig into being humble.
What is being humble?
A humble human is one who has a low focus on themselves, compassion and empathy for others, an accurate sense of your accomplishments, and the acknowledgment of your gaps in knowledge, imperfections, flaws, and mistakes. Consequently, if you are a humble person then you know your worth. Your limitations. Your strengths and weaknesses.
However, while there is no right or wrong way to becoming a humble leader, there are certain qualities that define a humble leader.
People enjoy learning from a humble leader.
Humble leaders don’t inflate their abilities and know that not a single person on this planet can know everything. Likewise, they instead have a pupil-like mentality to always be learning and keeping up with the latest trends.
Similarly, they may desire to go back to school and learn more or take workshop opportunities at their job for new skills and credentials. As a result, that desire to learn will make its way into the eyes and ears of their teams.
It’s really OK to say “I don’t know.”
It is okay to make a mistake and learn from it. However, for a leader, they are to make that visible and known to their teams so that it can be modeled into their work.
As a result, don’t be afraid to reveal that you don’t know about something. Asking for help, even from an employee, makes you more human. Likewise, it humbles you when a worker helps you out.
Besides, you hired people to do the jobs you are not skillful in. It makes sense that you would not know everything. That’s why you don’t have employees, you have specialists.
Hone your listening skills.
A humble leader is one that is an active listener.
Making eye contact, asking relevant questions, and no distractions are all great ways to work on active listening. Being an active listener makes you more empathetic and compassionate to your employees. Likewise, it helps build professional relationships and it shows that you care about your employees.
Learn to collaborate.
Everyone has their limits, even bosses. A humble leader will acknowledge their limitations.
To overcome some obstacles, a leader will need to learn how to work with other people and consider executive coaching services. Remember, as a leader, you lead, not order. This opens the door to strengthening relationships and it makes everyone more open to feedback.
Likewise, being a team player shows that you are able to mix in with anybody. It motivates employees, promotes innovation, and creates a more positive work environment.
Humility moves you toward better leadership.
A humble leader will become a better leader and understand who they are.
It makes them more authentic. It helps them with personal growth. This modeling can motivate employees as then they know that leaders know they are not perfect.
Even better, a humble leader will know that their employees are not perfect either. But together, this can allow a space for everyone to learn and grow. Then, this shows employees how to become better leaders themselves, leading to a new generation of humbled leaders.
Parting Thoughts
No one wants to approach a leader who thinks he is a know-it-all.
A humble leader will make it a part of their company culture to be approachable and accessible to their team. It helps with innovation and promotes creativity when a leader understands when someone has a different vision. In fact, a humble leader draws in employees more than those who are not seen as humble.
As a leader, it is your prerogative to be a model boss and lead by example. Put your money where your mouth is and show your employees that being humble strengthens the workspace into a better place.
In all, it just leads to better results. A humble leader makes a positive workforce, which creates a booming business, and in return, you make more money. (And who doesn’t love that?)
