Before I dive into this week’s blog post, I want to wish all my Muslim friends as they begin 30 days of fasting a heartfelt “Ramadan Mubarak!”
In my first book, “From values To Action,” I focus on what I believe are the four key principles required to become a true values-based leader. In past blog posts, I have focused on the first two principles, Self-Reflection and Balance (i.e., developing a balanced perspective). Often when I talk about the importance of Genuine Humility (my fourth principle), students and executives question whether having such deep, authentic humility may result in senior executives viewing them as indecisive, and potentially overlooking them for advancement or promotions. Firstly, just so we’re all on the same page, I include the word “genuine” because many of us have come across leaders who can act humble but do not mean it or live it authentically. That’s not the kind of humility we’re talking about. We’re talking about humility that is real and not just an act.
In a recent Harvard Business Review article, 3 Ways Humility Can Undermine Your Leadership, author Tony Martignetti does a nice job of articulating the concerns people often struggle with when it comes to behaving with genuine humility. From my perspective, I never discuss the value of genuine humility without also focusing on True Self-Confidence (my third principle). As a values-based leader, I definitely want to receive the input from my team members. I recognize — genuinely — that I do not have all the answers, and I want to know their recommendations as to the best way to approach a given issue or opportunity we are facing. However, it is critical for the leader to make it clear that they will make the final decision. Being indecisive clearly is not consistent with being a strong values-based later.
Another concern on the part of students and executives is if they give the credit to their team, rather than taking the credit for themselves, they may not get noticed, and be overlooked for advancements or promotions. Again, the key is balance. I always want my boss to know how critically important my team is, but at the same time my boss needs to understand that I am leading the team that is making it happen.
Another point Tony makes in his article is that some leaders may want to express humility by doing the jobs of their team members to show they are “just one of the team.” This is clearly a mistake. As the leader, you should delegate as much of the work as possible to your team to help their development. An important benefit of this approach is that it gives you, as the leader, the time to focus on the larger, more strategic issues necessary for your organization’s future development.
As I always remind my students, no matter what question I ask them in class, the answer is almost always “YES.” For example, should I focus on developing true self-confidence or should I focus on cultivating genuine humility? The answer is…YES!!!
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