The Best Leaders Always Practice Humility

What is humility? It seems as though it should be a simple enough concept. Webster’s dictionary defines it as freedom from pride or arrogance : the quality or state of being humble. That definition seems easy to understand, yet humility can be a fleeting quality in many leaders. Perhaps we can begin to think of it in other ways. Humility is really about being interested in others. Other’s opinions. Other’s feelings. Other’s contribution. Humility is not being about yourself. It is a codified way to engage with those around you and the team you support.

Humility is listening to learn.

Humility means not bragging about your accomplishments.

Humility means sharing success with others and your team.

Humility means not putting yourself above those around you.

Humility is about being vulnerable.

Humility is asking for help when you need it. And encoring others to do so as well.

Humility means including others, often, and openly.

Humility is a set of behaviors that express interest in the interest of others — Leadershipfreak blog

Humility is looking outward before inward.

Humility is we or our, not I or my.

Humility is better for all than for just me.

Humility means seeing the full picture, not just the good parts.

Humility is admitting failure, as well as getting up and trying again.

The quality of being humble, and demonstrating humility, is not a weakness. It is a strength that the best leaders embrace. They know that success is bigger than themselves. Few great things are accomplished by an individual. There are individual efforts, but a team wins the game.

As a sports player, who do you want to play for, the coach that says, “the team really played well and made it happen today?” Or, the one that says, “I had a great game plan today, it won the game.” That easily translates to a retail leader saying, “my conference call made the difference this week.” Success is a team event, period.

The humble leader will go further, faster, and feel better about it along the way. And so will the team around them. Practice humility. That is not an outcome, it is a journey. Humility will always take practice. It is something that is never complete. In its definition, it would suggest that there is always more to do. I can think of no better challenge than to continue to practice at something that can create so much engagement, togetherness, and willingness to work with others.

How do you practice humility?

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Photo by Karl Fredrickson on Unsplash