To achieve lofty objectives, a leader needs a majestic vision and towering ambition. Those attributes seem far removed from a word like “humble.” However, having an unpretentious approach can help you accomplish those soaring goals. That’s why humility is a leadership quality you need to master.
You probably remember your parents talking about the importance of being humble at some point during your childhood. Well, this isn’t just age-old advice. Science supports the value of humility, as well.
One survey of 105 small-to-medium-sized companies found that the humility of firms’ CEOs greatly influenced success or failure. Experts at the Harvard Business Review came to a similar conclusion, finding that humble leaders make the best leaders. A separate study found a connection between intellectual humility and performance on memory tasks.
Taken together, these sources underline the value of humility in a leadership position. But how does being humble help you? What specific benefits can you expect from a bit of modesty?
Here are some of the specific reasons that make humility a leadership quality you need to master:
You Learn More
Humility and curiosity are intimately linked. Humble people know the limits of their knowledge. As a result, they ask for advice and seek out additional information. This encourages a natural curiosity – you ultimately learn more than you would if you assumed you knew everything to start with.
You Encourage More Collaboration
Humility isn’t just a trait you have. It becomes a quality to model for others. Once you set the tone, other members of your team will follow your lead. The result? Everyone works better together – even in situations when you aren’t directly involved.
You Get Others to Listen to You More
To a certain extent, your team will listen to you because they have to. They have a baseline financial obligation to follow your directives. However, you’ll get better results if you deliver the same message with a measure of humility. The approach will increase the buy-in from your employees and improve the effectiveness of your message.
You Unlock the Potential in Others
A humble approach opens up space for others to succeed. You can stand aside when appropriate and let your team members take on additional responsibility. It’s like clearing the weeds out of a garden. Now, your employees have the room they need to grow.
You Can Correct Mistakes Faster
There is a fine line between commitment and stubbornness. Once you make a decision, you want to stay committed to supporting it. But get stubbornly attached to a mistake, and you’ll waste time and resources unnecessarily.
Humility lets you see this line more clearly. Since you don’t approach every decision as absolute gospel, you can make clear-eyed assessments of your policies. You can recognize what’s working and what’s not. That lets you correct course quickly.
You Improve Over Time
When you review a company’s financials, what are you looking for? Growth, right? The same is true for people.
Humble people know that they aren’t perfect. As a result, they are able to improve over time. The opposite is true of vain and arrogant people. They assume they’re already perfect, ensuring that they remain closed off to progress.
Contact Recruiting In Motion today to take your team-building efforts to the next level.
Humility helps you get the most out of your team. Of course, it’s crucial to have the right team members to start with. Working with a top staffing agency, like Recruiting In Motion, allows you to find the perfect workers for you.
