Humility

Humility is the foundation of growth.

Humility invites real conversations with others, regardless of their title or position. It enables us to see the value of seeking ideas and to be appreciative, receptive and open-minded. When we admit our own imperfections, we make ourselves more approachable. These genuine and constructive two-way conversations with our team members will lead to personal and professional growth and development for all.

Our gratitude inspires us to thank and affirm our team members and others with whom we work. Both humility and gratitude cultivate an atmosphere of respect, which modeled by the leader sets the tone for great teamwork and a winning culture.

Leadership is how we help others feel about themselves. And this is critically important given that the vast majority of people in the workforce feel underappreciated. If we want our people to be engaged and enthusiastic, it is essential that we develop our humility and gratitude.

Whatever our field, we are in the people business. We must slow down, pause in our busy days and connect with our people. We will see that walking the halls, reaching out and asking people how they are doing allows us to build relationships.

Happy employees do better work. When we take care of our people, they do good work and take good care of our clients.

Humility drives out the isolating tendencies of pride, cultivates unity, and brings out the power of a team, and this is what we want to strive for.

If we are good, we don’t have to tell anyone we are.

“Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right.”
Ezra Taft Benson

People are attracted by humility and are put off by pride. People admire us much more for our modesty and our integrity.

When we are humble, we see our need for growth and we model for our team and our company a striving for continuous improvement.

We build our leadership ability when we:

• Realize that asking for help is a sign of strength
• Help others learn, grow and succeed
• Are comfortable sharing credit for success
• Shine the spotlight on others
• Accept responsibility when things do not go well

When we invite others to improve alongside us, we set in motion a powerful culture change. We open up thinking and invite all to learn from one another, as we build trust and foster unity among team members. We become patient with the shortcomings of others and are able to help turn seemingly “failed” situations into opportunities for growth and insight – thereby modeling that process for others.

When there is humility among team members, we see servant leadership: people seeking the good in one another and the team, and healthy, respectful, honest and growth producing communication that honors the contributions of everyone.

This is how humility creates a culture of continuous improvement. By asking for help and feedback, we demonstrate an inner-confidence that is very appealing. Expressing what we are working on in our own development and how we are hoping to improve inspires others to do the same.

“The first test of a truly great person is her humility.”
John Ruskin

Simply, humility is the foundation for personal, team and corporate growth.