The music is blaring, the crowd is raucous and everybody’s having a great time. Maybe this reminds you of a concert you once attended. This makes me think of something else.
Every day I check one of my e-mail accounts and I am reminded of all the noise vying for my attention. There is trending news which seems to change regularly, Facebook posts, Instagram, Twitter, Snap Chat and whatever new social media platform now exists since I wrote this sentence. They all have great benefits, but I struggle with the reality that they provide constant noise and self-promotion.
I was reading John Maxwell’s book Good Leaders Ask Great Questions and one idea struck me. In his chapter that explores the concept of self-leadership, one question looks at the concept of humility. In this particular section he states:
“Humility doesn’t mean being weak. It just means thinking of yourself less. It means being realistic and grounded. It means valuing others and their contributions. People like working with a leader with those characteristics.”
After reading this statement I thought: can I be successful as a leader when in the corporate world it seems humility is viewed as weakness and social media seems to emphasize the importance of promoting yourself? After some thought I have decided absolutely any of us can be successful as leaders with humility. A humble approach may seem to some as a lack of confidence, but in reality it brings out at least the following three qualities that demonstrate a quiet strength:
Selflessness
Let’s face it, the most important person in the world to us is the individual we look at in the mirror. We constantly worry about our problems and fail to consider the needs of those around us, but when we do it demonstrates humility. If you ask “how are you?” take time to listen
to the reply and ask more questions. In the process people will know you care and maybe the challenges you are facing will not seem so daunting. We want to follow people who think more of others than themselves so developing this attribute will be a step in growing our success.
Teachability
A phrase comes to mind in regard to this idea: if you stop growing, you sto
p going. I am sure I probably heard this from someone, but the principle is true. The greatest challenge for elite athletes is to keep their “edge” and continue to improve. There is always a new younger, better talent coming up so their challenge is to continue to be teachable and grow otherwise they will get passed. This is no different for any leader. If we quit growing then someone else will soon hold our position. Listening to those we lead, seeking opportunities for personal development, and being teachable are part of that growth process.
An Empowering Mindset
As a recovering control freak this area is both greatly rewarding and challenging. This quality demonstrates valuing others as John mentioned above. A humble leader will realize when they are out of their strength zone, let go of control and seek someone else to lead in that area. Maybe you run a small business and have been doing the marketing for years, but have realized there are others who can do it quicker, easier, and better than you . . . empower them and see them grow, your organization excel, and your time open to focus on what makes you more effective.
What about you? Do you feel the pressure to constantly self-promote? Is part of you tired and stressed from trying to keep the world revolving around your agenda personally and professionally? When you look at these three qualities what is one step you can take right now to grow in any of these areas? Awareness is the first step, the second is one small change. As I am learning, the less I think about me and instead think about how to serve others the better I lead both myself and others. Lead well with humility.
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