If we are unselfish leaders we have developed humility. We care more about the people than the corner office. Many of our leaders are immature. Immature leaders don’t think in terms of helping if it does not serve them.
According to a study reported by the BI Norwegian Business School, humble leaders who have increased self-awareness and insight experience greater commitment and performance from their employees.
Related: The humble lesson my mother taught me about tobacco, humility and leadership
Humble people realize that they are not the most perceptive individual in every meeting. Nor should they be so. They urge others to confidently speak their mind, avoid groupthink, value the opinions and thoughts of others they may disagree strongly with, and make the room a safe place to hear juxtaposing arguments.
They treat a person from the front-line to the executive suite the same.
A humble leader is an authentic leader. They have the charisma of deep-seated trust. They value the input from everyone. They see themselves accountable first to their employees and then customers and shareholders. This spirit permeates the organization, suppliers, and recruits.
Ultimately, other managers and executives work hard to develop similar characteristics of that leader’s ability to garner the best from people. Lastly, they view this approach supremely better than the default dictatorial style of leadership leading to command and control.
“I could find no better example of leadership than this image. There are many types of pseudo leaders but one type of leader. No self-aggrandizement. Caring simply for others who are deeply attuned to the merits of our actions. Jim Woods”
Because this humble leader manages to get the very best from people, other current and would-be leaders take up the mantle of building leaders instead of serfs.
When a situation becomes severe, this leader assumes complete responsibility. He or she does not become tyrannical by berating others. In fact, they use this as a teachable moment and shine the light on others for doing the right things no matter how small.
Furthermore, leaders with a strong self-insight demonstrate a good understanding of their own needs, emotions, abilities and behavior. On top of that, they are proactive in the face of challenges,” writes Douglas LaBier.
About Jim Woods
Jim is President of Woods Kovalova Group with offices in Denver, CO and Kiev, Ukraine. He has advised and trained Fortune 1000 companies, U.S. Military, Government, small business and individuals seeking performance improvement. Jim is a former U.S. Navy Seabee and earned a master’s degree in organizational development and human resources. He has taught leadership and human resources at Villanova, Colorado Technical University and Dickinson University. To have Jim work with your organization schedule an appointment here.