Thoughts on Humility & Leadership

The branch of tree that bears fruits leans down. When leaders assume higher responsibilities, they become more humble.

Recently, one of my friends, an very senior Oncologist performed more than 10 complex stem cell transplants for cancer patients and gave them a new lease of life. When I met him to congratulate, he said, “I am only a medium through which God heals people”. He could have boasted about his achievements and tooted his horns. He chose to be humble.

Humility means being unpretentious, being modest. A humble person is the one who does not think he/she is better or more important than others. The moment you start thinking that you are more important than others, you stop leading.

Here are some interesting insights I found across the blogosphere on humility and how it is important for professionals, managers and leaders alike.

I read an excellent article on Humility over at ezinearticles.com by Marilyn Lustgarten. Marylin says –

A leader whose only focus is on him or herself, and how much they know or are capable of doing alone, typically also lacks empathy – the ability to stand in another’s shoes and understand what it must feel like to be them in a situation – which is why it’s possible to steal someone else’s thunder without thinking…or blinking.

Unfortunately, history has not been kind to arrogant leaders who only learn what it means to be humble when they, and by association, their organizations, are brought low by public humiliation.

I also read an interesting post “Leader or Pusher?” at Lead on Purpose blog by Michael Ray Hopkin. Here is an excerpt:

To become a leader, practice these principles:

• Courage: Leaders do not allow fear to direct their decisions. They possess the poise to make tough decisions, and they stand by the consequences. When times are tough they have the mettle to persevere.
• Integrity: Leaders are consistent in their actions, values and principles. Integrity plays an important part in their work life and their personal life.  Their motives are aligned with their organizations and with their own internal beliefs.
• Humility: Leaders are humble. They are not weak or spineless but they posses an inner confidence that guides their actions. They are not in it to glorify themselves but to lift others.The best leaders are confidently humble.