It would seem that the answer is obvious: no! Self-confidence, authoritarianism and high self-esteem are the qualities of a true leader. And modesty is a lack of ambition, passivity, shyness … Nevertheless, more and more research appears that confirms that modesty is one of the most valuable qualities for a leader.
One of the first to put forward this thesis was the American scientist and business consultant Jim Collins in his book From Good to Great. Why some companies make breakthroughs while others don’t” (Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2010). Based on the results of his six-year study, he argued that the most valuable qualities for a leader are modesty and a strong sense of purpose.
Later, Dusya Vera of the University of Ontario and Texas-based independent researcher Antonio Rodriguez-Lopez, based on an extensive review of the literature and interviews with many managers, identified 13 characteristics of a “humble” leader:
- Open to new ways of making decisions
- Wants to learn from others
- Recognizes his limits and his mistakes and wants to correct them
- Approach failure pragmatically
- Asks for advice
- Helps others develop
- Sincerely wants to serve the cause
- Respects others
- Shares accolades and awards with peers
- Take it easy on success
- Not narcissistic and does not accept flattery
- Does not suffer from self-satisfaction
- Economical
Read more:
- How to become a leader: tips for beginners
Strengths of “Humble” Leaders
Vera and Rodriguez-Lopez argue that humble leaders give companies a competitive edge because they are able to see opportunities, recognize external threats, and respond to them. Companies run by “humble” leaders tend to encourage employees to learn, provide better customer service, and adapt effectively to change.
Rob Nielsen and his colleagues at the University of Seattle believe that a humble leadership style promotes subordinate solidarity with the leader, greater trust in the leader, increased employee motivation, and greater readiness for self-sacrifice. Collins says another reason for the success of “humble” leaders in the long run is that they place great importance on preparing their successor to ensure the company’s success in the future. In addition, companies usually do not face public scandals related to fraud and the like with them.
Examples? The authors of The Virtues of Leadership: Challenges for Global Managers (1) Armenio Rego and Miguel Pina e Cunha tell the story of Anne Mulcahy, who worked for Xerox for many years, not even thinking about how to take a leadership position in it. Nevertheless, she was appointed CEO at a time when the company was almost bankrupt, brought it out of a severe crisis and successfully managed a multi-billion dollar business for 8 years. Knowing that she was not qualified in some financial matters, she did not hesitate to learn from her employees. Ann has always shunned publicity, rarely gave interviews, she did not care about fame. And she took care to prepare a worthy successor for herself – Ursula Burns (2).
And this is just one example. Sam Walton (Wal-Mart), Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines), Ingvar Kamprad (IKEA), Mary Kay Ash (Mary Kay Inc.) are just some of the big names in the book’s list of “humble” leaders.
1. «The Virtues of Leadership: Contemporary Challenges for Global Managers» (Oxford University Press, 2012)
2. Ann Mulcahy stepped down as CEO in 2009, remaining as chairman of the board