Humility: The Secret To Confident Leadership
Growing in humility wasn’t always an aim of mine! I used to cringe at the thought that I may have a “pride” issue. I didn’t want to be known as PROUD! Specifically in my marriage, it has been a challenge (and sometimes still is) to become more humble, less defensive. Though, from my experience, challenges are worth facing.
I remember when my heart would freeze and the anger would rise, straight to my head, whenever my husband suggested there was a better way to do things. In marriage and in business there is a limit to our growth if we won’t accept criticism. I can laugh now! Sometimes he would suggest that I work on specific areas of myself and when he did, I wanted to crawl into a dark hole and not talk to anyone for years. We need to be open to different perspectives and choose to adopt a growth mindset rather than a fixed one. Strange the reactions we face when we feel we will be exposed.
*personal disclaimer: my husband rocks.
What if people find out you’re not perfect? What if you decide to be open and honest about your weaknesses, the areas that need improving? What if you talked about your failures, when you’ve tripped and stumbled. What if you took responsibility for your mistakes and worked on becoming a better person? I believed that I was less than him, that I was less valuable, smart or ‘together’ if my way wasn’t perfect or didn’t work. I wasn’t open to learning and growing like I am now, because now I see what humility can do.
Humility makes confident leaders.
If you don’t work on yourself first, who will be interested in following your lead? When you cultivate humility you are modelling how to be effectively human, rather than superhuman.
Growing and learning requires failing and being embarrassed.
If we want our children or our business teams to grow, we must overcome our fears and talk about our deeper feelings we’d hate to admit. Did you know that people view you more favourably when you’re humble?
Learning, growing, mistakes and uncertainty are normal and to be expected in life. When you make it your aim to grow, rather than pretend you’re perfect already, you will become a very effective leader. Here are five ways to cultivate humility and start helping others grow.
- Know what you don’t know
- Be transparent
- Appreciate others strengths and contributions
- Be teachable
- Ask for help
What key aspects of humility have helped you grow? What does it mean to you to embrace humility? The key to taking your business to the next level or mentoring the next generation is humility. Make today the day when your change your mindset from “I’m perfect” to “I’m learning.” Leading with humility is an act of courage, not weakness.