The benefits of being humble
I’ve always found it interesting that for decades, it has been assumed that to make a career, one has to be assertive and dominant. Meanwhile, people generally dislike anyone who exerts dominance over them. Now a group of business scholars have explored how humility influences professional achievement. Their findings, published in Human Resource Management, reveal that:
Humble individuals tend to foster better teamwork and collaboration. By acknowledging their limitations, they create an environment where diverse perspectives thrive.
Humble professionals are open to learning from others and adapting their approaches. This flexibility enhances problem-solving skills.
Humble managers are often appreciated because they focus on collective success that benefits the entire team.
If you want to improve your humility:
Regularly assess your actions and interactions. Are you open to feedback? Do you actively listen to your colleagues?
Admit when you’re wrong or made a mistake. This will help you grow and build credibility.
Practice seeing the world from others’ perspectives. Not only will this help you understand others, but it’ll also improve your chances of building collaboration between people.
Worth remembering, is that humility is not about downplaying your achievements but recognizing that success is a collective effort. It’s the first step in building collaborationship within a group.
Read the full study here: An examination of whether and how leader humility enhances leader personal career success *
*Please note that as is so often the case, the authors of this paper have used the word “leader” when referring to “manager”. Here’s why I believe this is a mistake.
