An article in The Wall Street Journal notes that many corporate employers are realizing they’ve missed one of the most important traits of leadership: humility. According to several recent studies, humble leaders inspire close teamwork, rapid learning, and high performance in their teams. The article defines a humble leader as someone who tends “to be aware of their own weaknesses, eager to improve themselves, appreciative of others’ strengths, and focused on goals beyond their own self-interest.” They can be highly competitive and ambitious. “But they tend to avoid the spotlight and give credit to their teams … They also ask for help and listen to feedback from others, setting an example that causes subordinates to do the same.”

Humble leaders have linked t0 lower turnover and absenteeism. Another research study found that teams with humble leaders performed better and did higher-quality work than teams whose leaders exhibited less humility.

The article notes one company in particular that values humble leaders—the apparel company Patagonia. They start scrutinizing job applicants for humility as soon as they walk through the door for interviews. Managers screening new recruits follow up by asking receptionists, “How did they engage at the front desk?” If staff members report disrespectful or self-absorbed behavior, “that can be a deal killer,” he says.

The company also asks potential leaders to talk about their failures. “If they say, ‘Wow, let me think about this, because there are a lot of times when I’ve messed things up,’ that says a lot,” he says. “If they have to pick among a lot of humble learning moments, that’s good.”

Source:

Sue Shellenbarger, “The Best Bosses Are Humble Bosses,” The Wall Street Journal (10-9-18)