Humility: The Deep Reserve Great Leaders Draw From.

One of the most misunderstood character virtues is humility. It is so often confused with fragility and viewed as a position of weakness, a trait that you wouldn’t want in the boardroom or would be an impairment in negotiation. The truth is, humility might be the most important attribute that you haven’t even considered. Humility is a deep source of strength and is the conduit that God uses to pour wisdom, grace, and mercy into. It is like a magnet for the blessing of God, nothing gets God’s attention like a humble heart. James 4:6 says he ‘embraces’ the humble. 

Without knowing your business, I know it would improve with humility. Humility brings protection, confidence, and healthy relationships. Humble organizations are quick to learn, serve other people, and work from a place of purpose.

Benefits of Humility

Humble people are self-aware, they have fewer blind spots; and can staff or partner with people to accommodate these shortcomings and prevent them from becoming detrimental to your company. Humble people benefit from receiving feedback. They improve and develop more quickly than a proud person who is shut off from learning and growing from someone else’s opinion. Humble people tend to avoid working with personal biases because of their openness to feedback and other’s opinions.

Humility protects your leadership from narcissism. Humble individuals do not carry a sense of entitlement or view themselves as above anyone else. They are sympathetic to the needs of others and work to improve their situations.

Humility strengthens social bonds. Humble individuals are quick to accept responsibility and apologize for their mistakes. High-quality apologies are extremely effective at reducing conflict and repairing relationships. Humble people are approachable and engaging. They excel in empathy and find it easier to work with, coach, and lead other people. Humility is less a matter of self-restraint and more a matter of self-esteem. The greater your sense of self-worth, the easier it is to appreciate others, to praise them, and to encourage them.

Humble leaders know how to serve. Jesus was the perfect example of a servant leader:

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death.

Philippians 2:7 MSG

If anyone carried the qualifications to lead at the highest level and walk in entitlement, it was Jesus.  However, his attitude was not to promote himself but to serve. This kingdom method of leadership changed the world. His influence is difficult to measure because of its vastness.  The legacy it left is eternal. Jesus’ humility allowed his message to be received by everyone.