1st Edition
Leadership Humility A Characteristic that Enhances Professional Effectiveness
This book deals in depth with an ancient attribute of effective leaders that has in recent years caught the attention of leadership writers and researchers. Today’s effective leader is expected to demonstrate humility in addition to standard leadership attributes such as self-confidence, high-level cognitive skills, creativity, charisma, and the ability to articulate visions. The theme of this book is that leadership and professional effectiveness are enhanced when interspersed with other key leadership attributes including those mentioned above, assertiveness, a sense of humor, and strategic thinking ability. Many brash and aggressive successful leaders would be even more successful if they sprinkled their leadership approach with humility.
This book describes an opinion about the most relevant aspects of humility as it applies to leadership and professional effectiveness, yet the emphasis is on leadership. Equally important, each chapter contains suggestions for making better use of humility. Humility as it relates to leadership and professional effectiveness is covered from many angles. Among these topics are the many meanings and components of humility and how leadership humility impacts group member performance and behavior. We also describe the attributes of humble leaders and professionals and their type of interpersonal relationships. Servant leadership, because of its tie-in with humility, receives a separate chapter.
A description is provided about how narcissism, hubris, and charisma can be blended with humility to improve leadership effectiveness. Two other key topics are developing and enhancing your humility and making effective use of humility in leadership and professional life. The major contribution of this book is its systematic presentation of applied information about humility related to leadership effectiveness, such as the impact of humility on job performance and employee behavior, and how humility is part of servant leadership. At the same time, the book provides practical guidelines for applying the information to make optimum use of humility in the workplace.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter 1 The Meaning and Components of Humility
1. A Variety of Definitions and Meanings of Humility
2. The Components and Dimensions of Humility
3. Humility as a Virtue
4. Four Types of Humility
5. What Humility is Not
6. Guidelines for Action
Chapter 2 The Performance Consequences of Humility
1. Leader Humility and Individual Performance
2. Leader Humility and Team Performance
3. Leader Humility and Team Performance
4. Humility and Improved Decision Making
5. A Humble Leader Who Achieves Extraordinary Results: Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai
6. Guidelines for Action
Chapter 3 The Impact of Humility on Employee Behavior
1. Group Members Modeling Humility
2. Inspired Employees
3. Fostering Proactive Behavior
4. Enhanced Collaboration
5. Feelings of Empowerment
6. Heightened Self-Confidence
7. Enhanced Resilience
8. Respect for the Leader and the Organization
9. Coping with a Crisis such as the Pandemic
10. Work Engagement and Service-Minded Employees
11. Higher Employee Retention
12. A Leader with Humility: Tara Comonte, CEO of TRMW and Former President and CFO of Shake Shack
Chapter 4 The Attributes of Humble Leaders and Professionals
1. Attributes Related More to the Self
2. Interactions with Others as Attributes
3. A Leader with Humility: Raj Gupta, Former CEO of Rohm and Haas
4. Guidelines for Action
Chapter 5 Interpersonal Aspects of Humble Leadership
1. Building Connections with Others
2. Personal Relationships
3. Gratitude as a Form of Humility
4. Helping Others Grow
5. Coaching with Humility
6. Reverse Mentoring and Humility
7. Macro-Managing Subordinates
8. A Leader with Humility: Chris Cox of Facebook.
9. Guidelines for Action
Chapter 6 Practices of Humble Leadership and Professional Behavior
1. Practicing Open-Handed Leadership
2. Practicing Hands-On Leadership
3. Appropriate Use of Authority
4. Leading by Example
5. Conducting a Listening Tour
6. Helping Others Become Self-Sufficient
7. Toleration of Ambiguity
8. Pacing Others in the Spotlight
9. Asking for Feedback and Help
10. Accepting Compliments
11. Apologizing When Appropriate
12. Promoting Diversity and Inclusion
13. A Leader with Humility: Arnold Donald of Carnival Corporation
14. Guidelines for Action
Chapter 7 Servant Leadership and Humility
1. Key Aspects of Servant Leadership
2. Servant Leadership at the Ritz Carlton
3. The Impact and Effectiveness of Servant Leadership
4. Suggestions for Becoming a Servant Leader
5. A Legendary Servant leader: Ken Melrose, the Late CEO of Toro
6. Guidelines for Action
Chapter 8 Narcissism, Hubris, and Charisma Blended with Humility
1. The Characteristics of a Narcissistic Leader
2. The Narcissist Tinged with Humility
3. The Servant Leader with a Tinge of Narcissism
4. Hubris Combined with a Touch of Humility
5. The Combination of Charisma and Humility
6. A Charismatic and Humble Leader: Mary Barra, CEO of GM
7. Guidelines for Action
Chapter 9 Developing and Enhancing Your Humility
1. Actions and Attitudes Directed Toward Yourself
2. Actions and Attitudes Directed Toward Others
3. Carl Wang: A Humble Leader whose Invention Has Prevented Blindness in Five Million
4. People
5. Guidelines for Action
Chapter 10 Making Effective Use of Humility
1. Combine Humility with Other Attributes of Effective Leaders
2. Be Humble with All Stakeholders
3. Incorporate a Shared Vision into Your Leadership
4. Lead by Actions Rather than by Words
5. Ask Loads of Questions
6. Ask for Help
7. Embrace Ambiguity and Uncertainty
8. Act Like a Member of the Group when Appropriate
9. Role with Your Mistakes
10. Select Humble Leaders
11. A Leader Who Blends Humility with Other Key Attributes: Kim Jordan, Executive Chair
1. Of New Belgium Brewing Company
12. Guidelines for Action
References
Biography
Andrew J. DuBrin is professor emeritus of management in the Saunders College of Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he has taught courses and conducts research in management, organizational behavior, leadership, and human resource management. He has served the college as chairman of the management department and as team leader. He received his PhD in industrial psychology from Michigan State University, and an MS in industrial psychology at Purdue University. DuBrin is a licensed psychologist in New York State and a Diplomate in Industrial Psychology. His business experience is in human resource management, and he consults with organizations and with individuals. His specialties include leadership and career management DuBrin is an established author of textbooks, scholarly books, and trade titles. He also has written for professional journals and magazines. He has written textbooks on leadership, managerial psychology, business psychology, human resource management, introduction to management, political behavior in organizations, and human relations. His scholarly books include the subjects of crisis leadership, impression management, narcissism, and the proactive personality. His trade titles cover many current issues, including coaching and mentoring, team play, office politics, coping with adversity, and big-picture thinking.
