A humble leader is a people-first leader whereas a fake humble leader is a self-first leader.
Despite their confidence and talent, humble leaders are the silent minority of the workplace. Rather than focus on control and the authority their position and title give them, humble leaders focus more on empowering their employees and the overall growth of their team. Many individuals in leadership positions struggle with humility because they view it as being a pushover. This is why most leaders who claim to be humble actually lead with arrogance and ego because they perceive them as strengths. Eduard Klein, digital growth specialist, asserted, “truly humble leaders don’t know that they are, it’s the surrounding people that will define them as one on their behalf.”
The biggest thing to watch out for is the egotistical leader disguised as a humble one. They’re easy to spot because they’re always bragging about how humble they are but their lack of empathy, compassion and humanity is obvious. David Simons, coach, professor and public speaker at Kingdom Social Media, said, “when you work for leaders that put on the façade of being humble, you often find that leader is manipulative and not a team player.” He added, “the most significant and disruptive thing a non-humble leader does is communicate with a belittling and condescending tone.”
Here are three powerful characteristics of a genuinely humble leader.
They Cultivate An Inclusive Culture Where Everyone Is Valued
Authentically humble leaders know the value each individual brings to the organization. Instead of asserting their dominance, they strive to create an inclusive environment where each team member feels seen, heard, valued and respected. They know that they set the tone and model behaviors that are considered acceptable. Thus, their main objective is being an inspiring role model for their employees, demonstrating positive behavior and cultivating an environment where everyone feels safe and welcome.
Marques Thomas, owner of QuerySprout, shared, “a humble leader is one that identifies themselves not as someone high and mighty but a worker alongside their subordinates.” He went on, “they listen to criticism, heed employee concerns, and give high regard to people’s suggestions and opinions. When a leader is humble, it encourages the team to practice the same and be communicative.” Contrarily, fake humble leaders increase workplace burnout due to increased stress, decreased employee self-esteem, and a toxic workplace environment.
They Listen With The Intent To Understand And Learn
The difference between an authentic and fake humble leader is their ability to admit mistakes and learn from them rather than placing blame on someone else. Thomas explained, the danger is when leaders proudly wear the cloak of humility, yet subliminally brag about how great they are, and pretend to listen to their people but end up doing what they see fit. Not only is this vexing but employees sense false humility which then discourages any openness and honesty to transpire. The reality is, genuinely humble leaders aren’t hungry for power, attention or fame because they’re confident enough in their abilities that they don’t need to boast about their work or how important they are.
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Tyler Garns, CEO at Box Out Marketing, stated, “a humble leader is someone who knows how to listen. He understands that listening will allow him to absorb new ideas that will benefit him both as a leader and a follower.” He added, “despite being the leader, he recognizes that he does not know everything. He understands that by learning from others’ experiences, he can develop more innovative tactics to help the organization prosper and perform better.” I once worked for a CEO who constantly touted about how humble he was but he refused to listen to the leadership team and take their expertise and feedback into consideration. When anyone would speak up, he would shut them down by sharing how much more knowledgeable he was. It was clear he only wanted to be surrounded by people who agreed with him. This eventually led to the leadership team resigning.
They Welcome Criticism As An Opportunity To Improve
Receiving criticism is an unwritten rule in leadership. With leadership comes criticism and with criticism comes accountability. Genuinely humble leaders understand that criticism is all about improving and learning. A genuinely humble leader is always evolving and looking beyond their own perspective. Matt Erhard, managing partner at Summit Search Group, expressed, “ego-driven leaders have a blind spot for their own faults and a difficult time accepting criticism from others.” He went on, “in their self-perception, they’re sufficiently humble because they’re unable to see their own arrogance and unwilling to hear about it from others.”
That same CEO I worked for was known for being reactive and unable to take constructive criticism. He viewed criticism as an attack against his character rather than an opportunity to improve. Consequently, his lack of humility has led to consistent turnover within his leadership team. Alina Clark, cofounder of CocoDoc, shared, “a toxic leader will often justify some of their wrong actions by blaming others or simply evading responsibility. They often claim an ability to handle criticism, yet seeth and burn at the idea of being criticized.”
