On Humility and Other Leadership Qualities

• Author: Gil Keough
• Posted: June 19, 2007
• Category: Employee Retention, Business Matters
• Tags: Employee Retention, Leadership Training, Management
• Comments:

Editor’s note: This was originally published as a comment to Eric Jackson’s post, Building Smart Leadership. Here is Part 1 of Gil’s commentary titled The Qualities of a Successful Leader/Manager.
 
What is a leader, but one who knows how to follow the leadings of those he or she serves. Who is a wise person, but one who is aware of how little they know, and how valuable the knowledge and experiences of others are when considering decisions.
 
Quality: Humility
 
Henry Ford was by far one of the most successful businessmen of his era. As testament to that fact, his legacy lives on through the automobile company that still bears his name. And yet, by his own admission, Henry was not the smartest man among his contemporaries. Knowing this about himself did not deter him from pursuing success and becoming a great leader within his industry. He overcame the challenge of his own limitations by surrounding himself with the most intelligent people he could find.
 
That is one of the qualities of a successful manager or leader; the ability to recognize the experience and abilities of others, and humility enough to admit that one does not know everything. This is an especially challenging mindset for those who hold “papers,” like degrees or diplomas from institutions who have convinced the recipients that they know how to think, and reason, and make decisions within their field. A degree is beneficial, but it still does not indicate that a person knows everything, nor that he possesses management skills. All a person knows is what they know.

We are each the repository of an immense amount of knowledge and experiences that are filtered by our own perspective. It would be foolish to believe that a person who does not have a degree isn’t as intelligent or as capable as a person that does. Two words…Bill Gates.

So, humility, is one of the greatest qualities that a successful manager can possess. Think of the people you are impressed by who are really good with people, and you will find that one of the qualities that makes them able to connect with others is humility. Humility is not a weakness; it is a strength that can literally move mountains. Study Gandhi and you’ll see what I mean.

Quality: Concern For Those Who Serve Under You

In 338 BC, Megas Alexandros assisted his father at the decisive Battle of Chaeronea. Alexandros and his men defeated an elite corps of warriors regarded as invincible. The Sacred Band of Thebes met their end at the hands of this young general. After the battle, Alexandros’ father, Phillip, led a wild victory celebration. His son was notably absent (it is believed Alexandros was treating the wounded and burying the dead, both of his own troops and that of the enemy). This young man eventually became the conqueror of the then known world. He turned his father’s kingdom into the Grecian World Power. We know him as Alexander The Great.

Alexander was known for treating his wounded soldiers after a battle. He also promised to take care of their families when they fell in battle. He did this, not for the sake of the dead. They were dead. How would they know if he had kept his word? They wouldn’t, but their fellow soldiers would. Keeping his word insured their loyalty to him because his men knew he was a man of his word. Alexander ate with his men and drank with them. When they rested, he played with them. When Alexander was lying on his deathbed, every one of his soldiers filed past him in a final salute to the greatest leader the Greek Empire had ever known. Alexander was only 33 years old when he died.

Rubbing shoulders with and being involved in the lives of those whom you manage is a key component of a successful manager. The saying goes that those who play together stay together. Showing concern for your team when they are down, or making an effort to help them when they are in need is what builds trust in your ability to lead them, and fosters loyalty from those you manage. Do little things for your team like buying them a couple of pizzas or a six foot sub on a Friday, just for the heck of it, not just when they perform well. And here is the key, eat WITH them. People are most relaxed and open to suggestions when they are eating together. It creates an almost family-like environment.

Organize team-building events that help get everyone connected and brings out their talents and creativity. The most important thing is that YOU, as the manager or leader of the group, participate with your team. The objective is to get to know your team through play. I’ve been a trainer for years now and have used many kinds of props and games. You don’t have to be a corporate trainer or spend a lot of money to do these kind of events with your team, however you do need company buy in from the high level executives.

Lately I’ve been using Toobeez to enhance my team-building programs. They’ve just released a great new book that speaks to middle management personnel and is designed to get teams working together and bring out their creativity, leadership abilities and cooperation. The book is called Training With A Twist and trust me, it will be a great investment for bridging the gap between management and their personnel.

In Part 2 Gil covers the possibly one of the most important qualities of all, so don’t miss it!