Leader's humility: application, influence and outcome

Author: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie
Published: 15-October-2014

Introduction

In the past decade, much focus have been attributed on how important humility is in the context of leadership and some of the literatures done in line with such understanding include: The servant leadership (Greenleaf & Spears, 2002), level 5 leadership (Collins, 2001a, 2001b), and participative leadership (Kim, 2002); all viewing humility as an important tools for delivering effective leadership (cf. Weick, 2001). In line with such views, this research seeks to discuss humility and its influence on leadership.

What does leader humility lead to?

In recent years, a number of researchers (see for instance (Collins, 2001b; Matteson & Irving, 2006; Weick, 2001) have called on increased leaders’ humility and their reasons for such comes from a number of outcomes that leader humility can produce in the management system and the company as a whole.

1.      For instance, humility is important for lawyers and judges because it will help them to effectively interpret laws and create a balance between the ides of justice and mercy (McConnell, 1996; Nava, 2010; Scharffs, 1998).

2.      Humility is important for professionals in the medical field because it will enhance their medical professionalism (Butler et al., 2011; Gaughan, 2001; Lauer, 2002).

3.      Humility has also been described as important for political (Obama, 2008) and military leaders (Ruggero, 2009)

In summary, leadership humility will lead to organizational growth and sustainability because it will ensure that leaders are good followers that understand what the followers need and adopt right measures to address such needs (Hughes, 2010; Meyer, 1997). While literatures have attributed humility of leaders to effectiveness and sustainability, it is important to note that such suggestions are speculative and supporting ideas are lacking (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Suddaby, 2006).

What outcomes result from leader humility?

Depending on the situation surrounding the leadership environment, leadership style can be effective of ineffective (see Hersey, 1985). Thus, it is understandable is one states that the outcomes of leader humility can be either positive or negative. Leader humility has been found to result in a less self-centered leadership approach and in the process increase overall likeness trust of followers towards the leader (Nielsen, Marrone, & Slay, 2010). On the same hand, other researchers have made the suggestion that leader humility has the potential to produce supportive leader-follower relationship, which results in an unselfish use of power (Morris et al., 2005), and better decision making (Kim, 2002).

In essence, humility creates more of a family system than a bureaucratic or hierarchical system in the organization. The leader is more like a sibling rather than a parent or teacher to the employees. He/she is approachable, easy to access and close to the whole system, thus creating the right room for effective delivery, increased trust and unity in the company. This will produce a positive outcome as discussed above. However, if the views of Machiavelli “it is better to be feared than to be loved” is expanded, one could see issues with such closeness as staffs can become reluctant with their duties knowing that the leader will always forgive them because they have become so close. Thus, overall potential to deliver corporate objectives is significantly reduced and the outcome will negatively reverse.

Does leader humility influence employee productivity? How?

Yes, leadership humility has been found to influence employees’ productivity because literatures suggests that it makes employees better equipped and more committed thus increase overall productivity and financial performance of the organization (cf. Graham, 1991; Grenberg, 2005). When employees have a humble leader who is close to them, understand their needs and tries his or her best to make them happy, they believe they have a role to play in terms of returning such leadership style and the role is to increase their overall productivity as a way of appreciating the leader. Thus, increase in individual productivity and commitment from the side of the employees will result to subsequent increase on productivity and sustainability of the company.

Conclusion

From the above discussions, it is evident that leadership humility is important because it brings the employees and leader together to form a common union with common goal, thus increasing their overall productivity. However, it is important to watch such relationship in order to ensure that it doesn't throw workers overboard and make them reluctant with their duties.

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