Humble leaders appreciate different styles and perspectives. They work hard to balance the needs of the people under them and plan their communications to cover the concerns of others. More visibility, access and empathy mean better communication in both directions. In addition, when team members see their leaders put themselves in the trenches, they become more motivated to help.
And most importantly when things go wrong, humble leaders admit to their mistakes and take responsibili- ty. When things go right, they shine the spotlight on others.
How to BECOME a Humble Leader
So how do you work toward becoming a humble leader? First, ask yourself the following: Do you credit oth- ers? Do you admit to mistakes? Do you accept constructive feedback? Do you strive to overcome weakness- es? Do you help others? If you answered ‘no’ or had difficulty answering any of these questions, read on.
Be curious. Never stop being a learner. Spend time actively listening and learning from those at the front line of your dealership and those with very different life experiences from your own.
Regularly seek feedback. Develop an awareness of your strengths and weaknesses so that you know when to ask for help from others.
Be authentic. Own up to mistakes and apologize when your behavior or decision-making falls below expectations. People don’t need a perfect leader but they will gladly follow one who owns up to their mis- takes. A humble person not only admits to making mistakes; they seek to understand what they did wrong and what they should change going forward.
Give up the need to have all the right answers and focus on asking the right questions. Give up the “expert” role. Lead with questions rather than answers. No one has all the information in their own head necessary to make wise decisions in this disruptive age. And if you don’t fully agree with someone’s opinion or actions, treat them with compassion. Disagreeing with humility leaves the line of communica- tion open and allows teamwork to happen in the future.
Be a servant leader. Serve your employees as they explore and grow, providing them with support along the way. Actively seek ideas and unique contributions from them, and create a culture of learning and an atmosphere that encourages your employees to become the very best they can. Put yourself in others’ shoes and never ask anyone to do something you would not be willing to do yourself.
Ask how you can help employees do their own jobs better – then listen. Employees who do the actual work at your organization often know better than you how to do a great job. Respecting their ideas and encouraging them to try new approaches to improve their work encourages employees to bring more of themselves to work.
Become self-less. Shifting from “self” to “self-less” is a critical part of the transition that empowers a team and enables an organization to operate smoothly and effectively.
Becoming your best self will require you to develop true self-confidence – to know what you know and what you don’t know. To acknowledge your strengths, while also admitting when you don’t have the answer or when you’ve made a mistake. And, you will possess genuine humility that diminishes the “I” and elevates the “we” – reminding yourself and everyone on your team that you’re all in this together.
Only those who can graciously and humbly admit that they don’t know it all will succeed. So engage in collaboration, seek out feedback and ask for help daily. That will push you toward developing the humility and empathy you’ll need to become a humble leader.
Jan/Feb | The Retailer Magazine | 19
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