By Deb Boelkes
When we think of great leaders, we often envision well-known military, political, or corporate warriors who lead from the front with an abundance of self-confidence—the kind of people who aren’t afraid to accept seemingly impossible challenges, take the biggest risks, and make the toughest decisions.
When you think of the greatest leaders you’ve known in your life, who comes to mind? Would you describe them as humble or self-aggrandizing? Did they boast about their stellar accomplishments or downplay their personal efforts in favor of sharing the spotlight with or giving credit to others for their success?
As I’ve interviewed dozens upon dozens of leaders over the years, the ones I’ve admired most were those I would label as virtuous Heartfelt Leaders. They inspire rather than intimidate; they coach rather than coerce; and they are discerning rather than judgmental. While they may have oodles of self-confidence, they are unafraid to ask forgiveness when they’re wrong, they are humble rather than arrogant, and they take pride in setting others up for success.
Back in August, I embarked on a series of posts on Moral Character and Virtuous Leadership. The inaugural post was titled, Who’s Responsible for Developing Virtuous Leaders? In it, I credited a public charter school in Jacksonville, Florida that is on a mission to become a wellspring of future leaders….where every student will build a solid foundation of knowledge, discipline, virtue, and character. In other words, this school is focused on developing virtuous leaders from the ground up, from pre-kindergarten through high school.
Since August, my blog posts here have, one-by-one, highlighted the seven principle virtues upon which the Cornerstone Classical Academy was founded. Today’s post highlights the last of Cornerstone’s seven virtues, Humility. As they define it, “We are free of arrogance and cherish the unique qualities of others. We strive to do our best regardless of recognition.” I give them an “A” for this definition. Humility is not ignoring one’s own value. Rather, it’s doing your best and giving credit to others for their contributions and value.
My own personal role model of humility is the legendary UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden—the first person ever to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame twice, once as a player and again as a coach. When I was just a freshman at UCLA, it was clear to me that in addition to being the “winningest” coach in the NCAA, Wooden was loved by his players and revered by all the other coaches. Never-the-less, he was the epitome of humility.
As I highlighted in my book, The WOW Factor Workplace: How to Create a Best Place to Work Culture, Coach Wooden had this to say about being recognized for his outstanding achievements:
“When a person changes, he or she usually ends up with a feeling of superiority. I didn’t want that to happen to my players, and I didn’t want that to happen to me. I was flattered when one of the coaches at the NCAA convention introduced me by saying, ‘John is no different after winning ten championships than before he won one.’ That made me feel good because I want to practice what I teach.”
He also said, “The best leaders are usually humble leaders because they gain loyalty through respect rather than bravado.”
One of the things that impressed me most was that Coach Wooden never seemed to hesitate to pick up a mop and work right alongside the student managers to clean the floor of the basketball court. This was his way of demonstrating to the team, and everyone else, that no task was beneath him—even if he was the winningest basketball coach of all time.
Although he didn’t know me personally (I simply observed him from the bleachers during practices and home games), Coach Wooden served as a tremendous role model to me throughout my life. It was from him that I learned many of the values that guided me throughout my career. He was the one who taught me that we each serve as role models in all that we do.
As I shared in my book, Women on Top: What’s Keeping You From Executive Leadership?, whether you are aware of it or not, someone is always watching you, assessing you and, for better or worse, learning from you. So always be mindful that you are a role model in all that you do. Your behavior just might shape someone’s entire life, even if only because they casually observed you in action at various points in time. Shouldn’t the example you set be a good one?
Virtuous leaders are standard bearers of humility, good sportsmanship, and continuous self-improvement. No matter the outcome, virtuous leaders strive to be the best they can be. They don’t make excuses or blame others when things don’t work out as planned.
With March being Women’s History month, I was recently asked to participate in a group collaboration for WhenWomenInspire.com by writing a brief answer to the question, “Who inspires you in history, and why?”
I chose to write about one great woman in history who I’ve always admired, Helen Keller. Left blind and deaf as a toddler from a debilitating illness, she went on to become an inspiring author and lecturer; she tackled numerous humanitarian and political issues, such as women’s suffrage; and she devoted her life to helping others, despite the obvious barriers to success. She even testified on behalf of the blind before Congress. Thanks to her stellar example of will and tenacity, Helen Keller taught me that I could do anything I set my mind to—no excuses—regardless of circumstances or seemingly overwhelming odds.
Perhaps most inspiring to me was her healthy dose of humility. She never seemed to forget that without her dedicated governess, Anne Sullivan, she may have never overcome the hardships that she suffered to achieve all she did. In public recognition of her “miracle worker” teacher, Anne Sullivan, Helen said this: “The footsteps of my life are in hers. All the best of me belongs to her—there is not a talent, or an aspiration, or a joy in me that has not been awakened by her loving touch.”
A little humility can take you a long way as a leader. May you, too, never forget to recognize and be grateful for the contributions of those who have enabled your success.