The Extraordinary Power Of Leader Humility

“This inspiring book belongs on the desk of every CEO and politician. With eye-opening case studies and recommended behaviors in every chapter, it's an indispensable user guide for servant leaders.” —Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The New One Minute Manager and coeditor of Servant Leadership in Action On the most fundamental level, leaders must bring divergent groups together and forge a consensus on a path forward. But what makes that possible? Humility—a deep regard for the dignity of others—is the key, says distinguished leadership educator Marilyn Gist. Leadership is a relationship, and humility is the foundation for all healthy relationships. Leader humility can increase engagement and retention. It inspires and motivates. Gist offers a model of leader humility derived from three questions people ask of their leaders: Who are you? Where are we going? Do you see me? She explores each of these questions in depth, as well as the six key qualities of leader humility: a balanced ego, integrity, a compelling vision, ethical strategies, generous inclusion, and a developmental focus. Much of this book is based on Gist's interviews with a dozen distinguished leaders of organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, Costco, REI, Alaska Airlines, Starbucks, and others. And the foreword and a guest chapter are written by Alan Mulally, the legendary leader who brought Ford back from the brink of bankruptcy after the 2008 financial collapse and whose work is an exemplar of leader humility.

"This inspiring book belongs on the desk of every CEO and politician. With eye-opening case studies and recommended behaviors in every chapter, it's an indispensable user guide for servant leaders." --Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The New One Minute Manager and coeditor of Servant Leadership in Action On the most fundamental level, leaders must bring divergent groups together and forge a consensus on a path forward. But what makes that possible? Humility--a deep regard for the dignity of others--is the key, says distinguished leadership educator Marilyn Gist. Leadership is a relationship, and humility is the foundation for all healthy relationships. Leader humility can increase engagement and retention. It inspires and motivates. Gist offers a model of leader humility derived from three questions people ask of their leaders: Who are you? Where are we going? Do you see me? She explores each of these questions in depth, as well as the six key qualities of leader humility: a balanced ego, integrity, a compelling vision, ethical strategies, generous inclusion, and a developmental focus. Much of this book is based on Gist's interviews with a dozen distinguished leaders of organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, Costco, REI, Alaska Airlines, Starbucks, and others. And the foreword and a guest chapter are written by Alan Mulally, the legendary leader who brought Ford back from the brink of bankruptcy after the 2008 financial collapse and whose work is an exemplar of leader humility.

To many people, the words 'leader' and 'humble' are not natural bedfellows. Yet once they have grasped the definition most employees desire a humble leader, while a majority of managers believe they already are one. What appears deceptively simple is trickier than expected. Narcissism, lack of perception, fixed mindsets, neuronal default settings are only a few of the stumbling blocks on the path to humility. What exactly is this sought-after humility? Humility consists of four key elements: 1) Seeing one's own strength and weaknesses and revealing them where needed for the bigger picture; 2) Appreciating others for what they are, do now and can do; 3) Being open and willing to learn; 4) Understanding that we are all only a small part of a larger picture, easily replaceable and favored by luck and circumstance. Therefore, humility has nothing to do with being weak or hiding the light under the bushel. Instead, it is about clarity, taking a step back from one's ego and thus being able to serve the greater picture. The author's own research with more than 2,000 managers contributes to the canon of positive effects of humility that have been measured by dozens of researchers during the last decade. Humility benefits employees (ranging from better performance, more innovation, stronger resilience to better client relations and stronger morals), the organization (ranging from better ambidextrous strategies, a better culture to fewer sunk costs) and the managers themselves (ranging from more seen leadership potential to less stress and better relationships with employees). Dozens of case studies, quotes from more than 150 interviews with top managers, lively storytelling of real-life examples, solid research with actionable take-aways plus personal assessments make this an eminently readable and practical book for managers worldwide.

The more traditional forms of leadership that are based on static hierarchies and professional distance between leaders and followers are growing increasingly outdated and ineffective. As organizations face more complex interdependent tasks, leadership must become more personal in order to insure open trusting communication that will make more collaborative problem solving and innovation possible. Without open and trusting communications throughout organizations, they will continue to face the productivity and quality problems that result from reward systems that emphasize individual competition and “climbing the corporate ladder”. Authors Edgar Schein and Peter Schein recognize this reality and call for a reimagined form of leadership that coincides with emerging trends of relationship building, complex group work, diverse workforces, and cultures in which everyone feels psychologically safe. Humble Leadership calls for “here and now” humility based on a deeper understanding of the constantly evolving complexities of interpersonal, group and intergroup relationships that require shifting our focus towards the process of group dynamics and collaboration. Humble Leadership at all levels and in all working groups will be the key to achieving the creativity, adaptiveness, and agility that organizations will need to survive and grow.

Humility is interpreted differently in different cultures-as a blend of weakness, meekness and shyness, juxtaposed with kindness and compassion. When we describe Someone as a 'humble' person, we are referring to a person who is a reflection of anodyne blandness: nice, soft, simple, respectful and shy. Is it really that simple? In an era in which hubris is not just a leitmotif but is openly rewarded in business and society, it is not surprising that when we talk about leadership, humility is the last adjective that comes to mind. Commonly, leadership is associated with charisma, aggression and often naked ambition. Is there a relation between humility and high achievement? Are leaders born with humility or is it an acquired trait? Can humble leaders inspire employees to perform better? Is humility a sign of weakness or a strength in leaders? For over three decades, Dr PV Ramana Murthy has been a curious student of leadership. In The Power of Humility, he explores this subject in detail. A result of over five years of rigorous first-hand research and numerous interviews with business leaders, the book provides a fresh perspective on how humble high achievers are rewriting the rules of leadership. In the process, it not only addresses the importance of humility, as a cognitive and affective skill for leaders, but also builds a unique framework-a powerful manual of sorts-which current and future leaders can use to emulate in their professional careers.

Leadership can be a blessing or a curse. It can help people rise up to a better life, or it can cause people to fall into despair. Become part of the solution by becoming a high-road leader. The world’s most influential leadership expert, John C. Maxwell, tackles the problem of our divided world in his latest book High Road Leadership. “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” says Maxwell. “Today it is causing people to fall—into disputes, frustration, anger, and despair. His solution is to expose the problems of taking the low and middle roads when interacting with others and teach people how to instead take the high road. Leaders who practice high road leadership value all people, do the right things for the right reasons, take accountability for their actions, and place people above their own agenda. In his trademark communication style, Maxwell teaches the principles and practices of high-road leadership that can increase anyone’s influence and help them make their world a better place.

FROM USA TODAY AND #1 WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ELEVATE Wake up. Get inspired. Change the world. Repeat. Global business leader and national bestselling author, Robert Glazer, believes we all have a responsibility to each other: to give one another the inspiration and support we need to be our best. What started as a weekly note known as Friday Forward to his team of forty has turned into a global movement reaching over 200,000 leaders across sixty countries and continually forwarded to friends and family. In FRIDAY FORWARD, Robert shares fifty-two of his favorite stories with real life examples that will motivate you to grow and push you to be your best self. He encourages you to use this book as part of a positive and intentional Friday morning routine to get the weekend started on a forward-looking note that will carry you through the week. At once uplifting and deeply thought-provoking, these stories will challenge you to propel yourself outside your comfort zone to unlock your innate potential. By making small, intentional changes, you have the power to create lasting impact, not only in your own life, but also to inspire those around you to do the same. Today is the perfect day to start. Glazer's collection of inspiring, thought-provoking stories gives the motivation and mentorship you need to build a more fulfilling life and career. —Daniel H. Pink, Author of When and Drive