Humility in Leadership

Introduction

Over my tenure, I’ve consistently found that leaders who exhibit humility tend to be highly effective—qualities I strive to replicate in my own leadership style. Recently, I came across an article titled Domineering Management Styles Don’t Pay Off, which referenced a 2024 study by David Hekman, Elsa T. Chan, and Maw Der Foo. The study, An Examination of Whether and How Leader Humility Enhances Leader Personal Career Success, challenges the idea that domineering leadership is the best path to success. I found the research compelling and wanted to share a summary of its key findings in this blog.

Why Humility Should Be a Focus in Leadership Development

Leadership in public procurement is often viewed through a traditional lens of authority, dominance, and self-promotion. However, a growing body of research, including a 2024 study by David Hekman, Elsa T. Chan, and Maw Der Foo, challenges this conventional wisdom. The study, published in Human Resource Management, reveals that humility can be a powerful tool in leadership, particularly when it comes to career success, mentoring, and team development.

The Misconception of Ruthless Leadership

Historically, leadership has often been associated with traits like self-promotion and dominance, where assertiveness and control are seen as the keys to climbing the organizational ladder. While these traits can certainly lead to career advancement, they also come with significant downsides, including higher volatility in performance and reduced team cohesion. Narcissistic leaders may succeed temporarily, but humble leaders are shown to be more consistent and effective in the long run.

The study conducted by Hekman and his colleagues surveyed 610 leaders across 18 industries and found that humility had a profound impact on leadership success. Humble leaders were more likely to engage in mentoring, which in turn boosted their organizational status and increased their chances of promotion. This suggests that humility does not just benefit teams; it also helps leaders advance their own careers.

Humble Leadership and Mentoring

A key finding of the study is the link between humility and mentoring. Humble leaders tend to naturally engage in mentoring behaviors, which not only supports the development of their teams but also enhances their own status within the organization. Mentoring, especially informal mentoring, plays a crucial role in leadership development. It creates a reciprocal relationship where both the mentor and protégé grow, learn, and develop.

For public procurement professionals, this means that fostering humility in leadership could lead to a more knowledgeable and skilled workforce. Humble leaders provide the guidance and support necessary to elevate their teams, which ultimately reflects positively on them. By helping others succeed, they build social capital and are seen as more promotable by their superiors.

Humility Enhances Team and Organizational Success

The benefits of humble leadership extend far beyond personal career advancement. According to the research, humility in leadership promotes a range of positive outcomes at the team and organizational levels. Teams led by humble leaders experience higher levels of psychological safety, job satisfaction, and motivation. This creates an environment where employees feel valued, engaged, and more likely to contribute innovative ideas.

For organizations struggling to attract and retain top talent, humble leadership offers a solution. A 2023 report by HP’s Work Relationship Index showed that 83% of employees are willing to earn less in exchange for greater happiness and fulfillment at work. Employees want to work in environments where leaders demonstrate empathy, emotional intelligence, and humility. Public procurement agencies that prioritize these qualities in their leadership development programs are likely to see higher employee satisfaction and lower turnover rates.

Humility and Leadership Development in Public Procurement

For public procurement professionals, humility should not be seen as a sign of weakness but as a strength that drives success. Incorporating humility into leadership development programs can help create more effective leaders who are not only capable of managing projects and teams but also mentoring and developing the next generation of procurement professionals. This is particularly important in a field where collaboration and relationship-building are essential to navigating complex procurement processes.

To cultivate humility in leadership, organizations can adopt several strategies, such as including humility as a key metric in performance evaluations, encouraging informal mentoring relationships, and providing leadership training programs that emphasize self-awareness, active listening, and continuous learning. Rewarding and recognizing humble behaviors in leaders can create a culture where humility is valued and promoted.

Conclusion

Humility may not always seem like the obvious choice for leadership success, but research shows that it is an essential trait for long-term effectiveness. Public procurement professionals can benefit from developing and embracing humility as a core leadership value. By focusing on mentoring, fostering team collaboration, and creating environments where employees feel supported and valued, humble leaders can drive both personal and organizational success. The future of leadership, especially in public procurement, may well depend on a shift toward humility.

As you continue your professional development journey, here are a few opportunities you may want to consider.

1. Become a mentor in NIGP’s mentoring program by contacting mentorship@nigp.org.
2. Consider building your leadership competencies by attending this year’s Leadership Summit in Chicago February 20-22, 2025.
3. Explore NIGP’s Mastermind programs.

What’s on Your Bookshelf?

Here are a few interesting reads you may want to consider.

Be Water, My Friend – The Teachings of Bruce Lee by Shannon Lee

Bruce Lee’s daughter explores her father’s most powerful life philosophies―demonstrating how martial arts are a perfect metaphor for personal growth, and how we can practice those teachings every day.

Success Mindsets by Ryan Gottfredson

Ryan shows how having the correct mindsets can help us succeed in life, work, and leadership.

References

In this blog post, I utilized ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. The responses and ideas presented were created in collaboration with ChatGPT. 

Chan, E. T., Hekman, D. R., & Foo, M. D. (2024). An examination of whether and how leader humility enhances leader personal career success. Human Resource Management. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22208

Lewis, B. (2024, July 1). Domineering management styles don’t pay off: Humility can lead to success in the workplace. Association for Talent Development. https://www.td.org/insights/domineering-management-styles-dont-pay-off-humility-can-lead-to-success-in-the-workplace