Why being humble can make you a better leader

Investing in the people around you can help you get to the top and stay there. Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock by Elsa T. Chan, University of Sussex and David Hekman, University of Colorado Boulder When we consider how leaders get to the top, we might think of somebody like Jordan Belfort, the millionaire stock broker portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the Wolf of Wall Street. And humility is probably not the word that comes to mind. However, Belfort’s rise was followed by a fall (he ended up in jail). For those who want to reach the top and stay there, it may be best to stay humble. Humble leaders express their humility in three dimensions. They view themselves accurately and acknowledge their limitations. They show appreciation for their followers’ contributions. They are also open to ideas and feedback. When leaders show all three attributes, they are considered to be humble. So how can humility help those who want to reach the top? We studied how humble leaders can become more promotable and found that they accomplish that by growing others in what is known as a “humility route”. Human capital theory suggests that employees’ value can be enhanced by investing in...