Why Give a Damn:
In a world filled with hubris and ego-maniacs, it is the humble leader that has the greatest influence. Read on to discover the true meaning of humility and why it’s so important to building a great organization.
The author of this post, Seth Levine, is a Boulder, CO based technology investor and managing director at Foundry Group.
This advice would seem obvious, if only more people followed it.
Humility over pride Tweet This Quote
I was attending a board meeting recently where a company put up the following as one of its core values: “Humility over pride”
As I think about how often I interact with people who are so ego-centric and hubris; as I consider how seldom these people show any self-awareness or emotional intelligence; and as I reflect on how universally unpleasant it is to work with people who put themselves first, it reinforces how critically important this principal is.
- Humility over pride means giving before getting.
- Humility over pride means playing a non zero-sum game where everyone benefits.
- Humility over pride means listening before reacting.
- Humility over pride means admitting when you’re wrong or when someone else has a better idea.
- Humility over pride means putting your organization or company’s goals over your own.
It was refreshing to see this company be so explicit about this principle. And it stands in stark contrast to how many people and organizations act.
Unreasonable Challenge:
I would encourage you to consider whether you are fully embracing the idea of “Humility Over Pride” and if not, how might this allow you to create a better, more capable, powerful and dedicated organization?
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. -CS Lewis Tweet This Quote