Podcast Summary
The role of humility in balancing narcissism in leadership: Cultivating humility can help leaders overcome negative effects of narcissism, enabling effective leadership through seeking value beyond the self.
While narcissistic traits like confidence and assertiveness can help individuals attain leadership positions, they can also hinder their effectiveness in that role. The research of Brad Owens, a professor of business ethics, suggests that cultivating humility can temper the negative effects of narcissism. Humility, a foundational virtue, enables other virtues by seeking value beyond the self and directly counteracts the root of all vice, which is self-worship. The inconsistent findings in the literature on leader narcissism may be explained by the impact of humility on leadership. The pairing of humility and narcissism represents the internal battle most of us face, and understanding their relationship can provide clarity to the leader narcissism literature.
Understanding the complexities of narcissism and humility: Narcissism and humility are inner battles with complexities. Narcissism leads to negative outcomes but can also produce great results, while humility guards against extremes and helps put ego in check.
Narcissism and humility are complex inner battles that humans face. Narcissism, as defined by researchers, includes self-centeredness, self-absorption, extreme confidence, and a strong drive to lead and succeed. It's important to distinguish between subclinical narcissism, a less severe form, and clinical narcissism. While narcissism can lead to negative outcomes professionally and relationally, it can also produce great things in some situations. Steve Jobs, a CEO known for his narcissism, was ousted from Apple due to his toxic behavior but was later invited back and seemed to have tempered his narcissism. Humility, on the other hand, guards against extremes and can help put the brakes on ego-based tendencies. As individuals, we can benefit from understanding the complexities of narcissism and humility and how they apply to our own challenges and growth.
Leadership and Humility: Effective leaders balance self-confidence and humility. Narcissistic traits can initially make for charming leaders but can lead to toxic behavior. Humility, including self-awareness, teachability, and appreciation for others, can help temper negative aspects and enable better leadership.
Effective leadership often requires a balance between self-confidence and humility. Narcissistic traits, such as self-aggrandizement and a desire for praise, can initially make for charming and charismatic leaders. However, these traits can also lead to toxic behavior and a loss of trust with others. Humility, which includes self-awareness, teachability, and an appreciation for others' strengths and contributions, can help temper the negative aspects of narcissism and enable leaders to better leverage their productive qualities. Research suggests that narcissism is positively related to leadership emergence, but those who become aware of their ballooning narcissism and strive to develop humility can become more effective and successful leaders. Humility is a complex concept, but it can be understood as the ability to see oneself more accurately, others more appreciatively, and new information more openly. By synthesizing philosophical, psychological, and practical perspectives, we identified self-awareness, teachability, and appreciation for others as the three dimensions of leader humility.
Understanding Humility in Leadership: Self-awareness, teachability, and validating others contribute to humility in leaders. Humility fosters collaboration, creativity, and effective organizations.
Humility in leadership is a combination of self-awareness, teachability, and validating others. Self-awareness allows leaders to recognize their weaknesses and limitations, making them more open to new ideas and feedback. Teachability is the willingness to learn and adapt, and validating others means acknowledging and giving credit to the perspectives and contributions of team members. A humble leader may have been humbled by past experiences or mistakes, or they may have consciously chosen to develop these qualities. One example of a humble leader is someone who, after recognizing their weaknesses, gives permission for their team to interrupt and challenge them, fostering a collaborative problem-solving environment. Self-awareness is often the first step towards developing humility, as a narcissistic leader must first acknowledge their lack of humility before they can make changes. There are two paths to overcoming narcissism: the first is a gradual realization that the current leadership style is not effective and is causing harm, leading the leader to seek out new ways of leading. The second is a more dramatic wake-up call, such as being fired or experiencing a significant failure. Humility in leadership is not a sign of weakness, but rather a strength that fosters collaboration, creativity, and a more effective organization. It's about recognizing that no one has all the answers and that everyone's perspectives are valuable.
Effectiveness of humility in leadership varies: During crises, assertive leadership may be necessary, but humility should be the default for most situations. Leaders should ask for guidance and utilize their unique perspective effectively.
Humility is an essential leadership quality, but it's important to recognize that there are times when assertive leadership may be necessary, particularly during crises. Military research shows that humility can be less effective when time is short and survival is a priority. However, humility should be the default in most situations, and leaders should be open to learning from their team members. The Army has even changed its core leadership doctrine to include humility as a fundamental characteristic. To avoid coming across as condescending, leaders should ask for guidance in a genuine and teachable manner. When a leader has more experience and training than their team, it's important for them to recognize and utilize their unique perspective effectively.
The Power of Humility in Leadership: Admitting what we don't know and inviting others to contribute in uncertain situations can lead to innovative solutions, improved outcomes, and a positive work environment. Sincere praise from leaders is crucial to avoid damaging trust.
Humility is a powerful leadership trait that can lead to organizational success. In uncertain situations, admitting what we don't know and inviting others to contribute can lead to innovative solutions and improved outcomes. This approach not only benefits the team in the moment but also sets an example for ongoing learning and development. Humility can also legitimize followers' own growth journeys, reducing evaluation apprehension and fostering a positive work environment. However, it's essential that praise given by leaders is sincere to avoid damaging the team's trust. The West Point example illustrates the importance of humility in leadership, as the captain's openness to input saved lives and inspired his team to work together effectively. Ultimately, humility is a contagious trait that can positively influence the entire organization.
Developing Humility in Narcissistic Leaders: Narcissistic leaders can benefit from developing humility through conscious effort, such as seeking feedback, giving credit to others, and surrounding themselves with people who challenge narcissistic behaviors.
Giving authentic and sincere praise is a powerful tool for leaders, but it needs to be specific and accurate to be effective. Narcissistic leaders, who can be confident and assertive, can benefit from developing humility. Humility is not an innate characteristic but a skill that can be developed through conscious effort. A humble narcissistic leader is one who acknowledges their narcissistic tendencies and actively works on developing humility. This can involve seeking feedback, giving credit to others, and surrounding oneself with people who challenge narcissistic behaviors. Aristotle viewed virtues like humility as skills that could be developed, and even those with a natural inclination towards narcissism can choose to embrace humility to prevent its toxic effects.
George Washington: A Humble Leader: Effective leaders can balance self-confidence and humility, learning from mistakes and embracing humility when needed, while also practicing assertiveness and confidence when necessary.
Effective leadership often involves a balance between self-confidence and humility. George Washington, a historical example of a humble leader, demonstrates this balance. Despite his strong desire to make a mark on the world and his ambition to lead, Washington learned from his mistakes and embraced humility. His decision to give military power back to Congress, rather than keeping it for himself, was what truly solidified his greatness as a leader. However, for those who are naturally humble and easygoing, they may not need to become more narcissistic to be effective leaders. Instead, they can benefit from cultivating greater awareness of their strengths and practicing assertiveness and confidence when necessary. New leaders should also establish a reputation for competence before expressing humility to ensure it is seen favorably.
Establish competence before expressing humility: Leaders should build a reputation for competence before using expressions of humility to maintain trust and effectiveness. Failure to do so can result in negative consequences.
Leaders who want to effectively use expressions of humility should first establish a reputation for competence. Humility can actually be seen as a moral attempt to give praise and be a good leader once competence is established. However, if a leader lacks this baseline reputation, humility expressions can hurt their leadership. This concept is known as primacy effects, emphasizing the importance of a strong first impression. Future research in this area includes exploring the neurology behind narcissism and humility, investigating the long-term effects of humility in leadership, and developing training programs to help individuals embrace and use humility effectively. To learn more about this research, check out Brad Owens' articles on Google Scholar, Harvard Business Review, Inc. Magazine, Huffington Post, and Washington Post.
