Hi, welcome to this episode of Jack Chat and another tiny leadership lesson.
In this episode, I’d like to talk about a timeless leadership skill that is essential in nearly every situation you’ll encounter as a leader.
I’m talking about humility.
You might be thinking… Aren’t leaders supposed to be super strong?
To answer that, we need to get clear about what humility actually means.
My favorite definition of humility comes from the author C.S. Lewis who tells us: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”
That means humility is all about frequency. Specifically, the frequency of self-centered thoughts.
And I can think of two kinds of people who have an unhealthy degree of self-centered thoughts: One, is arrogant people… But the other is people with low self-confidence.
That’s why we hang this sign in our office… “To remind us to be humble, AND to speak up even if we’re not sure we have the right answers.
(Jack distracted by “fans” outside the door)
Just a second here, I’ve got some fans outside.
Not today, I’m not signing autographs today.
(Jack talking to audience again) Sorry about that.
Here’s a couple self-reflection questions to help you notice your own patterns:
- What causes me to get caught up in self-centered thoughts?
- How does this impact my effectiveness as a leader?
Give it some thought, keep leading… and join me again for another chat!