Humility

Leadership Qualities

Humility is the quality that lets us see ourselves honestly.  It means that we keep things in perspective, that we recognize our limitations as well as our strengths and don’t overestimate either of them.

Humility focuses more on the way we value ourselves compared to others, including the level of authority we have in a given situation. But both of them are about freedom from arrogance, showiness and excessive pride.

Humility simply requires a man to think of his abilities and his actions as no greater, and no lesser, than they really are. Humility has been identified as a top quality of strong leaders.  A great leader loses his or her greatness when it becomes all about that leader.

Humility makes a leader more likeable. When he is focused on seeing that other people get what they need instead of only looking out for his own interests, people develop a trust in him. Nobody likes to work with a bossy and arrogant leader. Being humble is the shortest way to people’s good books. When your team likes you, there are better chances of them respecting you and your points of view.

When a leader is humble enough to put his team’s interests ahead of his own, more than liking and people start respecting him. Respect is the foundation for any successful relationship and also applies to the bond between a leader and his team.

Aiyan Thiruvalluvar says

எல்லார்க்கும் நன்றாம் பணிதல் அவருள்ளும்

செல்வர்க்கே செல்வம் தகைத்து. (125)

संयम उत्तम वस्तु है, जन के लिये अशेष ।
वह भी धनिकों में रहे, तो वह धन सुविशेष ॥ (१२५)

Explanation by Scholars

Humility is good in all; but especially in the rich it is (the excellence of) higher riches.

பணிவு என்னும் பண்பு, எல்லார்க்கும் நலம் பயக்கும். ஏற்கனவே செல்வர்களாக இருப்பவர்களுக்கு அந்தப் பண்பு, மேலும் ஒரு செல்வமாகும்.