Humility, Individuality and Visibility

We each want to be seen for who we are. Good leaders make that possible.

David with the Head of Goliath by Caravaggio, 1610 (public domain - Wikipedia)

“Humility is attentive patience.” — Simone Weil (1940)

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The flip side of humility is hubris or pride. We talked about this previously, acknowledging the slight difference in the definition of the terms: hubris meaning arrogance that gives offense to the gods, as the ancient Greeks believed, and pride being offensive to others.

And humility is a trait that's observed by others. It's certainly not something about which a leader can brag. Leaders demonstrate humility in what they say and do, and in what they choose not to say and do.

It’s what is visible about you.

In approaching the job, whether it’s as CEO, head of a department, or even a first-time manager, a leader is only as good as their team. We expect that they bring a certain level of technical knowledge …