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Great leaders are humble. They aren’t arrogant. Their approach to leadership enables them to get the best out of their team members. Recent studies from the Harvard Business Review reveal that teams led by humble individuals perform up to 20 percent better than those with more self-centred leadership. In the highly competitive business world, it is always believed that the more assertiveness and strong will you show, the more effective you are as a leader. However, research has consistently shown that humble leaders create stronger teams, foster unwavering dedication amongst team members and ultimately achieve more sustainable results. Some of today’s most successful corporate leaders demonstrate that humility, properly understood and genuinely practised, is a formidable strength. There is a quiet power in humble leadership. Humility is not something that must be said; it is a virtue that involves action and must be felt by the team members.
The complete turnaround of Microsoft under Satya Nadella is a demonstration of what humility can achieve in leadership. When Nadella succeeded Steve Ballmer as CEO in 2014, Microsoft was losing ground to competitors and suffering from internal rivalry. Ballmer’s leadership style had been characterised by forceful confidence and competitive aggression. Nadella came up with a different approach to rescue the sinking organisation. In his first email to employees, he wrote, “I am here to listen, learn, and help.” Rather than positioning himself as having all the answers, Nadella began his tenure by meeting with teams across the organisation and asking questions. He never failed to admit when he was wrong. When faced with the failed Nokia acquisition, Nadella acknowledged the mistake publicly rather than defending it. He regularly credits team members by name in company communications and has been known to sit in the audience during presentations rather than commanding centre stage.
Similarly, the success of Alan Mulally at Ford could be traceable to his demonstration of humility about his own limitations. He didn’t have an auto background, but he created psychological safety for people to express their challenges without any fear of consequence. This was contrary to the culture under the previous leadership, where you were most likely to be punished for the admission of problems. When Alan Mulally took over Ford Motor Company in 2006, the automaker was struggling, losing billions annually and headed towards bankruptcy. The moment Ford’s culture was transformed by enabling honest communication, it started experiencing positive changes. “Alan’s humility wasn’t weakness; it was his superpower. It lets us finally address problems we have been hiding for years.” Alan’s successor, Mark Fields, said in his description of Alan’s approach to leadership. Under Mulally’s humble leadership, Ford became the only major U.S. automaker to avoid bankruptcy during the 2008 financial crisis.
Part of the reasons humble leaders achieve more is because they listen more, avoid focusing on themselves alone, receive feedback with gladness and work on it. Humility is a sign of strength as weak people cover up their weaknesses by being arrogant as they do not want their team members to discover their weak points. Humble leaders make collaborative team members and a community of passionate followers; they are comfortable getting feedback from team members. You don’t determine if you are humble or otherwise. This is determined by your team members. When your humility is not acknowledged by your followers, it is fake. No matter the kind of result you have now, humility will enable you to have more. In an increasingly complex business environment where no single leader can possibly possess all necessary knowledge, humble leadership is strategically essential.
Practical signs of humility in a leader
Visible recognition of others: Humble leaders consistently shine the spotlight on team contributions rather than claiming credit. Like Nadella, they mention team members by name and celebrate others’ successes publicly.
Genuine curiosity: Rather than positioning themselves as all-knowing, humble leaders ask questions and demonstrate true interest in other people’s perspectives, creating psychological safety for diverse viewpoints.
Admission of mistakes: Like Mulally and Nadella, they acknowledge errors quickly and openly, modelling accountability rather than defensiveness.
Accessibility: Humble leaders minimise status barriers, whether through open-door policies, skip-level meetings, or regular forums where they can be questioned directly.
Service orientation: They demonstrate through actions that leadership is about enabling others’ success, not personal aggrandisement.
As the above examples illustrate, genuine humility in leadership isn’t lack of confidence; rather, it’s the quiet strength that comes from recognising that no individual, however talented, has all the answers. The most effective leaders combine clear vision and decisive action with a fundamental openness to others’ contributions and a willingness to acknowledge their own limitations. As Jim Collins discovered in his landmark study of exceptional companies, the most transformative leaders combine fierce professional will with genuine personal humility.
Oluwole Dada is the General Manager at SecureID Limited, Africa’s largest smart card manufacturing plant in Lagos, Nigeria
