The magnetic, humble leader

John Dame is CEO of Dame Management Strategies, a management consulting firm based in Harrisburg, PA; Jeffrey Gedmin is a senior fellow at Georgetown University and at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a London-based think tank. Here are some elaborations on their “Six Principles for Developing Humility as a Leader,” gleaned from an article they co-authored for Harvard Business Review several years back.

Know what you don’t know. Another way to say it is “stay within yourself.” You are a generalist who excels in a couple of areas. Recognize, consult, and trust others who have greater expertise in other areas.

Resist falling for your own publicity. Your media releases might crow about your successes, and that can be energizing — or intoxicating. Remember your personal flaws and struggles in order to keep things in perspective.

Never underestimate the competition. There’s a reason why other firms are called “the competition.” Even if you are the best in the business, don’t think you’re not vulnerable to being outdone.

Embrace and promote a spirit of service. The best leader is a servant-leader. A servant-leader is one who “prioritizes the team’s growth and well-being, letting their own needs and ambition take a backseat,” according to Jim Corelli, co-founder of TeamGantt, a project management software firm. The leadership model of Christ is often described in terms of servant leadership.

Listen even — especially — to weird ideas. Sometimes the best new ideas seem offbeat or come from unlikely sources. Such an “outside the box” notion might not be the winner, but it might inspire fresh creativity.

Be passionately curious. The phrase comes from Albert Einstein: “I have no special talent; I am only passionately curious.” Since you “know what you don’t know,” continually seek new knowledge and encourage others to do the same.

Practiced authentically, each of these principles has its basis in humility — and each helps make for more effective leaders too.