Transformational Servant Leadership -- Foundation

Humility is not taught in management courses or in many leadership courses, for that matter. Organizations want their leaders to be visionary, authoritative, confident, capable, and motivational. Yet, humility is the primary requirement for leadership. Or stated in a different manner, humility is the foundation of leadership. Why is humility essential (i.e., foundational) to leadership (including Transformational Servant Leadership)? It is because humility:
o Acknowledges our sinfulness,
o Comprehends our creatureliness, and
o Authenticates our humanness.

1. Acknowledges Our Sinfulness
The Psalmist writes: “Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep back Thy servant from presumptuous sins; then I shall be blameless, and I shall be acquitted of great transgression” (Psalm 19:12-13).

The first reason that we need humility in leadership is because we are sinners. (Note: To those who object to this statement, I ask that you be patient and consider the other arguments for the importance of humility.) We have deceitful hearts. We truly do not realize the depth of sin. As such, it is important for us – in humility – to acknowledge our sinfulness.

This acknowledgement of man’s sinfulness has been a foundational principle of all successful governments. For example, this acknowledgement led our founding fathers (see Federalist Paper #51) to build into the very fabric of our governmental structure, a separation of powers. Each branch of government – executive, legislative, and judicial – is bridled by a series of checks and balances. Why? It was because James Madison recognized that the “heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it” (Jeremiah 17:9). Or, as Lord Achton expressed in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” (A similar statement was expressed by William Pitt in 1770: “Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.”) Whenever governments have acknowledged man’s sinfulness, liberty and freedom have quickly followed.

2. Comprehends Our Creatureliness
The second reason that we need humility in leadership is because it comprehends our creatureliness. The word “humility” itself comes from the Latin word humus, which means "dirt" or "earth." Behind the concept of humility is the realization that life inevitably ends with a return to the earth, "from dust to dust," as the expression goes. Since this inglorious end awaits all of us, it hardly behooves us to be boastful or full of ourselves. Ultimately we all turn into dust. Thus, true humility never lets us lose sight of our human mortality with all of its limitations (Armour, 2007).

Colonel Larry R. Donnithorne (Ret.), in his book “The West Point Way of Leadership,” captures this fact: “Every leader is a follower. No one commands an organization without restraints. For every leader, no matter how ‘supreme,’ there is always a higher authority who must be answered.” The employee answers to the manager. The manager answers to the director. The director answers to the CIO. The CIO answers to the CEO. The CEO answers to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors answers to its shareholders. Even the shareholders answer to somebody. Why? We are creatures, not the Creator.

3. Authenticates Our Humaness
The third reason that we need humility in leadership is because it authenticates our humanness. Or as John Baldoni states in his article entitled “Humility”: “Humility is a strand between leader and follower that underscores one common element – our humanity.” We humans are frail creatures. We have our faults. Recognizing what we do well, as well as what we do not do so well is vital to self-awareness and paramount to humility. Humility keeps us attuned to our frailty, our inadequacy, and our vulnerability (Baldoni, 2007).

Most successful leaders understand that a sense of humility is essential to winning the hearts and minds of followers. Humility is a visible demonstration of concern and compassion, as well as authenticity. Leaders who are to be followed must be leaders who understand the human condition, especially their own. Those in authority who are blind to their inner selves are likely to do stupid things, like invade Russia (Napoleon), invade France and Russia (Hitler) and invade Kuwait (Saddam). On a less serious note, managers out of touch with reality put their own interests first - Ken Lay, Richard Scrushy and Dennis Kozlowski come to mind. None of these supposed leaders demonstrated one iota of humility, and, in the process, ran their businesses into the ground. By contrast, leaders such as Colleen Barrett of Southwest Airlines, along with her leadership team, have created a culture of humility, one that springs from concern for others as a means of building a people-centric organization. Humility is an approach to life that says "I don't have all the answers and I want your contribution." For some people, that is no problem. For people at the top, that may seem akin to saying, "I am naked." Or close. Humility is a form of nakedness, but not a form of exhibitionism. Rather, it's a demonstration of acceptance as well as resolve. Humility is acceptance of individual limitations - I cannot do it alone - coupled with a sense of resolve to do something about it - I will enlist the help of others. That is the essence of leadership (Armour, 2007).


References
Armour, M. (2007). Humility and Leadership: No Laughing Matter. LeadershipPerfect Newsletter: August 15, 2007.
Baldoni, J. (2007). Humility. www.johnbaldoni.com
Burns, J.M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper & Row.
Donnithorne, L.R. (1993). The West Point Way of Leadership. New York: Currency Doubleday.
Downton, J.V. (1973). Rebel leadership: Commitment and charisma in a revolutionary process. Free Press.
Graham, J.W. (1991). Servant leadership in organizations: Inspirational and moral. Leadership Quarterly. 2 (2), 105-119.
Greenleaf, R. K. (1970). The Servant as Leader.
Laub, J.A. (1999). Assessing the servant organization: Development of the Servant Organizational Leadership Assessment (SOLA) instrument. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Florida Atlantic University.
Madison, James. (1776). Federalist Paper #51.
Smith, B., Montagno, R. & Kuzmenko, T. (2004). Transformational and Servant Leadership: Content and contextual comparisons. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, Spring 2004.
Stone, G.A., Russell, R.F., & Patterson, K. (2004). Leadership & Organization Development Journal. 25(4), 349-361.