When you think of humility, you likely think of someone who is meek or timid. However, a humble person is not necessarily either of those things. A humble person is simply modest about their position or rank. They don’t view themselves as the most important person in the room or the company just because of their position over everyone else.
CEOs can occasionally have a negative reputation without having done anything wrong. People assume that CEOs believe they are always right, they can’t ever be wrong, and they won’t listen to opinions that aren’t theirs. Sadly, there are a lot of CEOs that are like that. Yet, the best and most successful CEOs go against that image. They understand that it takes a lot more than a position to make someone successful.
Remember There Is No ‘I’ in Team
It takes a lot of people to make sure a company is running profitably. The CEO isn’t the only one who makes the decisions. Acknowledging the fact that you need help as a leader contributes to a healthy work environment. It also lets people know that you appreciate and value their contributions to the company. This will make employees want to continue to work hard, knowing that their work isn’t glossed over or treated as if it’s no big deal.
Ask For Advice or Feedback
Make yourself approachable to others. Start a dialogue by asking people for advice or a different outlook on how to handle certain situations. Even if the advice given to you isn’t something that’s feasible, the employee you asked will still walk away with a positive opinion about you. This also opens doors to communication between yourself and your employees. This is something that is valuable for facilitating a great company work culture.
Foster Diversity
Diversity helps you to be able to see things from different perspectives. When you have people from assorted walks of life trying to solve the same problem, they will inevitably come up with different ideas. Any number of those combinations may be the solution you’re looking for. Not only is this beneficial for the company as a whole, but employees will also benefit from working with others who offer a different perspective than they do. It also prevents you and your employees from having tunnel vision. Surrounding yourself with people who only think and feel the way you do creates an echo chamber. This can remove you from seeing and experiencing what is really going on with your company, and your customers.
As a leader, being intentional about developing yourself will set you apart as a great one. No one is an expert at all things, but any level of leadership, even the CEO, can be developed.