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The Most Beautiful Word in the English Language
I found this article (excerpt below) entitled “The Most Beautiful Word in the English Language” by Bruna Martinuzzi, via Guy Kawasaki. It mentions successful companies, and how each had what is called a Level 5 Leader, and the common traits of these types of successful leaders. The big common denominator? Humility. Yep, the most beautiful word in the English language.
You can read the whole article here, and below is the core of the article:
“True merit, like a river, the deeper it is, the less noise it makes.”
Here are a few suggestions on practicing humility so that it can help you as a small business owner:
1. Allow the other person to be in the limelight. There are times when swallowing one’s pride is particularly difficult, such as when we are engaged in a contest of perfection with each side seeking to look good. If you find yourself in such no-win situations, adopt strategies to ensure that you don’t lose your grace. One such strategy is to just stop talking and allow the other person to be in the limelight.
2. Say these words, “You are right.” They are magical words that will produce more peace of mind than a week at an expensive retreat.
3. Stop preaching or coaching without permission. Is a zeal to impose your point of view overtaking discretion? Is your correction of others reflective of your own needs?
4. Seek input on how you are doing as a leader. Ask others, “How am I doing?” It takes humility to ask such a question, and even more humility to consider the answer.
5. Encourage the practice of humility in your company through your own example. Every time you share credit for successes with others, you reinforce the ethos for your constituents. Consider mentoring or coaching emerging leaders on this key attribute of leadership.
There are many benefits to practicing humility: it improves relationships across all levels, it reduces anxiety, it encourages more openness and paradoxically, and it enhances one’s self-confidence. It opens a window to a higher self.
