Earning Trust (and Influence) with Humility

With the limits of a title fresh in mind, let’s look at why it’s crucial that we EARN trust - and thereby, influence - so we have a legitimate shot at achieving all we need to as leaders. Spoiler alert: the humility we looked at previously is key! Before we do, though, it’s important that we each re...

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Creating a Legacy of Humble Leadership

In wrapping up our look at fostering a mentorship culture, I shared how simple I believe creating a leadership legacy can truly be; it’s not at all out of reach when we focus on the impact we can have on those around us rather than how we may be remembered because of it. That’s where humility comes ...

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Humility’s Role in Organizational Transformation

When we can pair humility with confidence, regardless of our level of positional authority in any given situation, we have the opportunity to create authentic, impactful relationships. Those relationships are the ones where we can expect to see a measurable return on investment through the increased...

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The Confidence-Humility Balance

Let’s be clear, positional authority can get results - as long as the individual with that authority is present and willing to crack the proverbial whip. But the authentic influence we earn through humble leadership earns a level of discretionary effort that even the most demanding chain-of-command ...

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Humility as a Counter to Positional Authority

In detailing the role mentors play in helping bridge our leadership gaps, I shared an example Terry provided in dozens of behavior-based safety training sessions explaining that influence, not authority defines leadership. The humility we’ve been looking at here not only has the power to overcome eg...

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Humility in Mentoring Others

Make no mistake, the part I was raising my hand about had nothing to do with “the great people” I’ve known - but I have indeed underestimated the value I can add to others through one-on-one mentorship. Later on, we’ll take a focused look at how some of the most humble mentors I’ve had in my life ha...

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Overcoming Ego to Embrace Collaboration

The 33rd president of the United States, Harry S. Truman once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit.” Putting that statement into practice is a key difference between the humble confidence and all out arrogance I referenced before. Let’s face it, we can...

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How Humility Builds Trust in Professional Relationships

As we looked at investing in mentorship for exponential returns, I shared how Kevin Arnold frequently taught me things that he had learned from his mentors. I can’t remember a single time where Kevin took credit for how much he knew about workplace safety or the results he achieved. He was always qu...

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The Myth of the Self-Made Leader and the Power of Humility

We started down this path with an emphasis on the reality that there is no such thing as a self-made leader. For someone like me with a highly DRIVEN behavioral style, it would be nearly impossible to get much value from anything resembling a candid conversation with someone who believes they’ve bec...

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This Makes Leading So Much Easier…

Let’s be honest, carrying all the responsibility that comes with leadership is never easy. And if we really want to make the kind of lasting impact that only comes from developing the positive leadership qualities we’ve been working through to this point, we’ll have our hands full - even with the hu...

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Value In Every Role

I closed last time by mentioning the various lists detailing positive leadership qualities from a simple internet search… I found one from PositivePsychology.com called Positive Leadership: 30 Must-Have Traits and Skills. Whew! That’s a bunch… Quite honestly, I almost skipped it altogether. The idea...

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