Jim Collins in his book Good to Great says that Level 5 leaders exhibit some common qualities. He explains that great leaders are humble, they have an intense resolve, their first priority is the institution and not themselves, they tend to be quiet and modest.
Humble leaders are careful to stay focused and review their motivation in decision making. With humility comes a consistent heart check with regards to priorities. The bi-product of humility in a leader is that they don't pretend to be something they are not. They are real, authentic, vulnerable, and have a sincere concern about doing the right thing - not for self, but for the organization.
Ryne Sandberg, the all-star second baseman of the Chicago Cubs once had the opportunity to display humility. During his playing years he was well paid for his skills. Unfortunately, one year Ryne was in a hitting slump and wasn't playing near to his potential. He was very disappointed in his performance especially since he was being paid so well. So, how did Ryne handle this situation? In addition to working hard at improving his swing and taking hours of batting practice, he also met with the general manager of the Cubs and offered a large chunck of his salaray back to the team. He told the GM that he didn't feel right about taking millions of dollars whn he wasn't performing up to his potential. Through this humility he won the hearts of his team members and the fans of Chicago.
I recently read this quote from Dr. Tim Elmore - "Humility doesn't mean leaders think less of themselves. It means they think of themselves less."
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