In a society that seems to value confidence (dare I say overconfidence), humility can get a bad reputation.  Yet consistently studies find that people who possess the psychological trait of humility are indeed better leaders, higher performers and, in general, are happier.  Humility is a cornerstone to being open to change.  Today’s blog will pay homage to humility, and dispel some misunderstandings about it as a weakness.

Despite the common misperception, humility is not the opposite of self-confidence.  In fact, people rated high in humility are actually also rated as being more secure.  It is, it seems, because they are self-confidant that humble people are able to be open to other people’s perspectives and attend to other people’s point of view.  In her study on humility, Pelin Keselir, PhD, writes that “humility involves a willingness to accept the self’s limits and its place in the grand scheme of things, accompanied by low levels of self-preoccupation.”  She refers to humility simply as a “quiet ego.”

Joseph Chancellor, PhD and Sonya Lyubomirsky, PhD, found five hallmarks of humility in their research:  being secure in one’s identity, being able to see oneself honestly without distortion, being open to new information, being “other focused” rather than self-focused, and having egalitarian beliefs.  In general, they found the quality of humility was not self-negation, but was the opposite of narcissism.

Despite the seemingly peaceful quality of humility, it is a powerhouse in terms of success and good outcomes.  Humble people form better relationships with others both in the work place and in personal relationships.  They are more tolerant of differences and are more willing to help others, being able to repair damage that occurs in relationships.  Physicians rated as high in the characteristic of humility not only had better communication with their patients, but they had better patient outcomes.  Humility is linked to better self-control, a huge predictor of life success, and lower levels of anxiety.  In terms of performance, those rated high in humility tended to have higher grades and academic performance and humility predicted higher job performance.  In terms of leadership, ironically, humble leaders are more effective.  In a study published in the Academy of Management Journal, Bradley Owens describes findings that leaders who admitted mistakes, gave others credit, and modeled teach-ability demonstrated behaviors that were powerful predictors of their organization’s growth.

I once heard a definition of humility that has stayed with me as a useful guide that I think sums up its benefit:  “Humility is knowing the truth about the self.”  In this way, humility is both knowing where we are strong and capable, but also knowing where we are in need of help or improvement.  Humility involves psychological flexibility and the strength in acknowledging vulnerability for the goal of self improvement.  What it guards against is false pride or bravado, empty efforts at covering over our weaknesses with the goal of protecting our ego and fooling others into thinking we are more than we are.  When we are humble, we have both the confidence to admit that we need to change and the awareness of the strengths we possess to help us achieve it.   So with this perspective on humility in mind, I hope the next time you have to eat some “humble pie,” it may taste a bit sweeter.