It was my great pleasure in 2011 to hear John Dickson at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit. His topic was humility, or, more specifically, humility as a defining trait of effective leadership.
After the Summit, I read his short and excellent book Humilitas (most highly recommended) which further developed his concept of humility and how it equips the effective leader. Building on the rich and inspired traditions of Scripture, history and classical teachings (and further developing the recent leadership findings advanced by Jim Collins in Good To Great), John has identified this refreshing, Biblical and contemporary definition of humility.
Humility is the decision to hold your power in service of others.
Humility has long been understood as the antidote to culture. It’s the posture Jesus models and is among the defining characteristics of His teaching. It’s also evasive and is notoriously difficult to internalize and sustain.
This definition gives me some traction – it’s helpful. It helps to see humility as a “North Star” in daily decision making. It helps to recognize that choices – better choices – can be made when humility becomes a noble choice to forgo status & use your influence for the good of others. It doesn’t diminish self – it elevates those entrusted to you.
This understanding of humility gives me a practical thought, a mental tool, that helps me “in the moment” to regain some territory that’s been lost to selfishness.
Q: Do you have a favorite definition of humility that serves as a practical daily guide in decision making?
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