7 Signs You Are Working with a Humble Leader

In all the books I have read on leadership over the past 40 years (probably close to 500-600 – I like to read!), I had never seen a book with more than 6-12 endorsements. That is, until recently, when I saw one with more than 40 endorsements! My first reaction was, “Why would anyone ask that many people to endorse their book?”

To me, this did not resonate as a sign of humility. This does not mean the author isn’t humble; it simply means that we all have our own list for what we consider to be signs of humility. Based on my criteria, it made me ask, “Was this author working too hard to make a name for himself?” And I can guarantee that people have asked the same question about me along the way.

This got me thinking, if most people believe humility is an important character trait of leadership, what are the tangible signs to look for in a candidate or a potential boss? And what qualities do we hope others will see in ourselves? Here are seven practical signs of a humble leader. It is rare for a leader to manifest all of them at all times. However, these signs may indicate that you are observing a leader who has, at the very least, a seedling of humility growing within them.

1. Do they ever ask for help?

Asking for help is often viewed as a sign of strength by those who observe it and as a sign of weakness by the leader who needs the help. I have worked with many confident and capable leaders and owners over the years, and a number of them are not afraid to ask for help and do it with enthusiasm! No shame. No fear. They could be asking for help from their team or from an expert outside the organization. Regardless of where they seek it, humble leaders commonly view this as a smart thing to do. Humble leaders ask for help.

2. Do they ever share a weakness or mistake?

On several occasions in our roles as consultants and coaches, we have had to engage in situations where a leader made a mistake. There were times when it had to do with a form of misconduct. Other times, it had to do with mistreating or disrespecting others. In all cases, it would have turned out so much better if the leader had humbly and quickly owned their mistakes, especially once confronted with the evidence. When a leader shows such ownership, it is a sign that humility is growing. When they refuse to own it, it is likely a sign of arrogance.

3. Do they apologize - genuinely?

Using apology as a public relations stunt is so common, and it is often more damaging than saying nothing. But a genuine apology is an example of how courageous humility can rebuild respect rather than damage it. For example, take the response of the top leaders of CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity technology company, after its failed software update resulted in international disruptions in 2024.

The CEO, George Kurtz, responded by saying, “I want to start by saying we’re deeply sorry for the impact that we’ve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this, including our company.”

And CSO Shawn Henry wrote this in a LinkedIn post, “On Friday, we failed you, and for that I’m deeply sorry. The confidence we built in drips over the years was lost in buckets within hours, and it was a gut punch. We let down the very people we committed to protect, and to say we’re devastated is a huge understatement.”

The public response to their apologies was more positive because genuine ownership and humble apologies are so seldom provided.

4. Do they defer to others?

For some, the higher they climb on the leadership ladder, the more they feel they need to be the smartest person at the table. A sign of humility is when a senior-level leader requests that others on their team respond due to their knowledge and expertise. I remember seeing this years ago when my teen daughter was in the ICU. Those ICU nurses had more years of experience than the weekend medical residents on duty, and there were times when the doctors deferred to the nursing staff who knew the patient and the protocols better than they did. That is a sign of humility.

5. Do they hire or promote people who are better than themselves?

We sometimes hear an owner or manager say, “Our success is not about me – it’s about my team.” This can feel disingenuous if a leader doesn’t really believe it, but it is an awesome statement when it is true and genuinely felt by the leader. People often make comments to me about The Center Consulting Group and the “successful organization I built.”  Or how impressed they were by our team and the exceptional customer service and expertise they received. I respond that it really is an amazing group because I have hired a lot of people who are either smarter than me, better than me, or both. Any leader who wants to grow a sustainable and effective enterprise will hire and promote people who are better than themselves. It’s not just humble to do so; it is smart.

6. Do they promote the mission and the team more than themselves?

The example I used in the opening section is relevant here. Remember those 40 endorsements for the book? Many seemed to focus more on the author than on the organization he represented. They were focused on the individual instead of on the larger team and mission of the organization. Humble leaders take ownership of the organization’s mistakes and acknowledge the team for its successes, instead of blaming the team for the failures and hoarding the credit for success. If someone frequently focuses the affirmational spotlight on others as well as on the vision, this is a tangible sign of a humble leader.

7. Do they silence or punish those who challenge them?

I recently watched the documentary, Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster, which details the tragedy of the Titan submersible that exploded on its way to the Titanic, killing all five people on board including OceanGate founder Stockton Rush. One of the most disturbing aspects of the documentary was the number of employees who said that if you disagreed or challenged the boss, you would not be here for long. Many of them were so concerned about safety that, after seeing their concerns ignored, they quit. Fear of questions and punishing those who ask them with a genuine spirit of concern is often a reflection of pride and arrogance. This is further evidence that pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Humble leaders seek input, are not threatened by questions, and ask others to raise the questions necessary for the organization and its leaders to be their best.

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Jay Desko is the President & CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.