By Stevendavis1
Overview: This is an ongoing discussion about leadership, built on quotes that I have assembled through the years. My intent with this blog is to grow my understanding, and yours, of this thing we call leadership.
The quote I want to explore in this post is by Doug Lennick and Fred Diel from their article “Moral Intelligence for Successful Leadership,” which appeared in the spring 2006 issue of Leader to Leader. The quote is, “… great leaders are both humble and ambitious.”
The “humble” side of this makes very good sense to me. Even great leaders fail, just as people in the trenches accomplish great things. No one of us is better than anyone else. Each of us has our own abilities and contributes in our own ways. And to harbor for even a brief moment the thought that we are better than anyone else is to lose sight of the reality that it takes all of us working effectively together to accomplish all that we might. To be humble is to acknowledge that each of us is part of the answer … not “the” answer.
I truly feel this is a critical part of the leadership recipe. In my mind, to be able to acquire a following and therefore to be able to lead requires a level of genuineness that only a humble person can achieve.
The other part of this quote, the “ambitious” part, is one that I wrestle with a bit. If ambition is defined as an “eager desire to achieve something,” as it is defined in Webster’s II, I think that ambition truly is a key part of what makes a leader tick. However, it that trait is overly focused on self-advancement, then I think we are talking about a false leader. If someone is more focused on themselves than on the people he or she leads, they belittle the title … and in time they will lose their following as a consequence. Leaders do not put themselves first … ever.
Author Cross-references:
Doug Lennick: Also see post 5/11/10
Fred Diel: Also see post 5/11/10
Key Word Cross-references:
Ambitious: Also see post 5/11/10
Authentic/Believable/Genuine: Also see posts 1/28/09, 2/18/09, 2/25/09, 3/16/09, 10/26/09, 12/5/09, 1/4/10, 2/24/10, 5/26/10
Humility/Humbleness: Also see post 5/11/10
Tags: Leadership
on Leadership ... by Steven Davis, CAE 
January 3, 2009 at 3:16 pm |
I agree very much with your assessement on “humility” being an important trait of leaders. For Christians, Jesus was probably the most humble “man” to every walk this earth. Following his example of humility is a great way to create true leadership of others.
On ambition, my feelings are that effective leaders are those who are driven to help others. That is why they lead. That is their ambition. It’s not about self-gratification, it’s all about helping others reach their potential and to help accomplish the leadership task at hand.
Remaining humble when you are bringing success to the leadership role takes self-discipline to prevent creation of arrogance. Maintaining ambition that drives one to help others is the fulfillment of the title, Servant leader.
Billy Arcement—The leadership strategist
January 5, 2009 at 9:52 pm |
Billy,
Thank you for joining the discussion! Your comments make good sense to me. Re ambition, your mention that “effecitve leaders are those who are driven to help others” fits my sense of things. There is a considerable gap between the self-focusing side of ambition and that which is focused on achievement that benefits others. I think you are right … I think that the Lennick/Diel quote previously provided speaks to the positive and constructive side of ambition … the drive that gives forth the difference that leaders seek to make.
Steven