Humility trumps arrogance in leadership success, finds study

Amid a year of elections, leadership battles and the airing of series 18 of the BBC’s The Apprentice, you may be forgiven for thinking that arrogance or self-promotion is a pathway to success in business. But research published on March 19, 2024, shows that the opposite is actually true.    

Elsa Chan, lecturer in organisational behaviour the University of Sussex Business School, and researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder, and Nanyang Technological University, conducted a survey of 610 leaders across 18 industries and 21 job functions. They examined the relationship between humility, mentoring, status, and promotability. They found that most humble leaders had the potential to wield significant influence within their organisations.  

The research showed that those demonstrating characteristics of humility - notably being open to feedback, appreciative of others’ strengths and contributions and honest about mistakes - can accrue trust by building strong relationships amongst their colleagues; all of which can be instrumental in advancing careers and gaining influence within their organisations.