Balancing confidence and humility: The mark of a great leader

Often, when people talk about leadership qualities, one of the first things that come to mind is the word “confidence.” In any endeavor, having confidence means you believe in your ability to perform with clarity, tackle challenges, and get results. Yet there’s another thing true confidence needs, which is a bit of humility.

Humility means having freedom from pride and arrogance. It means that even when you have the confidence to do a job well, you also can take a step back and recognize when you don’t have all the answers. It means you can look at the team you’ve built and see that they also have the knowledge and expertise that ensures success.

Just how do you go about balancing that line between confidence and humility? In my experience, I believe there are specific values you can embrace that will keep you in check and help you remain humble, even as you and your team find great success. Here’s where you can start.

People who are confident typically know where their strengths lie. Yet it’s every bit as important to have the kind of self-awareness to recognize your weaknesses, too. Your strengths include the skills and capabilities you have that will ensure you excel in certain areas of your life and your business. It is important to see your strengths and to use them to find where you’re best suited and to know where you’ll make the most impact.

Yet, a humble leader will also be able to acknowledge where their weaknesses lie. When we are willing to see those weaknesses, we can work toward improving them. Or, as leaders, we can fill the gaps by hiring a team that can help us grow. By being honest about your weaknesses and using them to both grow and hire, you can supplement your abilities and stay more resilient and effective in both life and business.

Some people believe knowing that you have value means you have some level of arrogance. But I believe it to be the opposite. Often, arrogance comes from a place of fear and insecurity. Knowing your worth comes from a place of honesty and humility. We all have gifts and talents, and when we recognize them, we should see them as a blessing and something that we should use to help and celebrate others.

I can’t help but think about the accolades The Jim Allen Group has collected through the years. I’m proud to say that the group I founded is a top real estate team. I know that I bring value to real estate. But talking about it also gives me the opportunity to celebrate my team and the achievements we’ve made together. As a leader, I know it took all of us to get here together. Yet I can also take pride in knowing that it took seeing my own abilities to bring it to fruition.

I talk frequently about my team, and there’s a reason for that. Great success relies on building the right team. As I mentioned above, part of humble leadership is celebrating the full team and our achievements. But before we can celebrate our wins, it takes looking for the potential each person offers. Humble leaders constantly look for the value people bring to the table because they know that’s what it takes to be highly successful in business.

Part of our job as leaders should be to look for opportunities that can help our team grow. When you look for your team’s highest potential, it shows how much you respect them and how invested you are in their success. Your role as a leader is to encourage your team to bring their unique abilities and perspectives to the table. When you foster those abilities, you’re showing that you need them on your team to be successful. It takes humility to see the bigger picture and find the right spaces for your people.

There are still businesses that exist that rely on leaders who micromanage and demand things be done as instructed from the top. However, one of the most important skills for a leader today is being able to listen. Leaders who are willing not only to listen but to hear what their team members have to say show that they are open to learning and understanding.

Actively listening will allow you to see new perspectives, concerns, and ideas that you may not see on your own. It shows that you are open to learning and improving. If your team helps you spot weaknesses you may not have seen on your own, it will improve the trust and sense of inclusion and collaboration you need for a successful business. Leaders who lack humility may hide from listening to their team, and that can be one of the worst things that can happen to a company. Good leaders are aware they can’t know everything and that they must rely on their team to make great things happen.

In business, it’s critical to be transparent with your team, which will build trust and credibility. When you’re willing to admit your mistakes and shortcomings, your team will see that you are not afraid to be vulnerable. It allows you to pivot and make better decisions when things go wrong. This also models transparency for your team, which will help your team be willing to speak up and share ideas and own their own mistakes, too. Transparency is empowering for leaders.

We all make mistakes in life; it’s part of being human. Humble leaders recognize that fact, and they see that mistakes can lead to new choices and fresh perspectives. Be willing to talk about the mistakes that helped you get to where you are today. It helps people see that you’re authentic and are willing to learn.

Confidence without humility is just ego, and that leads to ineffective leadership. Great leaders are willing to admit their shortcomings without losing sight of the success they’ve had along the way. Have you found ways to balance confidence and humility? Share the values you’ve embraced in the comments below.

Jim Allen is a business leader and entrepreneur who has built one of the top-producing real estate groups in the Triangle. He is President of The Jim Allen Group, which is consistently named one of the top real estate teams in North Carolina and even North America.