Why are humble leaders successful and revered?

A young priest asked Saint Teresa of Calcutta: “To whom do you attribute your success as a leader?  Saint Teresa said to the young priest, “My success in this endeavor has nothing to do  about me, I am a non-entity here this is all from God and all about the love of God.”

Humble leaders like Saint Teresa of Calcutta is always revered, always remembered and not forgotten. Why? This is for the reason that they don’t own to themselves their success. They always point to someone who greatly influenced them and someone whom they greatly respect and follow. They also always point to circumstances and situation that made it easier for them to become a successful leader.

Humble Leaders don’t think of themselves as somebody who dispenses power, authority and influence. They think of themselves as servants, they are always present and ready to serve. Present not to publicize themselves but to minimize themselves through their acts of service and humility. In the process of minimizing/humbling themselves they are greatly albeit silently revered and respected.  

It’s hard for many of us to understand why a humble leader is a servant. But Servanthood is the truest essence and meaning of successful leadership. There can be no successful leadership without Servanthood and Humility.

Many organizational leaders/managers are not successful in their function of leadership. For the simple reason that they lack humility and the mentality of a servant. However, what does it mean to be humble? Or how could we become humble leaders and how are we going to live the life of a servant in an organization where we are supposed to be the leader?

Basically, we could become humble leaders if we are not conscious with our position in an organization. For example, being the boss, leaders/managers are usually used to being served and being the first in everything amongst many.

A humble leader with a servant mentality will never allow himself/herself to be served and to be the first in everything. Instead of being served he/she would be willing to serve. And instead of being first in everything he/she would happily allow himself/herself to become the least amongst many. 

Humble leaders are never arrogant, they don’t speak based on impulse and they don’t use vulgar words. They instead carefully process first what they are going to say and do. 

They think through it and if they find out that what they will say would never hurt the feelings and sensibilities of their subordinates they then say it. -  Marino J. Dasmarinas