Living in Increase (Part 6) - Increase in LeadershipSample

Humble Leaders Put Others First

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” – C.S. Lewis

Humility means that you stop putting yourself first. When a team leader leads with humility, she should think of her members before herself. We must remember that our teams are not successful because of what we have done; instead, the success we experience comes from God’s favor on our team. Yes, you can give yourself credit. However, you must remember there is no I in “team.” If you want to work with others well, you must be willing to put others first, assist them, treat them with respect, and acknowledge their hard work.

We have a saying in Behavior Analysis: “Behavior goes where reinforcement flows.” You reinforce (reward/encourage) the behavior that you want to see. Therefore, you should praise your team members when you see behaviors you want. For example, when I see my husband doing the dishes, I compliment him and show him affection! This is primarily a joke, but we are more likely to do a behavior for which we have been rewarded.

Another example is my mom, an excellent boss (I suppose I am biased). She periodically leaves notes and treats for her employees. She praises them in front of others. This is how we should act as humble leaders!

Paul reminds us in his letter to the church at Philippi that, with humility, we should consider others more significant than ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4). We would not be where we are without our teams (remember that your “team” can also be your family). Take time today to praise someone for a job well done. It won’t just encourage them. It will also encourage you and others on your team!

Carley Sheppard

Action Step: Go out of your way today to compliment a team member publicly.