“Humbition”: Success Formula for Neo-Age Leaders
Today’s leaders need to combine hitherto contrasting traits, whilst shedding off expired attributes
On a Monday morning, I had just sat down at my desk already caught up on emails through the transit, when my then manager walked over to me and said,
“Hey Shagun, I’m working on a new client request. I have the theory ready, but just wanted to understand more on, if the approach actually translates well in the practical field? Is it easily implementable?
Can you advise me?”
Advise my “holy” manager?
The person had been a consultant manager since I was still in school. The problem he brought to me was not an unstructured problem. Certainly not a new expertise area for him. But just the sheer humility of him reaching out for any “new” updates, from a beginner associate like me, was big.
Therefore, in the later years, I was not amused when he led dozens of projects in that domain area, some of which I was part of.
While the manager was no less “ambitious” in expanding projects in that area, it was his “humility” which ensured the success of his initiatives. Almost more than a decade ago, this is what Jane Harper, an IBM HR veteran, termed as Humbition.
What is Humbition?
In her own words, the concept means—
“The more I know, the more I know there is more to know”
In more plain language, humbition is a harmonic blend of humility and ambition in any individual which drives him/ her to move forward, whilst always being mindful of not being the know-it-all person.
Traditionally, leaders have been grown to think that they can’t be humble and ambitious at the same time. These two traits just don’t fit in the same boat. A leader should, as a “matter of fact”,
- Know everything,
- (To) Take all decisions,
- In their “own” way.
Well, all the above three are scarily wrong.
Know everything
Today, more than ever, in an ever complex and co-dependent ecosystem, one simply cannot know everything. Business analytics need technology support, technology decisions need financial guidance, and so on. It is not a steadfast business world today.
Take all decisions
Second, why are we still asking leaders to take/ sign-off/ validate ALL the decisions? Isn’t it against the very nature of a structural hierarchy? A leader should only be taking decisions which require their role and experience.
For rest, they should be focusing on enabling their team members to make decisions. This undue pressure of thinking about taking all decisions, and of course — taking the right decisions, is what leads to frustration and wrong decisions in the workplace. The humility on the part of the leaders here should be to step down, either to delegate the decision making or to understand the problem at hand in more depth to enable better decision making.
In my own way
Third, the most widespread, and the most dangerous notion -
“Doing things my way”.
As leaders, this tendency might come very naturally to some people. They have had this experience from their leaders and therefore, now having authority, in theory, they should be the drivers of this chariot called team, project, or a company. Now the problem in this is, the theory falls short in more than one way.
When a single person tends to push his/ her way forward in solving a problem, using their authority, all the co-workers feel demotivated and disrespected. Innovative ideas are crushed, the second line of leaders are not developed.
While in the short run this might give a feeling of control to the lead, yet in the long term, it is detrimental to both the company and the leader as it gives way to a fragile operational structure and frequent sub-optimal solutions, all falling on direct shoulders of the leader.
Humbition: Is it even practical?
Short answer — Yes.
Some time back, I did a simple analysis to find the right recipe for a successful leader. I reverse-engineered the qualities of a great leader, to find the competencies a current leader needs to incorporate, to elevate his/ her role. I referred to the study of leadership development consultant Dr Sunnie Giles, on 10 top-rated qualities of a leader.
I observed, that the maximum no. of competencies in a single bucket fell under ‘Efficient learning’. This bucket translates into qualities of leaders to have
- Flexibility in changing opinions,
- Being open to new ideas and approaches, and
- Provide safety for trial and error.
This analysis reaffirms our understanding of the fact, that none of these qualities can coexist in the real world if the leader is charged with an undying spirit of doing-it-all, my way. A leader should guide his/ her approach to work using humbition.
Concluding thought
A strong leader does not take decisions, but enables them. They don’t necessarily devise solutions but see it as their job to find the right solvers from their team or outside. Humility is an essential trait that is required in the nature of an ambitious leader.
“The more I know, the more I know there is more to know”