Yes. I was surprised as well. What types of jobs would want humility! It was interesting to see this new trait being expected in job postings.

Few job postings that I was impressed to see humility appear explicitly as an expected trait!

Leadership roles

Roles that focus on people leadership seem to expect humility as a trait in the recent job postings! The ease with which employees will reach out to their leaders to have conversations or discuss ideas seem to be better with leaders who are seen as approachable and humble. Humble leadership seems to be a key theme in some organizations.

Humility in leadership feeds overall effectiveness

Managerial roles

People management roles, HR roles, D&I roles seem to need the same criteria as well! Approachability seems to be key, and humility seems to be linked to approachability. Supporting a work environment as a humble workplace, and creating a team that aligns to these values becomes critical.

Humility in the workplace is critical to manage in an idea-driven environment

Why is humility important in the workplace

Humble people are seen as those who do not distort information to defend or verify their own image, and they do not need to present themselves as being better than they actually are.  Humility (derived from a Latin word) literally means being grounded. It means being so sure of yourself that you don’t have to call undo attention to yourself. Humility need not be viewed as weakness or sign of insecurity. Quite the opposite – it is often seen as a virtue.

How do managers and leaders exhibit humility

Humble leaders and managers are consistent and disciplined in their treatment of others. They treat everyone with respect regardless of their position, role or title. They understand their limitations. Humble leaders have the confidence to recognize their own weaknesses.

Be humble, yet hungry attitude

How can one exhibit humility at work

While humility cannot be faked for long, one can genuinely develop the skill over a period of time!

1. Being open to listen to others perspectives and inputs during conversations helps.
2. Although you understand the other person’s point of view, letting them present it helps (instead of pre-empting it and responding to it).
3. Be consistent in appreciating your team in front of them and behind their backs
4. Being aware that there might always be someone better than you, still being confident of one’s own abilities
5. Buck stops with you. Instead of playing the blame game, own up and take charge!
6. Empower and delegate frequently, help their pick up their skills in the process (thereby reducing the need for micro-management)
7. Seek feedback and be open to criticism. Not everyone might like you and it would still be fine!

Confidence comes from your awareness of your strengths, abilities and your areas of weakness. You would be more comfortable having your team fill in, where you might have an area of weakness tapping into your leadership capabilities!

This quote resonates very well with them –

Confidence isn’t walking into a room thinking you are better than everyone else, it is walking in and not having to compare yourself in the first place.

While humble leadership as a theme has been there for quite some time, explicitly asking for this trait in job postings is an interesting change – especially in the era of startups and AI!