The Power of Relationships, Openness, and Trust
Given the recent upheavals in the labor market as a result of the pandemic and other intertwined factors, Humble Leadership is a book that business leaders need more than ever. The Great Resignation, as it has been dubbed, has led to companies struggling to attract and keep employees. The key driver behind resignations, whether now or pre-pandemic, has been poor management. According to multiple sources, the number one reason why employees quit their job is because of a bad boss. Only now are we seeing the amplification of resignations across the board.
This relatively easy read is co-authored by the father of organizational cultural studies, Edgar Schein, and his son, Peter. The premise is quite simple here. There are a number of proposed levels of relationship that can exist in an organization. Ranging from Level Minus 1 to Level 3, each level is characterized by a more intimate relationship than the last. Within these levels, there is a sweet spot in which lies humble leadership.
Where Humble Leadership Lies
As per the authors, most traditional organizations have comforted themselves into Level 1 relationships. This is defined as transactional and role-based. In other words, your job is X and you do Y. There is no hint of emotion or interest in developing that relationship any further. And that, my friends, is where the problem lies.
Transactional, role-based relationships need to become personized, Level 2 relationships. This is not to say you need to love your co-workers or staff (that’s more of a Level 3 arrangement). But there has to be some sort of personal connection to build internal motivation for both employer and employee to achieve organizational goals. Both need to have platforms in which they can speak up and be heard. Communication is a two-way avenue.
What I love about this book is the authors go through a number of examples across various industries including healthcare and military. There are challenges and constraints that can be faced with trying to implement humble leadership. That being said, it is a hell of a lot better than status quo. Rigid hierarchies and viewing employees as numbers with a set dollar value just will not cut it anymore. Given the dramatic shift to remote work, this is becoming even more important as employers struggle to keep employees.
Recommendation: Definitely Worth Reading
This may be one of the largest shifts in working culture we have experienced in recent memory. Humble Leadership is worth a read for leaders and staff alike. If employers truly are as tone-deaf as popular subreddit r/antiwork makes them out to be, they are in for a world of hurt.
