In organizations that operate in a state of fierce competition, employees often perceive their leaders as infallible authorities who can handle any challenge on their own. But as Edgar H. Schein and Peter A. Schein explain in their book “Humble Leadership: The Power of Relationships, Openness, and Trust”, companies do not benefit from positioning their leaders as untouchable. Instead, they need to shift to a collaborative, cooperative, and relationship-based model. This modern approach is called “humble leadership” and is based on open and trusting relationships across all groups in the company.
The role of the leader
The authors define four basic levels of leadership relationships. While “level minus 1” relies on domination and “level 1” is a formal style based solely on job description and rules, humble leadership takes “level 2.” Humble leadership is distinct from the authoritarian style, which often leads to a lack of trust in the workplace.
Level 2 leaders recognize the individuality of their employees and know that each of them has an important contribution to make. They replace subordination with cooperation. This style is effective not only for senior management, but also for doctors and teachers, who find that personal relationships with colleagues are more lasting and successful than strictly formal ones. The highest “level 3” represents cohesive leadership, characteristic of highly coordinated teams, as only this can ensure the necessary caliber of high performance.
Level 2 Leadership
Moving from Level 1 to Level 2 requires focused effort. New leaders must reflect on group processes and the dynamics of complex systems. They also need to develop their behavioral skills. This is achieved through conversations that are a little more personal than usual, mutual disclosure of information, maintaining eye contact, and active listening. This process does not follow a set formula but relies on the leader’s intuition.
Humble leadership
Today’s challenges increasingly require “level 2” leadership because tasks are becoming exponentially more difficult and traditional management culture lacks a long-term vision. New generations are looking for meaning in their work and expect their companies to be socially responsible.
The transition from heroic to humble leadership is not simply a matter of style, but a necessity dictated by the increasing complexity of tasks and changing social values. Humble leadership will evolve by focusing on building strong relationships. Level 2 leaders create a culture of openness and trust, which is the only way to maintain high productivity and employee engagement in the future. This model ensures that group dynamics prevail over individualism and that the organization remains adaptive, sustainable, and people-oriented.
