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How to Lead for High Performance: Connect with Humility, Elevate with Ambition
Amer Kaissi explains that the best leaders are those who combine humility with ambition to get the best out of themselves, their teams, and organizations.
Some of the leaders I work with are too ambitious, but not humble enough. You know the type: frequently wrong, but never in doubt. I once worked with a high-level healthcare executive, let’s call him Dr. Silva. He had a big, bold vision for the team, but he didn’t involve others, he rarely listened, and he imposed his opinions in meetings. We did a 360-degree evaluation of Dr. Silva, and most of his direct reports anonymously called him a “bulldozing jerk”. Dr. Silva was not an effective leader.
Other leaders that I work with are too humble, but not ambitious enough. I once worked with a retail vice president— let’s call him Kenny. Everyone loved Kenny and felt comfortable around him. Every Friday, Kenny hosted a happy hour that was always well attended. But Kenny was not assertive with his team members- he let them get away with poor performance because he dreaded having difficult conversations and hurting others’ feelings. In his 360-degree evaluation, most of his team members called him a “pushover.” Kenny was not an effective leader either.
I have been studying leadership for the last 20 years, and all the evidence suggests that if we are serious about improving employee engagement, retention, creativity, and productivity, the best leadership approach is to combine humility and ambition. I call this being a “humbitious” leader. Especially when leading during times of uncertainty and change, the best leaders are those that connect with humility and elevate with ambition. They care about their team members personally and make them feel safe, and they challenge them through drive and accountability.
Humility in leadership consists of three main pillars: self-awareness, open-mindedness, and appreciation. Self-aware leaders know their own strengths and areas for improvement, and are aware of the impact of their actions on others. Open-mindedness relates to knowing what we know and what we don’t know, inviting others to contribute, and listening to understand. Appreciation is about sharing gratitude and recognition when others are performing above and beyond expectations.
Ambition in leadership is not just about personal ambition. It is also about ambition for the team and for the organization. Ambitious leaders are competent beyond any doubt, courageous to make hard decisions under uncertainty, and confident to have the necessary difficult conversations. High-performing leaders know how to combine humility and ambition to get the best out of themselves, their teams, and organizations. They are humbitious!
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