InSights - Fall 2018

Page 1

InSights

A publication from the Albers School of Business and Economics the Center for Leadership Formation fall 201 8

By Marilyn Gist and Alan Mulally

S

trong organizations rest on understanding that the “What,” “Why,” “How,” and “Who” of leadership are each critical to success. If leaders have great vision and strategy (“why” and “what”) but are not able to align and motivate people (“how” and “who”), implementation will suffer and strategy will be ineffective. On the other hand, leaders can be great with people but not good with vision and strategy and the organization will flounder. So leaders need to be competent in all four areas. Our last article explained the “What,” “Why,” and “How.” In this issue, we address the compelling factor of “Who.” Fundamentally, because leadership involves working together with people, who the leader is will have significant influence on behavior and culture, and

the resulting performance. Let’s begin with the most important aspects of character or personality first, then we conclude with interpersonal behaviors.

Drive. At heart, leaders need to be driven and confident—perhaps more than most people but not to the extent where they overrun others. In Level 5 Leadership (2005), Jim Collins reported findings that the best organizations were led by leaders who had “fierce resolve” (i.e., strong professional drive) coupled with personal humility. Their drive is apparent in a willingness to work hard, and do so for the benefit of the organization and its vision. In essence, they have a drive to serve and make a meaningful contribution to the greater good.

Leaders should show a willingness to do most tasks in the organization, yet maintain a focus on the tasks that are best done by them. As we have indicated before, the leader’s most important contribution is to hold him- or herself and the leadership team collectively responsible and accountable for defining a compelling vision, comprehensive strategy, and relentless implementation. Leaders must show their energy and enthusiasm for the vision, and have a very strong success orientation. This means they define measures for success and frequently track organizational progress against those measures. Others are able to see how hard the leaders work at this, and feel motivated to contribute their part to strong implementation. Continued on page 4


Letter from the Dean

T

in this issue Who You Are Matters / 1 A Letter from the Dean / 2 Sally Jewell on Humility and Leadership / 3 The Virtue of Humility / 6 “How, Now, Must We Live?” / 8 On Dignity, Humility & the Importance of Being Seen / 9 – 12 Recognizing the Value of Women’s “Hidden Work” / 13 Research-Based Suggestions for Leaders / 14 TrendWatch / 15 Upcoming Events /20

his past year we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Executive Leadership Program, a program we are proud of because of its transformational effects on program graduates. We’re also proud of its #11 ranking by US News and World Report among EMBA programs nationally. Is it possible to be both proud and humble? I hope so, because this edition of InSights is about the role of humility in effective leadership! If you trace the term humility back, you will find it described as lowness, insignificance, or meekness. Of course, that is not what we have in mind when we use humility in the context of leadership. Leaders, in this context, aren’t concerned with a personal agenda, but are focused primarily on the organization’s mission. We know humility in leadership when we see it. It’s a lot easier to follow that leader than the alternative — the not-so-humble leader. The humble leader does not use the word “I’ very much, and when he or she uses the word “we,” it comes across in an authentic fashion (we all know not-so-humble leaders who use “we” in less than convincing fashion). The Executive Leadership Program has had tremendous impact on our graduates and in the community, over the years. Looking ahead, we hope you will enjoy this issue of InSights on the power of humility in effective leadership!

Joseph M. Phillips Dean, Albers School of Business and Economics

Center for Leadership Formation Staff Dr. Marilyn E. Gist Associate Dean, Executive Programs Professor, Department of Management Executive Director, Center for Leadership Formation Ariel Rosemond Associate Director Kathleen McGill Manager, Executive Programs Outreach Lorri Sheffer Programs Manager

Center for Leadership Formation Fellows Alan Mulally Senior Fellow, Former President & CEO Ford Motor Company Phyllis Campbell Chairman, Pacific Northwest, JP Morgan Chase Jim Dwyer President & CEO, Delta Dental of Washington Allan Golston President, US Program Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Jim Sinegal Co-Founder & Retired CEO, Costco Wholesale

Brian Webster President & CEO, Physio-Control, Inc. Center for Leadership Formation Advisory Board Lindsay Anderson Vice President Quality, Retired Boeing Commercial Airplanes Lorrie Baldevia Senior Vice President MCM Sallie Bondy Director, Business Operations for Boeing Fabrication The Boeing Company

Page 2 / A lbers S chool of B usiness and E conomics I seattle university


Sally Jewell on Humility and Leadership

Following an early career as an engineer in the oil and gas industries, Sally Jewell became a senior executive in both the commercial banking and retail industries. She has served as Chief Operating Officer, and subsequently as Chief Executive Officer, of Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI). Sally was next selected by former President Barack Obama, and confirmed by Congress, as Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior. Seattle University conferred upon her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 2018. The following conversation is between Sally Jewell and Dr. Marilyn Gist, Associate Dean for Executive Programs, Seattle University. MG: Do you think arrogance is a strength in leadership today? What positive results does it generate? Negative results?

MG: Can you think of a time when you could have used your own position power to get something done, but chose to use your humility instead?

SJ: Leaders can be effective even if they’re not humble. But it’s different. I met with a well-known oil company executive when I was Secretary of the Interior. He was very arrogant and clearly had a successful career. I was having a thoughtful discussion with leading oil industry CEOs from around the world when this man walked in the room. His arrogance took over at that point, and the ability to have a respectful dialogue ceased. He showed a total lack of willingness to listen to the group or figure out what was going on. It was clear that the group was intimidated by his presence, and we lost the value of our discussion that may have prevailed through a more respectful approach.

SJ: When I became Secretary of Interior, I came in with little knowledge of government. It’s such a different world. During my preparation for confirmation hearings, I was told many times, “You can’t trust anybody here. You must bring in your own team.” I said, “No, my teams have come from business and I need people who understand government.” I realized I needed to assess the talent that was there, find out how to fill the gaps in my own skills with people I could trust—all in a high visibility environment where everything I said could and would be used against me. I found I could trust people. For example, during my confirmation process, I had a young advisor who

Humility is a strength. had a great nose for talent and trustworthiness. Another, more senior advisor had great substance and was strong on policy. After being confirmed, I met with just about every member of my predecessor’s team. I had a particularly memorable exchange with the communications director, where she told me, “It’s not true—there are people you can trust.” I learned that a few people had agendas and went from being helpful to being manipulative, but that was the exception and those few were encouraged to move on. I’m proud that Continued on page 7

Mike Ehl Director, Aviation Operations Port of Seattle Brad Harlow CEO & President PhysioSonics Aaron Howes Vice President, Risk Management & Insurance Expeditors International of Washington O. David Jackson CEO & Managing Partner Altruist Partners Kate Joncas Owner PlaceStrategic

Harvey Kanter Chairman of the Board Blue Nile Jim Klauer Senior Vice President, Non-Foods Merchandising Costco Wholesale John Milne Sr. Vice President, Real Estate and Construction Providence St. Joseph Health Doug Moore President McKinstry Company

Sarah Patterson Executive Vice President & COO Virginia Mason Medical Center Chris Rivera Chairman, President & CEO Nativis, Inc. Dan Wall President, Global Products Expeditors International of Washington

fall 2 0 1 8 I seattleu . edu / albers / e x ecutive / page 3


ek. e m r o d i e not tim r a s r e d ing and Good lea l l i w e b to They need e risks. ak able to t WHO YOU ARE MATTERS Continued from page 1

Strong professional drive tends to come with confidence. Good leaders are not timid or meek. They need to be willing and able to take risks. Mediocrity is not a good option for any organization because competition or market disruption will cause mediocre organizations to fall farther behind. Yet organizational advance requires strategy and effort in directions that are novel and sometimes risky. It takes confidence, not timidity, for a leader to embrace that future and lead others there. Leaders also need to be confident in handling power and criticism. At every level, leaders hold some degree of power over others. Those who are meek may not be comfortable using that power appropriately to advance the organization. Examples of this occur when meekness causes leaders to shy away from difficult strategic or personnel decisions. Another way in which confidence is important comes from the fact that leaders are visible. Inevitably, they will face criticism, whether from those below or from peers or external stakeholders. It takes confidence, not meekness, to handle the criticism well—to be strong in the face of it, yet non-defensive and open to learning from feedback. Their

ar

Confidence.

M

Note that leaders’ professional drive is aimed at organizational success. It is not about personal gain, although that may follow. Individuals who are mainly concerned about their own career growth or personal benefits are not very inspiring to follow. People want to contribute to great causes, not to work for someone else’s personal gain.

confidence is derived from the belief in the vision, strategy, and the power of working together with il people using the yn Gi st teamwork behaviors we discuss below. However, while confidence is important, it is especially important that leaders avoid arrogance. This can show up in several ways: being overly critical and/or publicly critical of others’ work, being boastful and selfaggrandizing, or being condescending or insulting about others’ personal attributes. These behaviors imply an air of feeling superior to others. Instead of motivating people, arrogance is demotivational. Others sense that the leader is focused on him/herself or personal gain—not the broader vision or good of the team. They may also feel personally devalued. By contrast, personal humility is an asset. As Collins found, leaders high in personal humility motivated others to achieve more. Personal humility can be demonstrated by: giving credit for successes to the team while taking blame for mistakes and failures, avoiding bragging about personal successes, showing a keen interest in others and respecting their contributions. It is critically important that leaders be high in self-awareness. They need an objective sense of their own strengths and weaknesses. Objectivity requires reconciling one’s personal views with the views

of others. Some of this can be gained by personal reflection and soliciting informal feedback from others. Many organizations also use “360” feedback tools as a way of sharing what others who surround leaders observe about their capabilities. Another way of gaining feedback is through the service of an executive coach. All these methods can provide useful information to the leader, yet they are just one-half of the equation. The other half is how well the leader receives and processes it. People who are arrogant tend to think they already know everything they need to know; they are not good candidates for learning or improvement. Conversely, people who are low in confidence are often defensive. They tend to find fault with the feedback itself (or the feedback giver) due to insecurity. Leaders who are arrogant, as well as those who are low in confidence will struggle to learn and improve because they are relatively closed to constructive criticism. By contrast, leaders who are confident, but not arrogant or defensive, are best at seeking and using feedback to improve their effectiveness. They view feedback as an opportunity to learn. And rather than deflect feedback that may not fit or feel comfortable, they consider it while carefully observing themselves

Page 4 / A lbers S chool of B usiness and E conomics I seattle university


going forward for further insight on the behavior.

Integrity. Integrity refers to consistency between word and deed. Because people rely on leaders to act on their behalf, they also rely on leaders to do what they say. High integrity is best maintained when leaders have two supporting tendencies: strong ethics and honesty. Ethics refers to strong moral principles that guide behavior. Although most people claim to be ethical, the challenges leaders face are highly complex and often involve tradeoffs. The nature of business can sometimes place leaders on the edge between right and wrong. They may also face expectations of achieving goals ‘at all costs’ which could cause them to compromise ethical values. Those with high integrity realize that their internal moral compass needs to guide their external behavior. By acting on this, they will be respected for “doing the right thing.” Honesty refers to communicating truthfully to others. Leaders need to be honest and transparent in their dealings. Although confidentiality requirements sometimes limit what can be shared, leaders can acknowledge

Dr. Marilyn E. Gist is Associate Dean for Executive Programs and Professor of Management, Albers School of Business and Economics, Seattle University. In addition, she serves as Executive Director of the Center for Leadership Formation providing academic direction for the executive degree and certificate programs. Prior to this, Marilyn held the Boeing Endowed Professorship of Business Management at the University of Washington, where she was also the Faculty Director for Executive MBA programs. In addition to her academic roles, she has served in management positions in the public and private sectors, and has extensive consulting experience. Marilyn has over 25 publications in leading scholarly outlets. Her publications include “Developing Dual-Agenda Leaders” (coauthored

that constraint while still being truthful in sharing what they can. Excessive secrecy implies mistrust of others, and misinformation will lead to mistrust of the leader. In sum, leaders who are characterized by strong professional drive, balanced confidence, and high integrity have much going for them. What matters is how they behave when interacting with others.

Teamwork Behaviors. We have previously shared the list of “Expected Behaviors” from the Working Together Management System. We repeat them below, then offer important observations about what they mean in terms of ‘who’ the leader is: m People first m Everyone is included m Compelling vision, comprehensive strategy, and relentless implementation plan m Clear performance goals m One plan m Facts and data—we can’t manage a secret—the data sets us free m Everyone knows the plan, status, and areas that need special attention m Propose a plan, positive “find-a-way” attitude m Respect, listen, help, and appreciate each other

with Professor Sharon Lobel) in the 2012 Journal of Corporate Citizenship, and ”Self-Efficacy” (coauthored with Angela Gist) in the 2013 Oxford Bibliographies in Management. Marilyn also leads an online community discussion on humility and impactful leadership via her blog at https:// www.marilyngist.com/. Alan Mulally served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Ford Motor Company and as a member of Ford’s board of directors from September 2006 – June 2014. Mulally joined Alphabet’s board of directors in July 2014, the board of directors of Carbon 3D in May 2015, and the board of directors of Mayo Clinic in February 2017. Prior to joining Ford, Mulally served as Executive Vice President of The Boeing Company, President and CEO of

Emotional resilience—trust the process m Have fun—enjoy the journey and each other m

These behaviors rest on the leader having a genuine love of people. Yes, we use the word “love.” It can’t be faked. Placing “people first” means genuinely caring about them. “Everyone is included” means everyone. “Respect, listen, help, and appreciate each other” means the leader has to demonstrate and require those behaviors. No jokes are allowed at others’ expense; no fear or intimidation is allowed either. Only in this way will facts and data be shared openly. “Everyone knows the plan…” means that the leader is honest and transparent and creates an environment where others will be, too. Finally, these behaviors require the leader to be self-aware and create a positive emotional impact. “Emotional resilience” and “Have fun…” encourage a healthy organizational culture. Leaders need to display enthusiasm for the vision and strategy, appreciation for the progress being made, and encouragement for the work ahead. Their own emotions have an impact on the entire team. We close with this advice: “Smile! Your face doesn’t belong to you anymore.”

Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and President of Boeing Information, Space and Defense Systems. Mulally served on President Obama‘s United States Export Council, as Co-Chairman of the Washington Competitiveness Council, and has served on the advisory boards of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the University of Washington, the University of Kansas, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the United States Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of England’s Royal Academy of Engineering. Mulally is Senior Fellow of the Center for Leadership Formation at Seattle University.

fall 2 0 1 8 I seattleu . edu / albers / e x ecutive / page 5


The Virtue of Humility BY JEFFERY Smith

T

his past April two African American men, Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson, were confronted at a Starbucks store in Philadelphia, first by employees and then by police, for trespassing after they declined to make a purchase while waiting for a business associate. This situation ended poorly for all parties involved. The manager, who called police, while ostensibly acting on store policy may have acted with bias that precipitated the arrest. Robinson and Nelson were forced to bear an indignity in public and experience what many others perceived as overt injustice. And Starbucks found itself squarely in the middle of a much larger debate about institutional racism. My graduate students and I discussed this case at length shortly after it came to light. Much of their

And, most importantly, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson offered what most of my students took to be an authentic apology, properly contrite and directed not just to Robinson and Nelson but to other stakeholders. Within a short period of time Schultz and Johnson embraced one of the most challenging principles of ethical leadership: the failings of an organization’s members, more often than not, reflect the failings of their leaders. Accepting this principle demands a large degree of humility. Executives at Starbucks admitted that they hadn’t given this problem enough attention and were “ashamed.” They recognized that they missed the signs that such an event could occur within their stores. Even more noteworthy was their upfront commitment to listen and learn from those parties for whom the event

accept her own mistakes, allow others to expose her own errors and explore her own limitations. A result of this is that a humble person is one who comes to know things better over time. They seek out new ways of seeing a problem that may expose poor judgment. They solicit advice to shed light on new facts that may have been overlooked. They accept what they do not understand and appropriately suspend their judgments about what is true or what is best for others. The most laudable part of Starbucks’ response to the Philadelphia incident, thus, was the decision to become better informed of the problem of racial bias. First, a focus on Starbucks’ day-to-day operations was imperative. The half-day closure of all stores to engage in a companywide discussion and bias training was

…confidence can be found within humility. attention was focused on Starbucks’ response in the weeks after the arrest. They noted how Starbucks’ Executive Chairman Howard Schultz promptly met with Robinson and Nelson as well as the store manager. Schultz spoke directly and without equivocation. He did not “blame” the manager for the incident but, instead, internalized this problem as a moral shortcoming of executive leaders. He stressed that this was a moment for the company to examine its larger practices and organizational culture around race.

was painful. In many ways this case illustrates both the importance—and power—of humility for leaders. The philosopher Valerie Tiberius has noted that humility is not simply self-effacement or self-abnegation. It does not involve unduly lowering one’s abilities or accomplishments; rather, it is a trait that draws us away from relying on our own settled beliefs and opens us up toward the varied experiences and expertise offered by others. A person with humility stands ready and willing to observe and

the first step in this longer process of becoming more knowledgeable. The company admitted that it did not have a store- or company-level solution for racial bias readily available and that a full understanding was only possible by drawing upon the recommendations of individuals from affected communities and those with expertise in implicit bias. Second, the event allowed Starbucks’ employees to understand how the company’s general values, such as its stated aim to be a warm, welcoming “third place” away from

Page 6 / A lbers S chool of B usiness and E conomics I seattle university


Sally Jewell on humility and leadership home and work, can provide guidance in rethinking particular policies affecting its customers. Humility is indispensable when making complex decisions that affect the well-being of diverse organizations. It is a virtue that is part and parcel of the holistic, nuanced judgment needed by ethical leaders. What’s more, humility itself creates a virtuous circle. It allows leaders to remain aware, listen to critics and remain open minded, which, in turn, help cultivate an appropriate amount of self-awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses. This only helps to fine-tune a habit of humility over time. None of this suggests that humble leaders lack self-confidence or clarity of mind. Quite the contrary: humility is exactly the trait that allows leaders to build confidence and clarity about what to do based on greater perspicuity through more complete information, more reasonable assumptions, and sufficient grounding in the best available arguments. Indeed the case of Starbucks illustrates how confidence can be found within humility. The company’s leaders confidently believed that a moral wrong had been visited upon Robinson and Nelson and that this wrong was something incompatible with the values of the company. This level of decisiveness was possible through the admission that there were things that leaders simply did not understand. Dr. Jeffery Smith is Seattle University’s Boeing Frank Shrontz Chair in Professional Ethics and Professor of Management in the Albers School of Business and Economics. He is currently President of the Society for Business Ethics. Professor Smith’s work at the intersection of philosophy and business has been published in journals such as Business Ethics Quarterly, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, and the Journal of Business Ethics, and he is the coauthor of the internationally recognized text Ethics and the Conduct of Business (Pearson). He has held visiting appointments at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, the Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics and the Keck Graduate Institute. Professor Smith received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Continued from page 3

our team worked well together and supported each other’s success. MG: People often consider humility a weakness in leadership. Do you? And how do you define humility? SJ: It’s a strength. Humility is a willingness to seek guidance and advice broadly, to listen, and to demonstrate a willingness to adapt and change your assumptions. That includes listening to people who may be younger or less experienced. When I was at REI and visiting a retail store, I generally made a beeline to the cashiers, the bike shop, the storeroom and warehouse area. I wanted to greet and listen to people who worked throughout the store.

Humility in leadership is most effective around the employee experience. It shows respect, of course, but it’s also a great place for insight. The higher someone is in power, the more people around you curate the information they provide you. The farther from power people are, the more willing they are to talk. I believe in connecting with people at all levels of the organization, demonstrating a genuine willingness to listen and take action. At Interior, the need for this was magnified, yet much more difficult. I had many handlers trying to control my time. Early on, they’d schedule a visit to a park, facility or tribe for me to have a fast meeting, then race to another site, grabbing a sandwich on the way. I said, “Whoa! I’m not leaving without spending time to meet the people who carry out our work to better understand their jobs and how we can support their mission. For example, on public lands, I wanted to meet with rangers, firefighters, scientists, people on the front lines and behind the scenes to better understand our responsibilities. With tribes, I learned the importance of showing respect, which included allowing time to get to know them personally and see first hand their cultures and better understand my role in carrying out our government-to-government responsibilities. MG: What do you see as the effects of a leader’s humility on other people in an organization? And on organizational outcomes? SJ: There are examples of companies that changed the world where the leaders are interpersonally humble—Jim Sinegal of Costco, for example. Humility in leadership is most effective around the employee experience. It helps people do their best work for the company. I’ve learned that the most effective way to lead is through influence and not power. An example of that comes from parenting: Toilet training is all influence and no power! And I once had a boss who told me, “You synthesize fast. You often get to the right answer quickly. The problem is you just say it. Then it’s out there and people start shooting it down. Instead, why not ask questions? Nudge a little bit until they suggest it.” The humility involved in doing that allows other people to contribute more. Continued on page 16

fall 2 0 1 8 I seattleu . edu / albers / e x ecutive / page 7


“How, Now, Must We Live?” BY Sharon Daloz Parks

I

n today’s new commons— complex, diverse, morally challenging, and clogged with unintended consequences—the ancient question re-emerges: “How, now, must we live?” A fitting and wise response necessarily includes “with humility.” Ironically, at a time when arrogance and bullying are on parade in the public square, humility is steadily climbing up the rank order of vital capacities required for effective leadership. My preferred definition of humility is “a sense of right proportion.” Humility is the capacity to discern one’s place and relationships among disparate elements and neither over claim nor under claim the power of one’s role and competence within a radically interdependent world. That is, a firm grip on reality is a primary steppingstone into the practice of humility. Humility requires a kind of courage to rightly calibrate and honor both our strengths and our limits. To be clear, humility as described here can and usually does walk hand-in-hand with a fierce clarity of deep purpose and commitment. Moreover, in ways both seen and unseen, a practice of humility fosters the common good because it resists the claims of mere self-interest, calls for being exquisitely attuned to a larger ecology of life, makes room for the contributions of others, and at the same time enables us to step up and be responsible for our own power and role within that larger scheme of things—a sense of right proportion that can take more into account and optimize the good of all. The value of humility has become

more notable because today’s organizations require leadership that can comfortably handle ambiguity in the face of a relentless call for innovation and creativity. The process of creativity requires going to the edge of “business as usual” and facing an unknown frontier. Humility is a hallmark of leadership that can find a comfort zone on that edge of knowing and not knowing, and can hold authority and maintain trust in uncertain conditions. This capacity for humility matters, in part, because humility yields three inter-related and essential qualities of effective leadership: Curiosity, patience, and the courage to fail. 1) Curiosity. In the practice of leadership, humility reflects an awareness of one’s own finitude (and often also the finitude of one’s organization when patterns that are familiar—even lauded—are no longer fitting). Such awareness can spur curiosity. As the velocity of change accelerates, active curiosity about how to gain insight by collaborating across functional boundaries with genuine enthusiasm for the good ideas of others—whether within or beyond one’s own organization and field of competence—becomes a key strength. Curiosity requires the capacity to say, “I don’t know.” Curiosity unlocks the imagination and opens the door to

My preferred definition of humility is “a sense of right proportion.”

surprise. Hard core assumptions may dissolve and new options may appear. Curiosity emerges in the gap between what is and what could be, and humility is the soil, the seedbed, of curiosity. Indeed, the word humility is rooted in the word humus, meaning soil—also the root of the word human. “Dust we are and to dust we shall return.” (Genesis 3:19, NIV) The trick is to avoid the mis-evaluation of that dust. 2) Patience—the capacity to wait, to pause. Most of us work in places that expect us to take action, be decisive, make decisions “in real time.” Humility re-orients our relationship with time, because humility is formed in our relationship with truth—that is, the recognition that not all truth has been given into our keeping nor does new insight necessarily arrive on demand. The facts may be brutal, but our perspective is always partial. Our expertise is always conditional. Yes, there are times when in the moment we must “go with our gut,” but more often, critical decisions cannot be made without, as it were, “time on the balcony.” We need to take the time to move from the thrill and stress of the dance floor to the balcony, where we can read the larger patterns alive in the dance. There we glean a larger view and can discern more possibilities about how we want to re-enter the dance—to join or change the rhythm, re-align or keep the partnerships, deepen or recast the purpose of it all. “The balcony” is a primary place for learning to tolerate our longing for insight, which in the life of the mind appears as a gift for which we must often wait. Effective action follows reflection, and reflective time is hard to come by if we only ricochet off one deadline after another. Humility gives us the strength to pause.

Page 8 / A lbers S chool of B usiness and E conomics I seattle university

Continued on page 17


Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. – T.S. Eliot

The other half is done by people who are important and have forgotten how to feel. – Judge Lynn Toler

Being “seen” is a fundamental human need. It’s about dignity: we all have and need a sense of self-worth.

fall 2 0 1 8 I seattleu . edu / albers / e x ecutive / page 9


Imagine being “seen” In my first encounter with Jim Sinegal when he was CEO of Costco Wholesale, I was struck by the remarkable humility he showed when he: 1. answered his own phone when I happened to call him cold 2. was being honest with me, a stranger to him, when he said he needed to check his calendar about his availability (later proven when he agreed to my request) 3. and called me back himself. Even if he had denied my request, points 1 and 3 would have carried the day! Why? Because it’s unusual for a CEO of a huge organization to behave this way. As we grow higher in leadership positions, we tend to delegate tasks like phone and calendar management to assistants. I’m not saying this practice is wrong. But occasionally doing these tasks on our own provides a personal touch that makes others feel “seen” and valued. Being “seen” is a fundamental human need. As Lee Odden (CEO of TopRank Marketing) said, “People will work for money, but die for recognition.” It’s about dignity: we all have and need a sense of self-worth. When someone treats us respectfully, our dignity is supported. And when someone goes the extra mile, we bask in the feeling that we have been “seen” in an exceptionally positive way. In a gesture of less than five minutes total, Jim Sinegal’s fundamental humility showed that my worth as a human being mattered to him. I felt “seen,” and that left a lasting impression on me. I already respected him for his position; now I admired him as a human being.

A leader’s humility also has the most impact on employee engagement. Gallup considers employees to be engaged with work when they are involved and enthusiastic about it, as well as committed to their work and workplace. Gallup averaged U.S. employee engagement last year at a dismal 34%. That implies that two-thirds of all employees come to work, do what they must, and go home. Great leaders place attention squarely on the people they rely on to achieve the organization’s goals. When people feel “seen” and valued as human beings, they tend to give their all. The fundamental question each of us has of our leaders is:

Do you see me?

When a leader’s behavior fails to signal “Yes!”, he or she is engaging in (and inviting in return) transactional behavior. Instead of pursuing greater cost savings, or more advertising, imagine helping leaders capture the full energies of even 10% more of those who have low engagement. How about 20 or 40%? What could that do for productivity? Innovation? Retention? Performance management begins with selecting and managing leaders who genuinely care about people. Many organizations — and many leaders — think they are already doing that. Our engagement numbers say we haven’t even begun. - Marilyn E. Gist

Page 1 0 / A lbers S chool of B usiness and E conomics I seattle university


People will work for a living, but they’ll die for recognition. – lee odden

When people feel “seen” and valued as human beings, they tend to give their all. Great leaders place attention on seeing and serving all stakeholders. fall 2 0 1 8 I seattleu . edu / albers / e x ecutive / page 1 1


Leaders must gain “Likes” and “Follows” Thoughts on Leadership Humility and Culture

Excerpted from Marilyn Gist’s interview with Jim Sinegal, Co-Founder and former CEO of Costco Wholesale Corporation. Strong leaders are strong personalities. People comment that I’m humble. Someone mentioned once on how I saw papers on the floor in the restroom, and I leaned over and picked them up. He said to me, “Well, if you’re the CEO and you can pick trash up off the floor, I guess I can too.” Of course, a story like that gets around. People watch your actions. Culture isn’t one person — it’s omnipresent. You create that. Do the right thing. Create a culture of doing the right thing — and you

can’t exempt yourself from this. The success of the company is because of our 240,000 people. It’s about the people. A lot of companies say that, but their employees don’t believe it. If someone hates his boss, you get turnover. It’s very difficult to teach “people skills.” When we name managers, we have to feel pretty confident that they have good people skills. We like to think we’re developing a culture that’s “jerk

free.” We’ve seen some situations where we’ve turned people around, but if they are not responsive after a couple of tries, you need to move them to a job where they have less supervision of people.

Page 1 2 / A lbers S chool of B usiness and E conomics I seattle university


Recognizing the Value of Women’s “Hidden Work” ri

’b

jo

EN

d

J

consistently demonstrate the values of listening, empathy, healing, awareness, foresight, stewardship, and building community. The women leaders we surveyed which included faculty as well as administrators reported that much of their work activity is carried out in ways consistent with the Servant Leadership model. They find this collaborative, synergistic approach deeply gratifying. At the same time, they expressed concern that the activities they’ve undertaken, though of considerable value to the organization are in large part, not regarded as “leadership

io

T

o serve or not to serve? This persistent question emerged from 70 in-depth interviews conducted with women in leadership positions within higher education. The interviews were part of a project funded by the National Science Foundation that looked at the advancement of women in academia. Similar to their counterparts in corporate and government environments, women leaders in education are motivated largely by their commitment to their organization’s mission, and find tremendous satisfaction in doing work that sustains and advances this mission. The women we interviewed embody what is traditionally considered a

en

By JENNIFER Tilghman-Havens and Jodi O’Brien

NI

FE

Rt

e i l g h m a n - h av

ns

extend far beyond job expectations— and tend to stay in these positions longer, often stalling their progress toward formal promotion. This phenomenon is echoed in other research about women leaders’ lack of self-advocacy. Studies have shown that women are less likely than men

The women we interviewed embody what is traditionally considered a “humble” approach, supporting organizations in ways that go “above and beyond” their job descriptions. “humble” approach, supporting organizations in ways that go “above and beyond” their job descriptions. They serve the needs of colleagues, mentor young professionals, and care for myriad details that lead teams toward excellent performance. Leadership theorists might call this style “Servant Leadership,” an important leadership concept articulated in the late 1970s by AT&T executive Robert Greenleaf. Servant Leadership, an alternative and innovative approach within the larger array of leadership theories, pairs service and leadership, inviting leaders to commit themselves to the growth and development of those they lead. Servant leaders are, first and foremost, collaborative, and

contributions.” Tasks and activities not outlined in job descriptions yet vital to the health and success of an institution go unrecognized in appraisal and promotion processes. Furthermore, opportunities for collaboration with upper-level management, which can create important connections for up-and-coming individuals, are overlooked. These women perform much of what organizational sociologists call “hidden work,” managing the intricate details critical to the success of the organization, while knowing that these activities will not impact formal advancement. Not only that, but many studies have shown that women are also more likely to take on institutional support work—often in ways that

to engage in self-promotion or seek recognition for their accomplishments. It has also been well documented that women negotiate less for new opportunities, raises, and promotions. What helps these women faculty leaders to know their contributions are valued and to navigate paths to recognition and advancement? Through our interviews, we identified four orienting themes which encourage engagement beyond job expectations: an environment that fosters mentoring and championing of women; efforts that bridge organizational cultural differences between professional institution administration and mid-level faculty and staff leaders, collaborative

fall 2 0 1 8 I seattleu . edu / albers / e x ecutive / page 1 3

Continued on page 18


Cultivating Personal and Organizational Humility:

J

im Sinegal of Costco, Jeff Musser of Expeditors International, and Brad Smith of Microsoft are examples of Seattle-area leaders who have been credited with and underscored the value of leading with humility. Research on the topic has found that humble leaders are perceived by employees as more effective than non-humble leaders and that employees of humble leaders are more engaged and less likely to leave an organization than employees of non-humble leaders. However, stereotypes about leadership do not naturally lead to attributions of or praise for humility. Thus leading with humility is commendable, but not necessarily easy. Additionally, many organizations have systemic issues that do not foster leading with humility. So if you are committed to leading with humility and instilling humility throughout your organization, we can offer some suggestions. In this article, we provide two ways to increase your humility quotient and underscore the need for organizational culture to support leading with humility.

Humility defined

We began studying humility in 2004 and since that time we have seen and contributed to the growth of the academic literature from a handful of peer-reviewed papers to a robust, fully fledged research field. Our research has found that humility is made up of the following components: m A willingness to see oneself accurately, m An appreciation of others, and

rr Fe

la y N

b

BY HOLLY FERRARO AND ROB NIELSEN

Ho

Ro

Suggestions for Leaders

a ro

Research-Based

ie

ls

y ll

S

en

m

An openness to multiple perspectives. While our observations and those of other humility researchers point toward the importance of humility for guiding leader behavior and achieving organizational outcomes, there is less clarity on how to cultivate humility. That is, what steps can leaders take to build greater humility into their daily lives? Here, we offer two suggestions: intra-organizational goal setting and engaging a personal leadership coach.

development is another way to see yourself more accurately. Coaching sessions serve as external feedback loops where you may reflect on how your impressions of events or your actions differ from those of key stakeholders such as employees, clients, or peers. Coaching provides opportunities to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses as you meet with someone who is charged with helping you to become more open to feedback.

Cultivating personal humility

Developing systems that encourage humility

First, we suggest you use public goal setting to increase opportunities to see yourself more accurately, to hear multiple perspectives, and demonstrate your appreciation of others. For example, consider posting your individual goals in a public forum within your organization, displaying your goals prominently just outside of your office area or on your organization’s internal social network feeds. Making your goals public can help you develop a better sense of your strengths and weaknesses as you accomplish some goals and fail to accomplish others. More importantly, the power of public goal setting can be amplified by openly assessing the results of your goals and seeking feedback on ways to improve. In doing so, you will also have the opportunity to thank people for their contributions towards helping you. Public goal setting can demonstrate to others that you are committed to personal growth and receptive to learning from others. Second, engagement with a coach or consultant for personal

Achieving personal humility is difficult if organizational values, beliefs, and reward systems reinforce arrogance and narcissism. As a leader, you can make it possible for others within your organization to demonstrate humility by aligning organizational behaviors with a value for humility. Indeed, this may be the most important thing you can do to cultivate humility in your organization. We believe there needs to be resources (i.e, financial, administrative, time) readily accessible for experiments that lead to successes and, sometimes, failures. Consider creating a budget process that provides funds for employees to try something new or launch an experiment to improve current policies, products, or services. We urge you to consider the messages that are sent when employees have to go through multiple levels of approval to try out new ideas. Encouraging experimentation sends a message

Page 1 4 / A lbers S chool of B usiness and E conomics I seattle university

Continued on page 19


do you feel humility is important in leadership?

H

umility plays the most important role in leadership; when you set your focus on others your true leadership potential begins. The most rewarding aspect of leadership is watching others rise to their full potential.

Three great lessons I have learned: Listen without the intent to solve, but with the intent to learn—this has been a hard lesson for me; I always wanted to solve everything for everyone quickly, but I was missing the best ideas—those of others. When everyone is part of the solution the execution rises— personal ownership is a powerful tool. m Admit when you are wrong and fix it. m Do the right thing in work and life. m

Leadership is earned through the trust of others; you cannot be a leader alone. Be truthful to others and yourself and be thankful for all those hands that have lifted you up along the way. Claudine Adamo, ELP ’18 Senior Vice President Costco Wholesale

I

t’s an interesting challenge to write about humility in leadership. Opining like some sort of expert strikes me as less than humble. But the people I want to follow inspire me to observe that humility is essential to leadership in several ways. The first way in which humility is essential to leadership has to do with grounding. The Latin root of the word humility is, after all, the same as the root for humus—earth, or ground. Great leaders remember where they’re from, and that they are fallible. They are connected to something larger than themselves—always. A fundamental set of values anchors them and guides their actions. Second, humiliation is humility’s cousin. Great leaders take chances and humility allows them to risk embarrassment. Successful leadership is not possible without accepting the possibility of failure and the humiliation that might accompany it. Effective leaders acknowledge their mistakes and they take responsibility when things go wrong.

A

s leaders, we know it is good to exhibit humility, but what is humility? Originating from the Latin word humilis, it is a modest or low view of one’s own importance. At first glance, this definition might suggest that humble leadership involves acting humble. Good leadership is authentic and acting humble is not an ingredient to leadership I would provide or aspire to. The truly humble leader realizes the greater worth lies primarily in developing a capable and trusting team, and not only depending on her or his own talents and capabilities. This perspective allows the good leader to ensure successful results through a positive focus on others, while preserving personal authenticity. Mark Mariani, M.D., LEMBA ’18 Physician Executive, Retail Health and Strategic Partnerships MultiCare Health System

Finally, the most effective leaders focus on others first. A humble approach asks what is needed for everyone to prosper. Hubris blinds us to the needs of others while humility deepens our commitment to enduring outcomes that benefit all. Heidi de Laubenfels, LEMBA ’09 Chief Operating Officer Nyhus Communications

fall 2 0 1 8 I seattleu . edu / albers / e x ecutive / page 1 5


performance and the organization as a whole. That rewarded teamwork, giving all employees line of sight to what they could control and allowed them to share in the company’s success.

Sally Jewell on humility and leadership Continued from page 7

A humble leader creates a work environment where people feel more appreciated and valued. That translates into how they care for the customers, which then translates to revenue and profitability. You can also look at the way businesses respond to crises. Humility has a BIG impact, and it affects public relations. Some leaders are defensive, but some will own their part of the problem. For example in the mid90’s when Nike was called out for using child labor, even though it was occurring through contractors in their supply chain, their reaction showed self-reflection and a willingness to change. That took humility. MG: Can you give examples of how humility translates into organizational policies and practices? SJ: Early in my tenure at REI, we changed our incentive plan to include all employees—not just managers. Historically, REI had a generous contribution of up to 20% of salary to employee 401k plans for full-time employees, and an additional incentive plan for managers. But part-time staff, who comprised about half of the workforce, had no opportunity to participate. There was a disconnect for employees, especially part-timers, and we wanted to align their interests with those of REI. So we changed our practices to reflect a greater incentive for all full-time and part-time employees to achieve our objectives. The 401k program was reshaped to guarantee participating employees 5% of their salary, plus an additional 10% tied to REI performance overall. We took the remaining 5% and funded a performance-based incentive plan for everyone, tied to a combination of their work group’s

This and other changes came by really listening to people—like what makes a living wage—and we began changing our practices to meet their concerns. It was personally humbling and enlightening to see the inconsistencies between our vision and practices.

was from sustainable sources. I didn’t know anything about it, nor whether our paper purchases were inadvertently deforesting areas of critical habitat, until Cara put it on my radar. Shortly after our conversation, at the holidays, Forest Ethics rated retailers’ paper practices and advertised their ratings widely, earning REI an embarrassing score—three lumps of coal and a fruitcake! Cara’s courage to speak up and our own enlightenment thanks to

Humility isn’t meekness. It’s vulnerability. A willingness to be transparent, to listen, to admit when you are wrong and to share victory with the people who helped make it happen. MG: You are widely seen as quite humble, yet also very strong. Where in life did your humility come from? How did you develop it? SJ: Certainly from witnessing my parents’ own behavior, but also much of it developed early in my career. In college, I was in a mechanical engineering coop program—working six months and going to school for six months. My job was in a manufacturing plant, producing equipment for the Alaska pipeline. I had no idea what I was doing, so I started talking to people on the shop floor—welders, carpenters, and people working the production line. I learned early on that when you respectfully go to someone with a question like, “Here is an engineering problem we’re trying to solve, can you help me?”, they would go to the ends of the earth to help. This is something that has helped me across my career, recognizing that when you are willing to admit you don’t know something and you ask for help, people are almost always willing to lend their experience. In the early 2000s, I met Cara from REI’s San Diego store. She was a supporter of Forest Ethics—a nonprofit that advocated for sustainable use of forest products—and in my first visit to her store she asked me about REI’s use of paper in our catalogs and whether it

Forest Ethics’ actions became a catalyst for moving toward a more sustainable organization, well beyond our use of paper products—better aligning our actions with our love for the environment. In 2005, when I became CEO, a top priority was to make REI a much more sustainable company. One of my colleagues sought expertise from the outside to facilitate a gathering with about two dozen employees in positions from across REI to help map out our impact on the biosphere. These employees provided a variety of insights into our practices that were revealing, and in some cases disturbing, yet helped us create a road map for the future. They helped us understand where to find “the low-hanging fruit” and how we could have the biggest positive impact. We hired an expert in sustainability and continued to reach out deep into the organization to improve our practices and use our influence to shape the practices of our vendors. These stories get out, and they create an environment where people are more willing to speak up. I also understand that I have gone overboard with collaboration at times, where teammates have said, “We have had enough discussion and haven’t reached consensus, so we need you

Page 1 6 / A lbers S chool of B usiness and E conomics I seattle university


to make a decision.” But I believe the ability to listen and to change your point of view or behavior takes strength. It takes confidence to say, “No, I’m wrong, I blew this.” MG: Over the years, you have been active in serving our community. Has community engagement had an influence on your humility? SJ: One common thread across my career has been working for companies who valued community engagement through volunteer service. Volunteering gave me insights I would never have had otherwise that have helped me understand the value of listening, the benefit of different perspectives, and the barriers people face. For example, as a volunteer for the YWCA, I met many women and families struggling with homelessness and learned about their challenges in moving to self-sufficiency. It was a humbling experience that helped me recognize the privileges I had and the importance of using my influence to shape better outcomes for people trying to create a better life. Volunteering in public education through the Alliance for Education and the University of Washington helped me see the value of a good education and impact that under funding schools and high college tuition have on capable young people who are less likely to reach their potential without greater support. Those insights were very helpful in addressing challenges at the Department of the Interior in fulfilling our governmental obligations in educating Native American children. Volunteering for the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust helped me understand the value of listening to a broad array of perspectives, united in thoughtfully shaping a future for our region that cared for our environmental gifts, while allowing for thoughtful development to accommodate an increasing population. Those experiences were invaluable in applying landscape-level planning in overseeing our nation’s public lands at the Department of the Interior.

from volunteering that I have supported policies in the organizations I’ve had the privilege of leading that encourage volunteering. It was also my experiences as a volunteer, especially witnessing the positive impact on young people, that we launched a multifaceted effort at the Department of the Interior to support volunteer stewardship on public lands. Not only did these volunteer efforts help land managers address challenges they faced in caring for our natural resources, they nurtured a deep appreciation of our natural treasures among future generations, including young people who had little prior exposure to nature. Humility in leadership is needed whenever the human stands in relation to the environment. MG: In what ways do you think leaders need to be self-aware? SJ: Seeing ourselves in context is an important attribute. In positions of power, there is increased risk that a leader is told what people believe they want to hear, not what people actually believe. Seeking and listening to genuine feedback is essential in enabling leaders to address challenges before they become serious. Overseeing the Department of the Interior was the most challenging job I’ve ever held, with the potential to impact many people and the environment. It was also a position where there were powerful influences working to shape decisions that served particular interests. The most difficult decisions I had to make were shaped by thinking about the impact on future generations, guided by my favorite proverb, “We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” I believe nature nourishes the soul. Exploring wilderness, paddling through the Salish Sea, enjoying a field of wildflowers or standing on a mountaintop can help all of us recognize our insignificance, raise our self-awareness and reinforce our humility.

“How, Now, must we live?” Continued from page 8

3) Courage to fail—failure as fuel. Great artists and engineers know that failure is a part of the creative, innovation process. In the workplace, however, there are pressures to finesse failure and move on—at the cost of investing ongoing energy in denying the cringe inside. Perceived or real, “failure” is a gold mine for learning. Humility yields a hunger for learning, and gives rise to the courage to detach ego from failure and dive into a robust analysis of what really happened, but not wallow in it. A humble posture can help us to feel the devastation (if necessary) but skip the shame, gain insight from the perspectives of relevant colleagues, ask forgiveness if appropriate, and carry new learning into our next attempt. Conscience and competence are honed and refined in the fires of failure. Our cultural images of managerial leadership have rarely included humility as a dominant characteristic. In today’s commons, a part of the great work at hand is the creation of a more adequate cultural imagination of what is asked and allowed in the formation and practice of leadership. Humility must now command a central place in our lexicon as we work the question: “How, now, must we live?” Dr. Sharon Daloz Parks is Distinguished Faculty with the Executive Leadership Program for the Center for Leadership Formation at Seattle University, is principal of Leadership for the New Commons, and senior fellow at the Whidbey Institute. For more than sixteen years, she held faculty and research positions at Harvard University, including senior research fellow at the Harvard Business School and in the Center for Public Leadership at the Kennedy School of Government. Among her publications: Leadership Can Be Taught: A Bold Approach for a Complex World; Big Questions, Worthy Dreams: Mentoring Young Adults in their Search for Meaning, Purpose, and Faith; and she is co-author of Common Fire: Leading Lives of Commitment in a Complex World.

It was through the incredible value I received personally and professionally

fall 2 0 1 8 I seattleu . edu / albers / e x ecutive / page 1 7


recognizing the value of women’s “Hidden work” Continued from page 13

When women underplay their talents, the entire organization suffers. administrative practices, and a wellarticulated balance of transactional and relational responsibilities. The thread that pulls these together into an organizational fabric of enthusiastic engagement is genuine respect for and trust in women’s contributions. Based on learnings from the NSF project, we are developing a program focused on training managers to recognize and value the “hidden work” that is often at the heart of an institution. Intentional commitments to recognize and facilitate expertise, service, and talent “from the middle,” as well as genuine inclusion in decision-making deepens women faculty leaders’ commitment to the raison d’etre of the organization. It affirms their strong sense of ownership within the institution and reinforces their valued work as servant leaders. While our research focused on women in higher education, much has been written and discussed about women in corporate and other non-profit environments that have had similar experiences. In particular, balancing the importance of humility in leadership with the knowledge that humility is not always a virtue for women in the workplace can be both confusing and challenging. This suggests that programs like the one we are developing can impact the work and development of women leaders across industries, sectors and organizations.

Our research serves as a reminder that humility often operates differently in women, regardless of their role or organization. Humility inspires reflective leaders to operate and lead from their highest selves by offering two distinct but related cautionary suggestions. First, humility warns against arrogance and reminds us not to value and promote our abilities and talents more than we should. A second, less commonly considered caution is not to undervalue our potential to contribute. Authentic humility is about seeing ourselves for who we truly are—not overestimating our abilities, but not underestimating them either. For women leaders, the latter is the more common pitfall. When women underplay their talents, the entire organization suffers. However, managers of mid-level women leaders who themselves commit to a Servant Leader approach are able to listen to those whose work may be hidden, engaging them in genuine collaboration, and advocating for their advancement. In turn, the confidence of midlevel women leaders in the worth and value of their contributions increases significantly as they feel empowered in their engagements. They continue to serve because their service is recognized as leadership and is valued for the positive benefits it brings to the entire organization.

Jennifer Tilghman-Havens is a teacher, writer, facilitator, spiritual director, and parenting coach who serves as the Associate Director of the Center for Jesuit Education at Seattle University. She earned her B.A. at the University of Notre Dame and her master’s in Pastoral Ministry and Social Work from Boston College. She also has a master’s in Business Administration, with a focus on social responsibility and organizational change. Jen’s background includes counseling, retreats, administration, group work, and facilitating online courses. Before joining the Seattle University community, she served as the Director of the Women’s Center at Boston College and as an Oncology Social Worker in Women’s Cancers at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Jodi O’Brien is a Professor of Sociology at Seattle University and the Director of SU ADVANCE, a National Science Foundation program on advancing women and underrepresented minority faculty in higher education. Her teaching and research focus on minoritized and marginalized identities, and practices of discrimination and inclusion in institutional settings. Her books include The Production of Reality; Social Prisms: Reflections on Everyday Myths and Paradoxes; and Everyday Inequalities. She is also the editor of the SAGE Encyclopedia of Gender and Society, the Routledge book series, Sociology Re-Wired (with Marcus Hunter) and the recent former editor of the public sociology journal, Contexts.

Page 1 8 / A lbers S chool of B usiness and E conomics I seattle university


cultivating personal and organizational humility: research-based suggestions for leaders Continued from page 14

to employees that they are trusted and empowered to make decisions. As a leader in your organization, you can be a resource for others in the development of humility. We also suggest that leaders create a culture of “asking questions” and inquiry as opposed to one of “giving answers” and advocacy. In many organizations, employees come to believe that being “right” is critical. People that are “right,” and can persuade others to adopt their solutions, are often rewarded with greater authority and responsibility. In such cultures, it is unlikely people approach problems with humility— especially an appreciation for the thoughts and concerns of others. If you are a leader, ask yourself: to whom do the accolades in the organization go? Do we make it possible for people to consult with others, make mistakes, and be honest about their strengths and weaknesses? You may find that

there are systemic issues within your organization that will lead to few expressions of humility and, ultimately, suboptimal outcomes.

Is humility worth the effort? The short answer is “yes!” The existing research suggests that employees who work for humble leaders are more engaged, less likely to leave the organization and enjoy higher psychological freedom than employees of non-humble leaders. Further, the research demonstrates that humility 1) strengthens social relationships with others; 2) leads to a greater overall sense of well-being with more positive emotions and lower levels of depression; and 3) results in better overall leader performance with measures such as perceived leader effectiveness. In the end, humility will lead to desirable outcomes.

Additional Reading Leading with Humility – Nielsen, Marrone, and Ferraro, (2013) Routledge Humility: Our current understanding of the construct and its role in organizations – Nielsen and Marrone (2018). International Journal of Management Reviews A New Look at Humility: Exploring the humility concept and its role in socialized charismatic leadership – Nielsen, Marrone, and Slay, (2010). Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies

Rob Nielsen is an Executive Vice President at JLL where he helps companies find office space. He has been researching humility and leadership for nearly 15 years. His work has been cited in over 100 peer-reviewed journals and text books combined. Dr. Holly Slay Ferraro is an Associate Professor of Management and Director of the Professional MBA program at Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics. Her research examines how people grapple with dimensions of self (e.g., age, race, gender) in making career decisions. She is also interested in how organizational and institutional practices contribute to struggles with aspects of identity.

fall 2 0 1 8 I seattleu . edu / albers / e x ecutive / page 1 9


Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Seattle, WA Permit No. 2783

Seattle University Center for Leadership Formation 901 12th Avenue / P.O. Box 222000 Seattle, WA 98122-1090

RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED

ALBERS EXECUTIVE SPEAKER SERIES Events are held in Pigott Auditorium from 5:30-6:30 p.m. (unless otherwise posted) Free and open to the public Panel Discussion Thursday, October 11, 2018 The Albers Executive Speaker Series will host a panel discussion on leadership, featuring guest panelists Alan Mulally, Frank Shrontz, and Ray Conner, all former CEOs of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The moderator will be Dr. Marilyn Gist, Albers Associate Dean and Executive Director of the Center for Leadership Formation Dean Allen, CEO, McKinstry Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Rick and David Cantu, Co-Founders, Redapt Inc. Tuesday, January 15, 2019 Orlando Ashford, CEO, Holland America Line Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Center for Leadership Formation Alumni Association Program graduates enjoy exclusive content and events. Reconnect, don’t miss out! Contact Ariel Rosemond, CLF Associate Director, at rosemond@seattleu.edu for more information.

connect with us! For more information about these events and/or our programs, connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn or via: https://www.seattleu.edu/business/ executive/connect-with-us/#form


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.