A Lesson in Humility

Posted on December 10, 2008 by Judy | Startegic.com, Judy@Startegic.com, 310.215.9975

Congratulations to David Gregory! The NBC correspondent was named the moderator of “Meet the Press.” His comment on filling the spot formerly held by the revered late Tim Russert was humbling, “I’m not Tim Russert, but I can, working with this team, try really hard to make him proud.” Rather than taking the “I’m the new kid in town and I’m here to make a splash” approach, which almost guarantees failure, he revealed humility. His statement endears viewers and inspires fans of Mr. Russert’s to cheer his success on the program. Kudos to Mr. Gregory and NBC!

Gold Star Action: Anyone who steps up to take the position of a beloved boss or leader might want to consider revealing vulnerability by expressing humility. Acknowledging, with grace, the big shoes he or she is filling, wins support from the onset. Did you notice that Mr. Gregory’s brief comment included the team’s effort? The star of a TV show is in the front of the TV cameras, but what the audience might not know is it takes an entire team behind the scenes to make the show happen. It is my experience in working in behavioral change; confident people are most comfortable in revealing humility and giving others credit. This is a valuable lesson to each of us who, from time to might be tempted to practice haughty behavior.