I am likely the most humble person you will ever meet. That’s saying a lot because I’m also better at most everything I do than anyone else you’ve ever met. 

 

In the interest of time let me say I’m great at everything, especially being humble. 

 

Now that may not sound humble to some people but when you’re as awesome as I am even my humbleness looks like bragging. 

 

Well…maybe not. I have to admit that was kinda fun to write but the truth is that my greatest real strength is that I’m incredibly average. That’s not me trying to be humble, it’s a measurable fact. From my height and weight, numbers of wives, (one) number of kids, (two) number of dogs, (two) I’m about as average as an average person can be. 

 

I might be better at some stuff than others but others are better at some stuff than me. It all works out to about average. I’ve learned through the years that being average is a big advantage. I understand average people, I share their concerns, challenges, and in many cases their hopes for the future. 

 

My “averageness” has been a huge advantage when writing training programs or presenting in front of groups. Since I’ve long ago accepted the fact I’m just like 99% of other people I don’t have to pretend I’m something I’m not. I get that some people won’t like me and some people will. It’s always been that way and it always will. I don’t think I could change anything about me to make more people like me and even if I could I have no interest in changing for someone else’s sake. 

 

Being average makes it easy to be humble. I’m really not more or less humble than anyone else, I’d say I’m about average at that too. 

 

Being humble has it’s advantages. Humble leaders are not only better liked they are also more effective. That effectiveness comes from the fact that they are better able to connect with their people. Nobody likes a snobby leader and almost nobody follows one either. 

 

Humble people have better relationships overall. If you’re wondering why see the paragraph above. Humble people are more helpful. “Serving” others is not beneath them. They make a difference wherever, whenever and for whomever they can. 

 

On average humble people perform better at work. They are not afraid to ask for help, they willingly accept feedback and use it to better themselves. They make better teammates and cause far fewer issues for their leaders than less humble people. 

 

I have never taken or taught a class on how to be humble. I would think that anyone who thought themselves qualified to teach that class would immediately be deemed unqualified. I think you “learn” humility by seeing it modeled by other people. 

 

You learn humility from mistakes but mistakes can teach you humility only if you’re humble enough to own up to them. Is that a catch 22?

It feels like I should close this post by recommending that you try being more humble. I’m not sure you can actually try to work on that. I think you either are or you aren’t. So here’s a different recommendation instead….try being more honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses. That ought to make anyone more humble.