Omer, Kabbalah, & Leadership - Week 5

One of my favorite Jewish leadership stories is about Moshe. In Bamidbar there is this pasuk about Moshe's character: “Moshe was extremely humble, more so than any other person on the face of the earth.” Moshe, the greatest leader of the Jewish people...Moshe, who beat Pharoah...Moshe, through whom miracles were perfomed...Moshe, who talks directly with God. How could he be the most humble? Well, it is all about how you understand humility. You can consider humility in terms of how much space you occupy, as described in "Everyday Holiness:The Jewish Spiritual Path of Mussar." Someone who is humble occupies the right amount of space. Using the example, from "Everyday Holiness," if you are sittting on a bench, there's no need to hover on the edge, but you also shouldn't spread out into a space that might accomodate someone else.

In terms of leadership, a leader can be humble while still standing at the front of the room. That's the appropriate place for the leader to be. And a leader can and should know when it's the right time to step to the side and allow someone else to take the front of the room. That's the key leadership quality of humility - knowing when to center yourself and when not to center yourself. It’s the discipline of making space for others to bring their knowledge, experience, and leadership forward.

What does this look like in practice?

1. Defer to expertise in the room - Know that you are not and don't need to be the most knowledgeable voice on every topic. Open the door for someone else to answer/take the lead - “I want to turn to you—you have more experience in this area.”

2. Be aware of your influence - Your opinion carries weight. Consider holding off on voicing it until others have shared. I saw this in practice in my first job in product management. As the newly joined Assistant Product Manager I was asked to give my opinion first, which gave me the freedom to share my thoughts without the complexity of potentially disagreeing with my boss.

3. Step back to let others lead publicly - Give someone else the chance to be the visible leader, especially for someone who is ready to grow into leadership.

4. Share the credit - When something goes well the leader is the default recipient of praise. To bring humility into leadership, make a point of highlighting others' contributions that led to the success. Reference the contributions in your language, share it publicly, and write a personalized note (email is fine, but a handwritten note is special).