An Analysis of Humble Leadership Attributes in Contemporary Literature
Keywords:
Humble Leadership, Humility, Leadership AttributesAbstract
This study aimed to analyze and synthesize the attributes of humble leadership from contemporary literature. The research was conducted using a documentary and qualitative content analysis of nine English-language online sources. The initial dataset comprised 54 raw leadership attributes before coding, and frequency analysis was performed. Attributes were selected based on a criterion requiring them to appear in at least 25% of the total sources. The findings identified six core attributes: 1) acknowledgment of personal limitations, 2) seeking feedback, 3) openness to others’ perspectives and continuous learning, 4) strong learning orientation, 5) empathy and other-centeredness, and 6) trust-building in relationships. These attributes were synthesized into three principal dimensions. The first dimension, ‘Openness and acknowledgment of limitations’, includes acknowledgment of personal limitations and seeking feedback. The second dimension, ‘Openness to perspectives and continuous learning’, includes openness to others’ perspectives and a strong learning orientation. The third dimension, ‘Empathy and relational trust’, encompasses empathy, other-centeredness, and trust-building in relationships. The results indicate that humble leadership in contemporary literature is conceptualized primarily as observable behavioral patterns within workplace contexts rather than merely as a personality trait. Specifically, it emphasizes openness to feedback, continuous self-development, and the cultivation of trust-based relationships. These findings clarify the structural components of humble leadership and provide a foundational conceptual framework for future research and leadership development in organizational settings.
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