Humility is one of the qualities of a servant leader.  Yet there is some confusion about what humility is.  Some, when they hear this idea put forward don’t make the connection.  They think humility is weak, frothy, sunken, and unassertive.  They see humility as the mark of a loser.  They don’t see how humility and leadership can co-exist. 

Leaders are supposed to be strong, confident, and forthcoming. They see humility as a trait associated with the weak, unsure, and tentative. Therein lie the misunderstanding of humility.

You can be a strong and confident leader and still be humble.  You can take an organization in a direction without being dictatorial, obnoxious, stubborn, and toxic in your attitude or tone.

I believe to do this circles around the idea of resolve, which is defined “a firm determination to do something.”   

Humble resolve is considerate, inclusive, wanting to hear the thoughts of others. It offers pictures of the future without denying the reality of today.  

Humble resolve, on the part of a leader is the ability to move an organization toward its mission, vision, and values while not being the center of attention.  

The minute you set up a mission, vision, and values for your organization there is a resolve to pursue those principles and goals.  They are higher than you, the leader.  They are the center of attention.  They are the focus and we collectively serve the mission, vision, and values of the organization.    

That is humble resolve.