Humility lends leadership an advantage in the age of AI

Research shows this skill can be deployed as part of a success formula in settings that need teamwork

- P.V. RAMANA MURTHY

Any discussion on corporate leadership is incomplete without mentioning its three core pillars: strategy, competitiveness, and achievement orientation. These essentials become convoluted in the age of social media, where self-promotion often borders on narcissism and overshadows the interests of others and society. Further, accelerated digitization has increased our reliance on new technologies and artificial intelligence (AI). While we anticipate the day when machines can fully emulate human emotions, humans currently maintain a significant advantage in emotional intelligence. This is where humility in leadership becomes crucial.

Humility involves leaders prioritizing their teams over themselves. Recent research indicates that this approach leads to higher employee engagement and innovation, and consequently greater organizational success. It also shows that humility is both a cognitive and affective (emotional) skill that leaders can develop. In a world increasingly devoid of emotional dynamics, humble leadership is more important than ever.