The Value of Leader Humility in the Military

Abstract

Humility is a vital quality for leaders in civilian institutions but also for leaders of military units at all
echelons. There are multiple connections between leader humility, as described by past literature in the
field of management, and the U.S. Air Force Academy’s conceptual framework for developing leaders
of character. If these connections are valid, then it can be concluded that humility not only improves the
effectiveness of a unit but also acts as a precursor to the development of leaders of character. This current
work uses past literature to create a definition of leader humility and discusses its benefits for both the
individual and the unit in the military. The authors describe how leader humility can be misconstrued
as antithetical to effective military leadership and prescribe experiential evidence, both personal and
biographical, to the contrary. Conclusions in the form of propositions for future examination are drawn
from this review of literature and experience. We propose that humble leaders are better able to live
honorably and lift others while elevating the performance of their units. Propositions bridge the gap
between humble leadership and character-based leadership in the military while explaining why greater
humility can lead to improved performance.