Chapter 13

HUMILITY AND EMOTIONAL

INTELLIGENCE –
KEYS TO INTERPERSONAL
EFFECTIVENESS
Cam Caldwell & Comfort O. Okpala

Karl Albrecht, the highly-respected expert about leadership and Emotional

Intelligence (EI), has linked humility with EI and acknowledged the importance of
humility in both interpersonal relationships and good mental health1. Describing
humility as both “under-rated” and “widely misunderstood,” Albrecht emphasizes
its importance in both self-knowledge and in relating effectively with others2.
Although humility and EI may not immediately be linked by many people,
Albrecht’s insights about the concept add richness to understanding the nature of
humility and its contribution to personal effectiveness.

The purpose of this chapter is to examine humility as it helps to create

effective interpersonal relationships – particularly as those relationships

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demonstrate EI skills that are widely recognized in the management literature. This
chapter begins by defining EI and describing the five key elements upon which it
is based. The chapter defines humility as related to those five elements and explains
the importance of humility in understanding others and in achieving successful
outcomes. The chapter concludes by identifying five specific ways in which
understanding the nature of humility can improve leaders’ responses to others in
the pursuit of shared goals.

The Nature of Emotional Intelligence

EI is the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions
of others in the pursuit of shared goals3. It integrates the capability of a person to
understand his or her own motivations and emotions, as well as that of others, in
order to choose a behavioral response that enables a person to work most effectively
with others. In a classic Harvard Business Review article, Daniel Goleman
identified five key elements of EI4.

1. Self-Awareness. This self-understanding includes the ability to

know one's own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, values and
goals and to recognize their impact on others in influencing
decisions.
2. Self-Regulation. This ability involves controlling one’s
emotional responses and actions based upon varying conditions
or circumstances to respond to others’ needs and feelings in
appropriate ways.
3. Empathy. This quality is the capacity to accurately understand
other persons’desires and feelings and to consider those feelings
in a manner that best meets their needs and wants.
4. Social Skills. These skills include the ability to listen, speak, and
interact with others in managing relationships to influence others
to respond in a goal-oriented way.
5. Motivation. This is a trait associated with the quest to achieve a
specific outcome associated with a specific goal or set of goals.

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 Each of these five elements of EI requires a clear understanding of oneself
and the application of the five elements are most effective when enlightened leaders
pursue outcomes that benefit others and serve the larger community.

Self-awareness enables individuals to perceive who they are and how they
feel5. As leaders reflect on their own feelings and emotions and take their own
desires and priorities into account, they clarify their own values. When leaders have
thoughtfully considered their own values and have reflected on their own goals in
relationship with others, they make implicit ethical assumptions about those goals.
When their values and goals reflect the pursuit of worthy outcomes and honor
responsibilities owed to others, individuals who are highly self-aware are able to
act with personal integrity and are likely to also be perceived as more authentic by
others, especially over the long term. An implicit quality of authenticity is that an
individual has thoughtfully examined those underlying ethical assumptions that

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form the basis for actions and has consciously sought to be guided by the moral and
ethical factors that are based upon those assumptions.
Self-regulation includes conscious or subconscious choices whereby a
person assesses his or her thoughts and emotions and determines behaviors and
actions within the context of a given situation or conditions to pursue desired
outcomes involving interactions with others. This self-regulation process is often
intuitive and reflects an individual’s self-image6, identity7, and core beliefs8, but it
can also be highly cognitive and calculated as a means of determining how best to
respond to achieve a desired result9. Self-regulation typically involves proactive
behaviors followed by closely monitoring the feedback from others, and
incrementally learning from and adjusting behaviors based upon that feedback10.
The ability to control one’s responses builds both confidence and a sense of self-
efficacy and the ability to self-regulate or consciously control how a person
responds to others has been described as a person’s “most essential asset11. Once
again, this element of EI is fraught with implicit ethical assumptions about duties
owed to self, others, and the larger community.

Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings and emotions of others who
are going through an often-difficult situation that creates stress, pain, conflict, or

4
high emotion. Empathy has been described as the capacity to “care enough to give
someone else’s issue the same level of respect and attention they do12.” But
empathy is also the ability to assist others to regulate their own emotions in the
pursuit of desirable goals13. Empathy, the genuine concern for others and their
welfare, is a distinguishing quality of great leaders that builds trust and
demonstrates a leader’s commitment to his or her moral responsibilities14. By
showing empathy a leader integrates his or her sense of moral responsibility in a
relationship with a response intended to honor perceived duties and obligations
owed to serve that other person in their time of need.
Social skills associated with listening, speaking, and interacting with others
in the pursuit of achieving shared goals are fundamental requirements of highly
effective leadership communication and demonstrate the ability to form
relationships required to connect with others in the pursuit of viable results15.
Resonant leadership integrates 1) mindfulness of the problems and issues that
people face; 2) hope that is based upon the potential to solve those problems and
the capability of inspiring others in the journey; and 3) compassion that
demonstrates sensitivity to the misfortunes of others, coupled with the ability to
articulate what needs to be done to address the root causes of problems and to
pursue realistic solutions16. Social skills reflect both normative assumptions about
one’s role in relationships as well as instrumental assumptions about outcomes and
goals. Once again, the use of social skills is replete with implicit assumptions about
one’s moral obligations to others.

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 Motivation is the driving force of action that reflects the intensity of one’s
personal commitment to achieve a desired goal and the belief that the action taken
will increase the likelihood of an outcome or goal being achieved. Arnold defined
motivation as a by-product of the connected steps of people perceiving, appraising,
emoting, wanting, thinking, and then acting in the pursuit of a specific desired
outcome17. Expectancy theory views motivation in context with 1) the perception
that one is capable of achieving a desired outcome or performance, 2) the belief that
the intended performance will result in a promised benefit, and 3) the value that a
person places on receiving that benefit18. When a person values the benefit and
believes that (s)he can attain it, that person is motivated to act to perform19. The
desired goals and outcomes being sought are value-based choices that reflect each
person’s assessment of what matters to them.
Each of these five elements plays an important role for a person who
possesses EI and enables that person to make choices and govern his or her actions
in establishing relationships with others in the pursuit of intended objectives. By
their very nature, each of the elements of EI is ethically-related and based upon the
assumptions and values of the person about the priorities of life, duties owed from
and to others, and each person’s perception of his or her identity.

Humility and EI

Although humility is not always described as a virtue associated with

leadership20, a close examination of each of the five elements which make up EI
confirms that humility is actually closely integrated with each of those elements.
In the paragraphs that follow, this section will identify how each of the five
elements of EI is related to humility.

Humility and Self-Awareness

The correlation between humility and self-awareness, or a knowledge of who

one is, is a foundation element of the definition of humility21. Self-awareness also
includes understanding how we are perceived by others and leaders with humility
often seek out feedback from others as they strive to identify how they can be more
effective22. Leaders with high self-awareness, combined with humility, recognize
the importance of constantly improving, learning, and growing23. Such leaders also
understand that organization results achieved require the cooperation of an entire

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organization and they willingly give credit to others in acknowledging team
members as contributors to success24.
Level 5 Leaders who combined humility with fierce resolve willingly
“looked in the mirror,” seeking to identify their own shortcomings, when
organizational failures occurred25. These same leaders also ”looked out the
window” and gave credit to others for successes26. Humility combines a realistic
assessment of one’s capabilities and shortcomings, coupled with a willingness to
admit those weaknesses without requiring self-abasement or humiliation27. It
consists of an orientation towards others rather than the preoccupation with
personal accomplishments and the pursuit of self-interest28.

Often not addressed in understanding self-awareness is the feeling of inner

peace and quiet confidence that comes from knowing that one has a clear
understanding of his or her identity while realizing that one’s life is in order.
Stephen Covey suggested that this self-assurance comes from a melding of EI and
Spiritual Intelligence (SI) or conscience and emphasized that the overlap between
EI and SI was essential to discovering each person’s unique significance or
“voice29.” The integration of humility and self-awareness derived from this inner
peace empowers a leader to care mightily for the welfare of others and the best
interests of the organization30. Motivated by this humility, such leaders define their

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role as servant leaders seeking to accomplish worthy outcomes that benefit others
and society31.

Humility and Self-Regulation

Motivated by a desire to serve others, highly ethical leaders recognize the

importance of regulating their responses to be able to most appropriately respond
to others’ needs and willingly choose to make that choice out of a commitment to
the best interests of their organizations and its stakeholders32. As humble leaders
acknowledge their shortcomings and incorporate the compensating capabilities of
others, they transcend themselves and consciously strive to utilize others’ abilities
and knowledge in ways that best serve their organization or team33. By utilizing
others’ strengths, seeking out and incorporating others’ ideas, and being willing to
acknowledge the gaps in their own competencies, humble leaders regulate their own
behaviors and demonstrate this transcendence of self34.
By self-regulation behaviors and modeling humility, leaders play a major
role in establishing an organizational culture that builds trust, increases
commitment, and improves organizational productivity35. Modeling humility by
self-regulating behaviors that demonstrate openness and vulnerability makes it
easier for other organization members to acknowledge their own limitations and
furthers a culture of integrity, openness, clear communication, and collective
humility36. Self-regulation, when motivated by humility, allows leaders to
determine the most effective way to serve others, utilize their wisdom and
experience, and manage change – the key tasks of execution that are so critical for
converting an organization strategy into effective action37.

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 Self-knowledge and an accurate appraisal of one’s strengths and
shortcomings strengthen one’s ability to identify when self-regulation behaviors are
necessary for the good of the organization38. Leaders who use appreciative inquiry
and who ask questions as a regular part of their communication process apply
principles of self-regulation in building trust and creating greater commitment –
choosing that approach as a means of building shared ownership39. Contrasting this
approach with traditional “command and control” leadership approaches, this self-
regulated participative process reflects both trust in others and a commitment to
building a partnership with employees40. Self-regulation, combined with humility,
enhance the ability of a leader to modify his or her actions to achieve worthy
organizational goals and to create relationships that assist others to also achieve
their personal goals.

Humility and Empathy

Empathy’s commitment to understanding others and being fully aware of

their concern, needs, and feelings demonstrates not only emotional and social
intelligence but a willingness to put others’ needs ahead of one’s own agenda41.
The extensive literature about contingency-related and situational leadership

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affirms that leadership effectiveness is often dependent upon the leader’s ability to
clearly understand the hearts and minds of others – the essence of empathy42.
Servant leadership’s commitment to “choose service over self-interest43”
incorporates leadership humility and empathy’s sensitivity to others’ welfare and
growth44. Max DePree, former CEO of Herman Miller Furniture and author of
Leadership is an Art, described the role of the leader as being “a servant and a
debtor” committed to a broad range of duties owed to each employee to help them
to become the best possible version of themselves45. By acknowledging the worth
and value of each employee and by giving high priority to their self-interest and
needs, humble leaders demonstrate the essence of servant leadership and earn the
trust of others in return46.
Servant leadership integrates humility with the pursuit of objectives that
benefit both the organization and its individual members47. The leader’s willingness
“to be a servant first” demonstrates 1) his or her understanding of the importance
of empowering and supporting others, 2) the recognition that each individual has a
valued contribution to make to the organization, and 3) that the organization and its
leadership owe a complex set of duties to its membership48. Empathy and humility
combine to seek to understand others and to honor them as valued “Yous” rather
than as fungible “Its.49” Implicit in empathy is the obligation to actively engage
with others to affirm their worth, listening, caring, and offering support50.

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 Empathy is closely related to charity or love in its willingness to demonstrate
genuine care and concern for others51. Empathy begins with a desire to understand
and to value another person and to convey to that person the recognition of the
feelings, wishes, needs, and hopes of that valued other. Genuine empathy is not
condescending or judgmental and demonstrates the desire to support another person
in their efforts to achieve desired outcomes. Accordingly, empathy demonstrates
a respectful appreciation of another’s situation and the commitment to befriend,
support, and uplift that person52. By demonstrating empathy, leaders with humility
affirm the worth of others as unique individuals who truly matter and who deserve
to be honored based upon their intrinsic value – rather than as simply the means to
others’ ends53.

Humility and Social Skills

Social communication skills are demonstrated by humble leaders out of great

respect for others and the leader’s recognition of the importance of communicating
effectively54. That respect inspires the leader to prepare himself or herself carefully
and to develop the ability to listen to not only the words but the feelings, intentions,
and desires of others. This ability to listen includes the ability to assess non-verbal
cues which often convey as much or more meaning than words actually spoken.
Listening in such a manner allows leaders to understand meaning as well as
messages55.
Social skills also require leaders to recognize the context of communications
and to know that words conveyed in the passion of a moment may not accurately
reflect another’s full intentions or true feelings56. Thus, social skills include the
need for leaders to sometimes forgive others – a requirement that demands humility
when egos are involved between parties. The ability to maintain perspective and to
recognize that people are not always at their best also includes acknowledging that
the leader might occasionally need to apologize, to acknowledge his or her own
errors or shortcomings in communicating, and the humility to ask others for
forgiveness57.

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 Leaders with humility utilize their social skills to achieve purpose driven
outcomes and recognize that developing those skills can be an important means for
achieving a noble purpose. By using their social skills with optimal effectiveness,
leaders inspire others to give priority to superordinate goals rather than to seek their
own prestige or reputation. At the same time, humility in interactions with others
enables leaders to communicate more effectively and to build trust and increase
commitment to the leader and the goals which (s)he seeks to achieve.

Humility and Motivation

For leaders with humility the motivation to pursue valued goals or outcomes
supersedes personal gratification58. The drive to achieve a worthy outcome
motivates perseverance and passion. The humility and fierce resolve to accomplish
worthy objectives are characteristics of Level 5 Leaders59. The transcendent nature
of humility promotes personal growth in the pursuit of one’s highest possible
potential – reflecting the virtuous moral perspective that seeks to optimize positive
outcomes60. Humility’s transcendence inspires individuals to acknowledge that
which is greater in importance than themselves – and in so doing reinforces

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dependence upon others, awareness of one’s shortcomings, and the importance of
a higher purpose worthy of dedicated commitment61..
John Greenleaf addressed the unique motivating power of humility in his
examination of the nature of servant leadership.

‘‘The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural

feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice
brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from
one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an
unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions62.’’

The motivating power of humility in servant leadership is based upon a

commitment to honor implicit obligations which are perceived by leaders as
virtuous, conscience-driven, and morally responsible63. Leadership humility and
virtuousness promote a culture of high commitment and the pursuit of excellence64.

Each individual’s identity standard or comparator, that ideal to which we

consciously or subconsciously hold ourselves accountable, causes us to be both
humble in acknowledging when we fall short and motivated to achieve that high
ideal65. Humility and motivation combine in their high moral emphasis and in their

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action-driven orientation toward achieving worthy results66. Knowing that we can
be greater than we have ever been and that we have much to do to continue to
improve are the integration of humility and motivation and are driven by a sense of
what we ought to be and ought to do to honor ourselves, others, and God67.
By integrating humility and the five elements of EI, leaders refine their
capability to serve others and improve the likelihood that others will be positively
influenced by their leadership efforts68. Humility and EI enable leaders to increase
their own impact on individuals and organizations while empowering others to
excel and achieve worthy goals.

Humility in Application

As leaders understand more about the nature of humility and its application
to EI, they have the opportunity to reflect on how they can be more successful in
creating powerful relationships that inspire others to become their best, that
empower others to overcome challenges, and that enhance the effectiveness of
organizations. The following five insights about the application of humility apply
specifically to EI and are guidelines worth considering for current and would-be
leaders – as well as for any individuals seeking to improve their relationships with
others.
1. Build self-awareness by identifying values and beliefs. Discover
what matters most by consciously examining your values. Self-
understanding and knowledge about those beliefs and values can be
an eye opener in helping you to understand present and past life
choices – even if many of those choices have been made
subconsciously. Learning what you give priority to as core values
should be reflected in how you utilize your time and resources.
2. Honor promises to strengthen self-regulation. Honoring
commitments to others and to yourself enables you to become a
person of high integrity and builds trust. Win the daily private
victory over self to strengthen your belief in yourself69. Make
keeping your word and keeping commitments a matter of personal
honor and develop the ability to do what you say you will do in every
case70.
3. Seek forgiveness from those you have wronged to acquire greater
empathy. Empathy is often learned by facing personal challenges –

14
 including the wrongs that you do to yourself by making poor
choices. Begin the forgiveness process by forgiving yourself and
learn to love yourself despite your flaws. Then ask others to forgive
you for wrongs you have committed against them. As you develop
the courage to acknowledge, accept, and forgive yourself you can
develop the strength to change your life – and along the way you
also increase your ability to have empathy towards others71

4. Listen for feelings rather than literal meaning to improve social

skills. Listening effectively requires far more than simply
understanding words that are spoken or written. Look for the
underlying feelings and deeper message behind others’ messages.
As you listen focus on understanding others needs, hopes, and
desires and look for opportunities to make the lives of others better.
By truly understanding others at the emotional level, you can
establish greater connection with them and increase your ability to
positively affect their lives.

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 5. Surrender to what matters most in your life. What matters most
should never be dominated by lesser priorities72. Define your
personal mission statement. Write it down and reflect on it every
day. Commit yourself to honoring what truly matters in your life
and have the courage to redefine your life to make what is most
important your priority. Be willing to surrender less important
choices for much better opportunities that you know will bring you
the greatest lasting satisfaction.

These five simple guidelines can empower individuals to come to a clearer

understanding of who they truly are and what they can choose to do to live a more
fulfilling life. By honoring who we are we are also able to sustain a greater
reverence for what matters most, enhance our ability to relate to others, and develop
a healthier perspective of our role in the world.

Conclusion
By utilizing the key elements of EI, each one of us has the ability to create
far better relationships with those whom we lead and serve. The abilities to know
ourselves, to control ourselves, and to give ourselves in the service of others are
skills that enhance our EI and bring clarity and purpose to our lives73. It is that
clarity and that understanding of our highest potential that gives us both a sense of
reverence for our value and a humble appreciation for the gifts that we have had the
opportunity to develop.

16
 One of the most powerful contributions of acquiring a sense of who we are,
of constantly seeking to improve and to learn, and to acknowledging the worth and
values of others is that doing so often leads us to appreciate more fully those around
us. In addition, those experiences help draw us closer to a vision of the divine In
our lives74. Finally, developing those perspectives also can bless us with deep
humility and gratitude for our understanding of what we have become – as well as
a conviction about our obligation to constantly strive to do more to make a better
world.

17
1 Albrecht, K. (2015). “The Paradoxical Power of Humility.” Psychology Today, January 8, 2015
found online on April 12, 2018 at
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brainsnacks/201501/the-paradoxical-power-
humility.
2 Ibid.
3 For a complete review of Emotional Intelligence, see Goleman, D. (2005). Emotional

Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ. New York: Bantam Books.
4 See Goleman, D. (1998). “What Makes a Leader?” Harvard Business Review, Vol. 76, Iss. 6,

pp. 93-102.
5 See Caldwell, C. (2009). “Identity, Self-Deception, and Self-Awareness: Ethical Implications

for Leaders and Organizations.” Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 90, Supp. 3, pp. 393-406.
6 See Hayes, L. A., and Caldwell, C. (2016). “Self-Efficacy and Self-Awareness: Moral Insights

to Increased Leader Effectiveness.” Journal of Management Development, Vol. 35, Iss. 9, pp.
1163-1173.
7 See, for example, Burke, P. J. & Stets, J. E. (2009). Identity Theory. Oxford, UK: Oxford

University Press.
8 These core beliefs are fundamental to one’s decisions and actions and are addressed in many

sources. See, for example, Covey, S. R. (2004). The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness.
New York: Free Press and Caldwell, C. (2012). Moral Leadership: A Transformative Model for
Tomorrow’s Leaders. New York: Business Expert Press.
99 For a review of the cognitive nature of self-regulation, see Bandura, Albert. (1982), “The Self

and Mechanisms of Agency,” in Psychological Perspectives on the Self, Vol. 1, J. Suls, Ed..,
Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, pp.3–39.
10 Porath, C. L. & Bateman, T. S. (2006). “Self-Regulation: From Goal Orientation to Job

Performance.” Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 91, Iss. 1, p. 185-192

11
Ibid, page 185.
12 See p. 34 of Bawany, S. (2017). “The Art And Practice Of Servant Leadership: Importance of

Empathy as an Emotional & Social Intelligence Competency for Servant Leaders.” Leadership
Excellence Essentials, Vol. 34, Iss. 11, pp. 34-35.
13 This important element of empathy is described in Polychroniou, P. V. (2009). ”Relationship

between Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Leadership of Supervisors: The Impact on

Team Effectiveness.” Team Performance Management, Vol.15, Iss. 7/8, pp. 343–356.
14 Stefano, S. F. & Wasylyshyn, K. M. (2005). “Integrity, Courage, Empathy ICE: Three

Leadership Essentials.” Human Resource Planning, Vol. 28, Iss. 4, pp. 5-7
15 See Boyatzis R. E. & Mackie, A. (2005). Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and

Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope, and Compassion. Boston, MA: Harvard
Business Review Press.
16 Ibid.
17 Arnold’s Theory of Motivation and this sequence of behaviors is identified in Arnold, M. B.,

(1971). “Motives as Causes.” Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, Volume 1, pp. 185-

192.
18
Expectancy theory is explained in Vroom, V. (1994). Work and Motivation. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.
19 Ibid.
20 See, for example, the list of scholars who have suggested that humility is not a key factor in

Western leadership, identified in Frostenson, M. (2016). “Humility in Business: A Contextual

Approach.” Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 138, pp, 91-102.

18
21 This close relationship is a key part of the definition of humility in Owens, B. P., Johnson, M.
D., & Mitchell, T. R. (2013). “Expressed Humility in Organizations: Implications for
Performance, Teams, and Leadership.” Organization Science, Vol. 24, Issue 5, pp. 1517–1538.
22 See Taylor, S. N. (2010). “Redefining Self-Awareness by Integrating the Second Component

of Self-Awareness.” Journal of Leadership Studies, Vol. 3, Iss. 4, pp. 57-68.

23 Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2012).”Modeling How to Grow: An Inductive Examination

of Humble Leader Behaviors, Contingencies, and Outcomes.” Academy of Management

Journal, Vol. 55, Iss. 4, pp. 787–818.
24 For a summary of the qualities of humble Level 5 Leaders, see Collins, J. (2001). Good to

Great: How Some Companies Make the Leap . . . And Others Don’t. New York: Harper
Collins.
25 Ibid.
26
Ibid.
27 Chang, G. & Diddams, M. (2009). “Hubris or Humility: Cautions Surrounding the Construct

and Self-Definition of Authentic Leadership.” Academy of Management Annual Meeting

Proceedings Vol. 2009 Iss. 1, pp. 1-6.
28 Ibid.
29 Covey, S. R. (2004), op. cit.
30 Ibid.
31 Ibid.
32 Caldwell, C. (2012), op. cit.
33 Owen, B. P. & Hekman, D. R. (2012), op. cit.
34 Ibid.
35 Ibid.
36 Ibid.
37
The execution of any strategy is the most difficult leadership task and requires the application
of wisdom and experience in guiding others and obtaining commitment. See Pfeffer, J. (1998).
The Human Equation: Building Profits by Putting People First. Boston, MA: Harvard Business
Review Press.
38 Spraggon, M. & Bodolica, V. (2015). “Trust, Authentic Pride, and Moral Reasoning: A

Unified Framework of Relational Governance and Emotional Self-Regulation.” Business

Ethics: A European Review, Vol. 24, Iss. 3, pp. 297-314.
39 Van Quaquebeke, N. & Felps, W. (2018). “Respectful Inquiry: A Motivational Account of

Leading through Asking Questions and Listening.” Academy of Management Review, Vol. 43,
Iss. 1, pp. 5-27.
40 Ibid.
41 Bawany, S. (2017), op. cit.
42 Holt, S. & Marques, J. (2012). “Empathy in Leadership: Appropriate of Misplaced? An

Empirical Study on a Topic that is Asking for Attention.” Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 105,
Iaa. 1, pp. 95-105.
43 See Block, P. (2013). Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest. San Francisco, CA:

Jossey-Bass.
44 This commitment to the leader’s obligation to others is clearly articulated in DePree, M.

(2004). Leadership is an Art. New York: Crown Publishing.

45 Ibid.
46 Ibid.
47 Sousa, M. & Direndock, D. (2017). “Servant Leadership and the Effect of the Interaction

Between Humility, Action, and Hierarchical Power on Follower Engagement.” Journal of

Business Ethics, Vol. 141, Iss. 1, pp. 13-25.
48
DePree, M. (2004), op. cit. and Covey, S. R. 2004 op. cit.

19
49 The distinction between others being treated as valued “Yous” rather than as “Its” is the
message of Buber, M. (2013). I and Thou. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing.
50 The importance of empathy and its role in relationships of all types is the message of

McLaren, K. (2013). The Art of Empathy: A Complete Guide to Life’s Most Essential Skill.
Boulder, CO: Sounds True, Inc.
51 Ibid.
52 Ibid.
53 The essence of empathy has its roots in the Kantian idea that people are never to be treated as

means but that they are ends in and of themselves. See, for example, Kant, I., (2017). The
Critique of Reason. Seattle, WA: Kshetra Books.
54 Leal, B. C. III, (2017). 4 Essential Keys to Effective Communication in Love, Life, Work,

Anywhere: Including “The 12-Day Communication Challenge!” Seattle, WA: CreateSpace

Independent Publishing.
55 Ibid.
56 Ibid.
57 57 Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2016).”How Does Leader Humility Influence Team

Performance? Exploring the Mechanisms of Contagion and Collective Promotion Focus.”

Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 59, Iss. 3, pp. 1088-1111.
58 Block, P. (2013), op. cit.
59 Collins, J. (2001), op. cit.
60 Ibid.
61 Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2016), op. cit.
62 This quote is found on page 7 of Greenleaf, R. K. 2002. Servant Leadership: A Journey into

the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. New York: Paulist Pres
63 The virtuous nature of leadership is addressed in Caldwell, C., Hasan, Z., and Smith, S.

(2015). “Virtuous Leadership: Insights for the 21st Century.” Journal of Management
Development. Vol. 34, Iss. 9, pp. 1181-1200.
64 Sousa, M. & Direndock, D. (2017), op. cit.
65 See Burke, P. J. & Stets, J. E. (2009), op. cit.
66 Sousa, M. & Direndock, D. (2017), op. cit,
67 Caldwell, C., In Press. “Trustworthiness and Leader Effectiveness” in Leadership, Ethics,

and Trust – A Christ-Centered Perspective. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars
Publishing.
68 Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2016), op. cit.
69 This daily private victory over self is a frequent them of Stephen R. Covey. See, for example,

Covey, S. R. (2004), op. cit.

70 This lesson is taught in Christensen, C. M., Alworth, J., & Dillon, K. (2012). How Will You

Measure Your Life? New York: Harper Business.

71 Vanzant, I. (2017). Forgiveness: 21 Days to Forgive Everyone for Everything. Carlsbad, CA:

Smiley Books.
72 Covey, S. R. (2004), op. cit.
73
Ibid.
74 Ibid.

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