The digital leader - the modest leader

We are familiar with the image of the charismatic leader, the image of the person who takes over the company through the skill of his words, of the wide and confident smile. Recent research in the field of leadership, especially in the digital age, shows that the charismatic leader is overtaken by the modest leader, apparently at the opposite pole.

The main trait of the digital leader is modesty. Modesty is the ability to put other people’s interest above yours.. Thus, the modest leader is the one who encourages honest feedback, he is the leader that is always eager to learn from anyone, the leader who is not afraid to change his mind and take responsibility for his mistakes.

The modest leader is extremely self-conscious, which is a skill that is developed based on a non-arrogant attitude and a permanent openness to feedback.

According to recent studies on organizational behavior (Dr. Jennifer Peterson, 2020), modesty in leadership brings group cohesion and the desire to learn of the team members, being also a predictor of increased team performance.

Identifying and developing the ability to remain modest in leadership roles thus becomes the main concern of specialists in the field of human resources, but also of management teams within organizations that want to remain competitive in the market. The charismatic leader, the enthusiastic one, almost becomes the shy leader, but with a great confidence in personal abilities, with ambition and desire to achieve performance, with clear long-term vision and increased resistance to ambiguity.