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Extractive summaries and key takeaways from the articles curated from TOP TEN BUSINESS MAGAZINES to promote informed business decision-making | Since September 2017 | Week 311 | August 25-31, 2023

Science Shows Humility Makes You Smarter and More Successful. Here Are the 8 Types to Cultivate

By Jessica Stillman | Inc Magazine | August 30, 2023

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Think of the qualities you need to be successful, and you’ll probably focus first on things like brainpower, a persuasive personality, grit, or emotional intelligence. These are admirable qualities all, but both science and top business minds insist another, quieter trait can be just as important — humility.  Jeff Bezos has claimed humility is a marker of intelligence, and one of the top characteristics he looks for when he hires. Science backs him up. Studies show those with more humility are better at assessing evidence, better at understanding those with differing viewpoints, and more curious.

All of which makes a pretty strong case for why entrepreneurs might want to cultivate more humility. But to do that you first have to understand exactly what “humility” covers. A fascinating recent Psychology Today article by psychiatrist Ravi Chandra. In it, Chandra outlines eight components of true humility, providing those looking to increase theirs with a useful roadmap to follow.   

1. Cultural humility.  We all have biases based on our cultural experiences and identities. We might carry stereotyped assumptions about other cultures that will inevitably cause harm. Extended travel or living abroad is one way to start cultivating this type of humility. 
2. Familial (or intergenerational) humility. It would do the world a lot of good if parents (and older people generally) would be humble in the face of their children’s perspectives in life. They are literally seeing a whole new ballgame.
3. Intellectual humility. Not only question your beliefs and assumptions, but also examine whether you truly understand the beliefs and assumptions of others.
4. Humility of knowledge. As much as any of us might have known or learned, there’s always more to learn and understand. And this doesn’t just apply to book knowledge.
5. Humility of skill. No matter how skillful we might be, it’s good to stay humble in the face of new situations, the potential for errors, and the inevitability of change.
6. Humility of wisdom. We’d all like to eventually be respected and appreciated for our wisdom, accomplishments, skill, talent, or knowledge accumulated through life experience and lifelong learning and growth. However, as Socrates said, ‘the only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” 
7. Humility of awe. This is the feeling of being insignificant in the face of our huge, grand universe, and it’s been shown to be a key contributor to mental health by a boatload of science.
8. Humility in the face of suffering. “Research has shown that we are often pulled to help others, but we can become overwhelmed and shut down when faced with large-scale suffering and catastrophe. How do we keep an open heart? The answer lies in cultivating presence, humility, and humor in the face of suffering and potential suffering.

2 key takeaways from the article

1. Think of the qualities you need to be successful, and you’ll probably focus first on things like brainpower, a persuasive personality, grit, or emotional intelligence. These are admirable qualities all, but both science and top business minds insist another, quieter trait can be just as important — humility.  Jeff Bezos has claimed humility is a marker of intelligence, and one of the top characteristics he looks for when he hires. Science backs him up. Studies show those with more humility are better at assessing evidence, better at understanding those with differing viewpoints, and more curious.
2. All of which makes a pretty strong case for why entrepreneurs might want to cultivate more humility. But to do that you first have to understand exactly what “humility” covers.  A recent book suggests eight dimensions: cultural humility, famility (or intergenerational) humility, intellectual humility, humility of knowledge, humility of skills, humility of wisdom, humility of awe, and humility in the face of suffering.

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Topics:   Entrepreneurship, Humility, Wisdom