Some CEOs are known for their apologies—at least the number of them they issue publicly. Travis Kalanick, the man at the helm of ride-sharing giant Uber, is no stranger to these apologies. Unfortunately for his company’s image, the public apologies haven’t always matched up with ongoing turmoil at the company, throwing Kalanick’s leadership under scrutiny time and time again.
Known as a brash and persistent leader, many people feel that these apologies are hollow and insufficient, because the culture at Uber continues to be precarious and hostile. Even those closest to him are urging a change in his management style. After years of scrutiny, Kalanick agrees—but the journey to this point of newfound humility has been fraught.
So what has historically been at the heart of Kalanick’s troubles as a leader? Part of it is this lack of humility—despite the consequences of his actions, Kalanick has been largely used to dismissing them in the past—signaling confidence in his own decision-making, regardless of outcome. Humility is a key ingredient in successful leadership, but why?
Arrogance is Off-Putting
There’s a difference between humility and lack of confidence. Confident people don’t have to be arrogant and aggressive in order to be good leaders. Arrogance is off-putting—no one wants to listen to a leader stroke their own ego—they want substance and action, not bluster. Furthermore, people are much more likely to help others when they’re in a difficult situation when they’ve shown past humility and grace.
No One is Perfect
We tend to not believe a leader who admits no weakness, because everyone knows that no one is perfect. No one can be right all the time, and even a CEO of a large company will make mistakes. Humility is important because it shows an understanding of this truth, and gives us the confidence that a leader will consider the potential consequences before taking action.