Adath Israel San Francisco | Modern Orthodox Synagogue in San Francisco | A Welcoming Shul and Jewish Community

The Humility of a True Leader

Read any news articles about a leader and the theme of humility is part of the story, either explicitly or implicitly. 

Handling an issue with humility versus arrogance not only affects the outcome, but also how everyone else perceives the response of that leader. 

However, when we look at some of the more successful leaders, humility isn’t necessarily the character trait that we would use to describe them. Nevertheless, studies have shown that humility is one of the most important character traits. 

How can one be a leader and be humble?

We know that Har Sinai was chosen as the mountain upon which we would receive the Torah because of its “humility” — it was the lowest of the mountains. If humility was the goal, why give the Torah on a mountain? Why not give the Torah in a valley? 

The Kotzker Rebbe (1787-1859) answers that there can’t be humility unless there is something to be humble about. A valley has nothing to brag about and as such, we can’t learn humility from it. A mountain that has some height but is still “humble” (in comparison to other mountains) can teach us a lesson in humility.

Good leaders are talented people. But talent and humility are not polar opposites. 

Indeed, they can work together. When people see talent that is tempered by humility, the humble talented individual has a greater ability to make an impact.