7 Mistakes You're Making with Leadership Humility (and How to Fix Them)

Are you struggling to connect with your team the way you used to? Do you find yourself wondering why engagement feels forced, or why your best people seem distant? The answer might surprise you--it's not about working harder or being more decisive. It's about embracing something many leaders resist: genuine humility.

Here's the truth--humble leadership isn't about being weak or uncertain. It's about being secure enough in yourself to prioritize your team's growth and your organization's success over your own ego. But even well-intentioned leaders fall into common traps that sabotage their efforts to lead with authentic humility.

Let's dive into the seven most damaging mistakes you might be making, and more importantly, how to fix them starting today.

Mistake #1: Acting Like the Smartest Person in the Room

Do you find yourself dismissing team input before really considering it? Are you quick to react defensively when someone questions your approach? This "know-it-all" mentality is leadership humility killer number one.

Here's what's really happening: When you believe your perspective is the only one that matters, you create massive blind spots. Your team learns that offering new ideas is futile, innovation dies, and you miss crucial ground-level insights that could transform your organization.

The immediate fix:

• Start every meeting by asking, "What am I missing here?"
• Practice saying "I don't know" when you genuinely don't
• When someone challenges your thinking, respond with curiosity, not defensiveness
• Make it safe for others to disagree by thanking them for different perspectives

Remember: confident leaders admit uncertainty. It doesn't make you appear weak--it makes you appear human and trustworthy.

Mistake #2: Staying Blind to Your Own Weaknesses

Are you confident you know your strengths and weaknesses? Most leaders are, but here's the reality check--what's obvious to your team might be completely invisible to you.

The hidden damage: Your flaws are creating friction you can't see. Team members are working around your limitations, but they're not telling you about it. This disconnection between your self-perception and reality is costing you effectiveness and respect.

Your action plan:

• Implement 360-degree feedback (and actually listen to it)
• Ask your top performers: "What's one thing I could stop doing that would help our team?"
• Create psychological safety for honest feedback by rewarding truth-telling
• Work with a coach who will give you the straight story

The leaders who grow fastest are those willing to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves.

Mistake #3: Taking Credit, Dodging Responsibility

Do you celebrate team wins as your victories while pointing fingers when things go wrong? This double standard destroys trust faster than almost anything else you can do as a leader.

Why this backfires spectacularly: Your team notices everything. When you grab credit for their hard work but blame them for systemic failures, you become what researchers call a "trust sinkhole." People stop bringing their best efforts because they know they won't be recognized.

The leadership reversal:

• Give public credit to your team for successes
• Take public responsibility for failures
• Provide private correction when individuals need coaching
• Highlight specific team member contributions in meetings and communications

This flip completely transforms your leadership credibility. When your people see you consistently elevating them while owning mistakes, respect and loyalty skyrocket.

Mistake #4: Pretending Everything Is Fine When It's Not

Are you putting on a mask of toxic positivity while chaos swirls around your organization? When you pretend that layoffs, budget cuts, or major challenges aren't affecting your team, trust evaporates instantly.

The authenticity gap: Your team can sense when you're being fake. They need honest communication, especially during difficult times. False optimism breeds fear, rumors, and resentment.

The vulnerability advantage:

• Say "I don't have all the answers, but here's what I do know"
• Share appropriate context about challenges you're facing
• Focus on concrete steps being taken to address problems
• Ask your team for their insights and solutions

Vulnerable leaders build more loyalty than perfect leaders ever could. Your humanity connects with people in ways that corporate speak never will.

Mistake #5: Making Decisions in a Black Box

Do you announce changes without explaining the reasoning behind them? When you slip into "executive mode" and forget to provide context, you create fear and resistance.

What your team experiences: Without understanding the "why" behind decisions, people fill in gaps with worst-case scenarios. They assume the worst about your motives and resist important initiatives.

The transparency solution:

• Explain your decision-making process, not just the final decision
• Share the constraints and considerations you're weighing
• Even when the news isn't positive, provide honest context
• Make "here's why" a standard part of every major communication

Context builds trust. People will support difficult decisions when they understand the reasoning, even if they don't love the outcome.

Mistake #6: Failing to Learn from Your Mistakes Publicly

Do you believe you should appear flawless to your team? Are you missing the powerful leadership moment that comes from reflecting on and sharing what you've learned from failures?

The missed opportunity: When leaders don't acknowledge their mistakes and learning, they miss chances to develop authentic humility and model growth for their teams. Research shows that teams perform better when their leaders demonstrate learning from missteps.

The learning leadership approach:

• Establish a weekly reflection time to examine what went wrong and why
• Share appropriate learning moments with your team
• Ask "What could I have done differently?" after difficult situations
• Position mistakes as growth opportunities, not character flaws

Your willingness to grow publicly gives your team permission to do the same. This creates a culture of continuous improvement instead of perfectionism.

Mistake #7: Micromanaging Instead of Empowering

Are you making all decisions flow through you first? Do you believe you need to ensure everything is "right" before it moves forward? This approach signals to your team that you don't trust their judgment.

The bottleneck effect: When everything requires your approval, decision-making slows to a crawl, you waste your time on details, and your team becomes frustrated and disengaged. You're also robbing them of growth opportunities.

The empowerment transformation:

• Delegate decisions that align with organizational goals
• Provide training and resources, then step back
• Set clear boundaries and expectations, then trust the process
• Support your team's decisions publicly, even when they're different from what you would have chosen

True delegation isn't abandonment: it's providing the structure and support people need to succeed while giving them autonomy in execution.

Your Next Steps Toward Authentic Leadership

Developing genuine leadership humility isn't about becoming weak or uncertain. It's about being secure enough in yourself to prioritize your team's success and your organization's growth over your ego.

Start here:

• Choose one mistake from this list that resonates most strongly
• Implement one specific fix this week
• Ask for feedback on your progress from a trusted team member
• Consider working with an executive coach who can provide an objective perspective

The path to humble leadership requires consistent self-reflection and commitment to growth. But here's what makes it worth the effort: humble leaders create more engaged teams, foster innovation, and build stronger organizational cultures. When your people feel valued, heard, and empowered, extraordinary results follow.

Are you ready to transform your leadership approach? The choice, and the opportunity, is in your hands. Your team is waiting to see the authentic, humble leader you have the potential to become.

For personalized guidance on developing your leadership humility and transforming your team dynamics, visit Legacy Leadership Coaching to explore how executive coaching can accelerate your growth journey.

Coach Chando | Chad Blando
Executive Coach • Adjunct Professor • Author • Leadership Strategist
30+ years in leadership & management coaching.
Author of Sinking the Showboat: How to Coach Oneself in the Art and Passion of Humble Leadership.