Good morning from AC 142 enroute to Toronto. I trust that the light streaming in the windows of the airplane is breaking through in your life as well. I’ve been reflecting on humility this week, triggered by three perspectives, personal, local and global. I want to link these to Jim Collins important contribution to leadership literature in Good to Great where he observes that the leaders in ‘great’ companies all share a ‘bias to action,’ and to this conversation, ‘humility’. Collins says that for him humility is where the leader looks out the window when things are going well, and looks in the mirror when things are not going well.
To build on that, here are the three humbling perspectives. First, I have been humbled by the capacity in me that is actually dark. All my life I have assumed that I was a nice guy, and what I have discovered is that I, like I suppose everyone else, have a very self-centred and even hurtful side. It has always been there, obvious to some others, but only recently to myself. My capacity for leadership is of course restricted by this dark side, but it is also enhanced as I work at accepting the darkness, as a part of me that is trying to express (poorly obviously) deep issues. Collins’ mirror may not reveal only light and strength, but a humbling darkness and weakness. Part of our journey as leaders is to respect ourselves, and that means knowing the good and the bad about ourselves, and learning to work with both aspects honestly. When my dark side appears, my brother, a very wise man indeed, has taught me about taking responsibility and not getting too hung up on how horribly I may have behaved, rather to ask the question, ‘what is the best thing to do next?’
Secondly, I have been humbled by the many email responses to last week’s Leadership Notes, inquiring about my health. One email in particular talked of how the other leader had faced his own ‘awful’ times and found “it taught me how important it is to grow your garden of friendships..” I am very fortunate to have not only a garden of friendships, but apparently a farm of colleagues and acquaintances. Thank you. Yes, it is important to look in the mirror and do the “inner work”, and eventually then we need to connect with our garden of friends if only to hear another perspective, to hear words of challenge and encouragement, and to know that in the end it is the love of a friend that makes all the difference.

Thirdly, like many on the planet, I have been watching the images of the tsunamis striking Japan. Here’s a humbling thought folks, you can have the best risk management planning, the most up to date business resumption plan, but when you’re left shivering in a blanket looking at the splintered 2x4’s that were your family store, you begin to understand that economics and business are merely vehicles to help you and your family eat and stay warm. The really important parts of life are the feel of a partner’s foot against your leg on the sofa, the laughter of private family joke, (at least we think we’re funny!), or the solace of forgiving and being forgiven, just to name a few. However busy you are today, touch base with someone you love. The business will look after itself, or not. What is important is your partner and family.

May each of us be humbled again this week.