Leadership, Life Lessons
Humility: An underappreciated leadership skill.
January 21, 2026
Humility is a super-power of Leadership. However, it takes the ultimate level of confidence to display humility. Often bravado or arrogance are considered the hallmarks of confidence. However, this is not true. I, daresay, that as a behavioural trait, Humility is the ‘Synonym’ of supreme confidence.
Let’s see a demonstration of this in action.
Situation: Bala Kanda.
Rama and Lakshmana have just helped to protect the Yagna (Fire Sacrifice) that Maharishi Vishwamitra has done at Siddha AshRama from the two powerful Rakshasas – Subahu and Marich. Killing Subahu in the process and flinging Maricha out to a long distance with the weapons that were given by Vishwamitra to them. The other Rishis in Vishwamitra’s ashram praise and celebrate the young boys’ achievements. Vishwamitra tells Rama that the Yagna is fully completed, and Rama has brought great honour to his father Dashrath and to his teachers by protecting the yagna.
In response, Rama says this to Vishwamitra ….
imau sma muni shaarduula kiMkarau samupasthitau |
aaj~naapaya munishreShTha shaasanam karavaava kim || 1-31-4
O Lion among Rishis, we are your servants. Command us to carry out any order of yours.
This is Rama and Lakshman’s biggest achievement so far in their young lives. At this moment, a normal person having protected a big event, defeating very powerful Rakshasas and being lauded by all around him. His achievement is being celebrated by all the people in the ashram. However, Rama does not let that go to his head. Despite all this celebration, Rama maintains his balance and his situational awareness is exemplary. He knows that he has been able to achieve this only because of Vishwamitra’s teachings and blessings. Rama realizes that Vishwamitra is the greater person here as the Guru. Humility with his guru will lead to more blessings and many learning opportunities which will lead to even bigger achievements. And that’s what happens.
Maharishi Vishwamitra, who had the largest treasure of divine weapons that even Indra could not match, shared the entire repository with Rama. Not only that, Rama learns important life lessons and his marriage to Sita also happens while he was under the tutorship of Vishwamitra. Rama’s humility enables and his openness to learn from Vishwamitra enables all this.
Analysis:
Takeaways:
Practice humility in everyday situations with honesty and transparency. Here are few suggestions for this:
- Show appreciation for others’ ideas and work. Give credit to others where it’s due.
- When you don’t know, Admit it openly. Show willingness to learn and follow through on it. Say,”I don’t have all the answers. I’m open to working with you to figure it out.”
- Be open to hearing from others. Say, “Here is what I think we should do – And I’m open to hearing if you think differently.”
- Admit mistakes when they happen. Learn from the situation and make sure that you share that learning with your team.
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Anil Srinivas Chilla
Leadership practitioner with 25+ years of experience across global organizations, exploring timeless leadership lessons from the Ramayana and Indian Knowledge Systems for modern life.
