Pope Francis believes that authentic humility empowers leaders like no other leadership quality.
"If we can develop a truly humble attitude, we can change the world," wrote Jorge Mario Bergoglio before becoming pope. And he misses no opportunity to show that a person can never be too humble and that people can learn to be more humble. In doing so, he has altered the standards by which we measure our leaders.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis rose from humble beginnings to become the head of the largest Christian church in the world. Yet, he has not forgotten where he came from and has injected his humility and humanity into his leadership as Pontiff. Rather than embracing extravagance and grandiosity, Pope Francis has chosen to remain modest and encourages others to follow his lead. "Francis lives by a set of values that consistently places others before himself, viewing his leadership role as a servant. Let us never forget that authentic power is service," proclaimed Pope Francis during his inaugural mass.
Pope Francis believes that authentic humility empowers leaders like no other leadership quality. For business leaders, this means never use your position of leader for selfish reasons, to make yourself accessible to your employees with either an open door policy or a cubicle instead of an office, and to stop excessive, needless spending at the office on items like lunches at expensive restaurants and extravagant holiday parties.
In his book, "Lead with Humility: 12 Leadership Lessons from Pope Francis," Jeffrey A. Krames explores the lessons business leaders can learn from Pope Francis. From tackling adversity to avoiding insularity and promoting inclusivity, the book offers insight into how Pope Francis' early career has shaped his duties as Pontiff.