Speaker and historian John Dickson shows how the virtue of humility was an important character trait for the 'greats' of history and figures prominently in the findings of psychology and sociology. Developing humility can transform your personal relationships and professional dealings.
Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership
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'I am a firm believer, as is John Dickson, that people with humility don't think less of themselves; they just think of themselves less. Read Humilitas and develop a culture of humility in your organization.' -- Ken Blanchard, Coauthor, The One Minute Manager and Lead with Luv <br><br>
From the Back Cover
Humility, or holding power loosely for the sake of others, is sorely lacking in today's world. Without it, many people fail to develop their true leadership potential and miss out on genuine fulfillment in their lives and their relationships. Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership shows how the virtue of humility can turn your strengths into true greatness in all areas of life. Through the lessons of history, business, and the social sciences, author John Dickson shows that humility is not low self-esteem, groveling, or losing our distinct gifts. Instead, humility both recognizes our inherent worth and seeks to use whatever power we have at our disposal on behalf of others.
Some of the world's most inspiring and influential players have been people of immense humility. The more we learn about humility, the more we understand how essential it is to a satisfying career and personal life. By embracing this virtue, we will transform for good the unique contributions we each make to the world.
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More About the Author
John Dickson (PhD) is co-director of Centre for Public Christianity (publicchristianity.org), an independent research and media organization promoting the public understanding of the Christian faith. With a degree in theology (Moore Theological College, Sydney) and a doctorate in ancient history (Macquarie University, Sydney) he is a senior research fellow of the Department of Ancient History, Macquarie University, where he teaches courses on Christian origins and the world religions. John is also the Senior Minister at St. Andrews Roseville (standrews.net.au), an innovative Anglican community on Sydney's North Shore. He has a wealth of experience as a local church pastor, public evangelist, and media presenter. He is the author of more than a dozen books and the host of two major television documentaries on the life of Jesus. He lives in Sydney with his wife, Elizabeth, and their three children.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I purchased "Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership," by John Dickson after hearing him speak at the Global Leadership Summit. Most leaders will never hear about this book, but all who do should consider reading it. It has too much fat for my taste, but the meat is exceptional.
Dickson defines humility as "the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself," such that a "humble person is marked by a willingness to hold power in service of others." (p. 24). By this definition you can see that humility starts from a position of dignity, strength, and a healthy sense of my own worth and abilities. Unlike humiliation, which can be thrust upon me by others, humility is a choice I make willingly. And humility is social, more about how I treat others than about how I think of myself. Bob Sutton has written that the best test of a person's character is how he or she treats those with less power.
Dickson argues that humility is important for leadership because humility is persuasive. Humility unlocks the door to referent power. "We are more attracted to the great who are humble than to the great who know it and want everyone else to know it as well." (p. 69). He quotes Aristotle's belief that character is the controlling factor in persuasion: "We believe good-hearted people to a greater extent and more quickly than we do others on all subjects in general and completely so in cases where there is not exact knowledge but room for doubt." (p. 139). We trust the humble more than the proud to act in our best interest.
Dickson also argues that humility is generative, a powerful key to learning and growth. Pride is the engine of mediocrity because the proud think they have "arrived" and have nothing left to learn, certainly not from you and me.
I agree with Dickson that humility trumps tolerance. Tolerance requires all parties to soften their convictions, whereas humility does not. "Humility applied to convictions does not mean believing things any less; it means treating those who hold contrary beliefs with respect and friendship." (p. 167). Dickson maintains that as leaders we must:
Learn to respect and care even for those with whom we profoundly disagree. We maintain our convictions but choose never to allow them to become justification for thinking ourselves better than those with contrary convictions. We move beyond mere tolerance to true humility, the key to harmony at the societal level. (p. 170).
I like that a lot. Bob Sutton has written that the "attitude of wisdom" in leaders is having the courage to act on knowledge while doubting what you know. Effective leaders have strong opinions which are weakly held.
In my opinion, every leader would be wise to consider reading "Humilitas".
Dickson defines humility as "the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself," such that a "humble person is marked by a willingness to hold power in service of others." (p. 24). By this definition you can see that humility starts from a position of dignity, strength, and a healthy sense of my own worth and abilities. Unlike humiliation, which can be thrust upon me by others, humility is a choice I make willingly. And humility is social, more about how I treat others than about how I think of myself. Bob Sutton has written that the best test of a person's character is how he or she treats those with less power.
Dickson argues that humility is important for leadership because humility is persuasive. Humility unlocks the door to referent power. "We are more attracted to the great who are humble than to the great who know it and want everyone else to know it as well." (p. 69). He quotes Aristotle's belief that character is the controlling factor in persuasion: "We believe good-hearted people to a greater extent and more quickly than we do others on all subjects in general and completely so in cases where there is not exact knowledge but room for doubt." (p. 139). We trust the humble more than the proud to act in our best interest.
Dickson also argues that humility is generative, a powerful key to learning and growth. Pride is the engine of mediocrity because the proud think they have "arrived" and have nothing left to learn, certainly not from you and me.
I agree with Dickson that humility trumps tolerance. Tolerance requires all parties to soften their convictions, whereas humility does not. "Humility applied to convictions does not mean believing things any less; it means treating those who hold contrary beliefs with respect and friendship." (p. 167). Dickson maintains that as leaders we must:
Learn to respect and care even for those with whom we profoundly disagree. We maintain our convictions but choose never to allow them to become justification for thinking ourselves better than those with contrary convictions. We move beyond mere tolerance to true humility, the key to harmony at the societal level. (p. 170).
I like that a lot. Bob Sutton has written that the "attitude of wisdom" in leaders is having the courage to act on knowledge while doubting what you know. Effective leaders have strong opinions which are weakly held.
In my opinion, every leader would be wise to consider reading "Humilitas".
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Tory
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I saw John Dickson speak at the 2011 Willow Creek Leadership Summit. I had never heard of him or his book before and I was blown away by his words. The concept of humility is such a lost one in the world today, I don't even know if we define it correctly. In this book he demonstrates that, historically, leaders that are marked with humility are the ones that accomplish great things. Though he brings up Biblical passages this book is in no way solely "Christian".
This book weaves together people and ideas from many times and eras, including present day. He uses the Steve Jobs' inability of showing humility in the iphone 4 "attenagate" and how simply not saying "sorry" and defending themselves was in fact the wrong way of handling it and tarnished their reputation somewhat. He also talks about being a young boy and meeting the irish band U2 in a hotel dining room and how when they approached them, they were warmly welcomed - by a world class band! They were inspired by this exchange. Humility breeds inspiration and respect, and harmony.
You will enjoy this book. Practical, compelling and even needed in today's society.
This book weaves together people and ideas from many times and eras, including present day. He uses the Steve Jobs' inability of showing humility in the iphone 4 "attenagate" and how simply not saying "sorry" and defending themselves was in fact the wrong way of handling it and tarnished their reputation somewhat. He also talks about being a young boy and meeting the irish band U2 in a hotel dining room and how when they approached them, they were warmly welcomed - by a world class band! They were inspired by this exchange. Humility breeds inspiration and respect, and harmony.
You will enjoy this book. Practical, compelling and even needed in today's society.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
For starters, this is not a self-help book. It's a serious plea for all of us to become people who practice humility. What separates this book from a book like Humility by C.J. Mahaney, is that Mahaney is a pastor, while Dickson is a professor. In fact, Dickson is the Senior Research Fellow of the Department of Ancient History at Macquarie University in Sydney Australia.
This book travels down Dickson's specialty - the ancient roads of history - in order to show how humility evolved from a vice to virtue. But he doesn't leave it in the past. He brings it forward into the present with some helpful tips on how we can become people who are more humble than we are today.
In Humilitas (the Latin word for humility), Dickson's thesis is straightforward: "The most influential and inspiring people are often marked by humility" (p. 19). How does he define humility? He says, "Humility is the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself" (p. 24).
The language of influence and inspiration calls to mind the topic of leadership, and that's exactly where he makes his first move. And, frankly, it's a good move. He spends 16 pages on the topic of leadership and humility's role in it (pages 31-47). Even though he's outside of his specialty, those 16 pages are excellent. His analysis of leadership "tools" - ability (p. 37), authority (p. 38), persuasion (p. 39), and example (p. 40) - are dead-on. He ties the section together by saying, "I consider persuasion and example (in combination) to be the heart of leadership" (p. 43).
On leadership, his ideas are indebted to Jim Collins from Stanford, John Kotter from Harvard, and Simon Walker from Oxford. It's hard to go wrong when you're relying on guys like that. The value for the reader is that Dickson has brought together the best of what those guys have to offer in a compact, digestible presentation.
The middle chapters trace the growth and qualities of humility, with the most important observation being that, "For [the early Christians] the crucifixion was not evidence of Jesus' humiliation (humilitas) but proof that greatness can express itself in humility (humility), the noble choice to lower yourself for the sake of others" (107).
My favorite chapter was titled "Harmony: Why Humility Is Better Than Tolerance." After lamenting about the race to the bottom, where all convictions are set aside and relativism (all views are equally valid) reigns supreme, Dickson concludes, "We maintain our convictions but choose never to allow them to become justification for thinking ourselves better than those with contrary convictions" (p. 170). That's a much better approach than a vague, wishy-washy version of tolerance.
He concludes with six practical suggestions for becoming a more humble person. They are:
1) Admire humility (p. 174)
2) Reflect on the lives of the humble (p. 175)
3) Conduct thought experiments to enhance humility - i.e., plan ahead (p. 177)
4) Act humbly - i.e., go for it (p. 178)
5) Invite criticism (p. 180)
6) Forget about it (p. 182).
Overall I thought this was an excellent book. It's well-written, extremely educational, and very convincing. In tracing the history of humility, Dickson ably convinces readers that humilitas is better than hubris.
This book travels down Dickson's specialty - the ancient roads of history - in order to show how humility evolved from a vice to virtue. But he doesn't leave it in the past. He brings it forward into the present with some helpful tips on how we can become people who are more humble than we are today.
In Humilitas (the Latin word for humility), Dickson's thesis is straightforward: "The most influential and inspiring people are often marked by humility" (p. 19). How does he define humility? He says, "Humility is the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself" (p. 24).
The language of influence and inspiration calls to mind the topic of leadership, and that's exactly where he makes his first move. And, frankly, it's a good move. He spends 16 pages on the topic of leadership and humility's role in it (pages 31-47). Even though he's outside of his specialty, those 16 pages are excellent. His analysis of leadership "tools" - ability (p. 37), authority (p. 38), persuasion (p. 39), and example (p. 40) - are dead-on. He ties the section together by saying, "I consider persuasion and example (in combination) to be the heart of leadership" (p. 43).
On leadership, his ideas are indebted to Jim Collins from Stanford, John Kotter from Harvard, and Simon Walker from Oxford. It's hard to go wrong when you're relying on guys like that. The value for the reader is that Dickson has brought together the best of what those guys have to offer in a compact, digestible presentation.
The middle chapters trace the growth and qualities of humility, with the most important observation being that, "For [the early Christians] the crucifixion was not evidence of Jesus' humiliation (humilitas) but proof that greatness can express itself in humility (humility), the noble choice to lower yourself for the sake of others" (107).
My favorite chapter was titled "Harmony: Why Humility Is Better Than Tolerance." After lamenting about the race to the bottom, where all convictions are set aside and relativism (all views are equally valid) reigns supreme, Dickson concludes, "We maintain our convictions but choose never to allow them to become justification for thinking ourselves better than those with contrary convictions" (p. 170). That's a much better approach than a vague, wishy-washy version of tolerance.
He concludes with six practical suggestions for becoming a more humble person. They are:
1) Admire humility (p. 174)
2) Reflect on the lives of the humble (p. 175)
3) Conduct thought experiments to enhance humility - i.e., plan ahead (p. 177)
4) Act humbly - i.e., go for it (p. 178)
5) Invite criticism (p. 180)
6) Forget about it (p. 182).
Overall I thought this was an excellent book. It's well-written, extremely educational, and very convincing. In tracing the history of humility, Dickson ably convinces readers that humilitas is better than hubris.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
great reading
this was a great reading. it was a good reminder of what it takes to be loving and humble. I would recommend to anyone.
Published 1 month ago by Stephanie Sylvestre
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Topic Not Addressed Enough
Humility is something we hear about from time-to-time, but really don't don't focus in on or teach about in a practical way. Read more
Published 1 month ago by J. M. Hart
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful book
I choose this rating for this book because it is a really good book to learn about being humble, and staying that way. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Pen Name
5.0 out of 5 stars
Yes!
This book was recommended as "one of the best books on humility". I now agree. It is a very balanced, practical, approach which can be seen as effective in all areas of... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kathy Noel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding
An excellent discussion on the value of humility for every part of life. Interesting history, easy to read, inspiring examples, challenging application. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Peter Keith Pellicaan
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Introvert's Handbook for Leadership, Reflection, and Life
Phenomenal read. I wasn't sure what exactly I was getting in to when I picked this up for $2.99 monthly deal, but would easily pay $10 or $12 now that I know. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Andrew Butts
5.0 out of 5 stars
Responsible Leadership Begins with Humble Service
I came across this book quite accidentally, but it may be one of the most valuable books I have read in the last several years. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Rebecca
4.0 out of 5 stars
Though Provoking Ideas
This book offers many great stories and concepts about humility. Dickson makes insightful and thought provoking connections to the impact that humility can have on people who take... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Lilac985
3.0 out of 5 stars
An Edifying Book With Some Limitations
Humility is a beautiful virtue; often longed for, yet seldom seen. But when discovered, it quietly points away from itself, only increasing one's jealousy, amazement, or both. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Benjamin A. Simpson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book on Humility
In his latest book, Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership, John Dickson explores the virtue of humility. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Keith R. Clark
