Humility: The Strength of True Leaders

A note to young leaders.

During the Christmas break, I watched an excellent HBO documentary on Muhammad Ali called: “The Tale Of The Tapes.”

Ali is today almost universally revered, and rightly so.

But before his first fight against Joe Frazier, given his controversial anti- Vietnam-war stance and his conversion to Islam, Ali had at least as many haters and detractors as he did admirers.

That didn’t stop Ali from taunting and boasting before the fight: “I’m so modest, I can admit my own faults. And my only fault is: I don’t realise how great I really am.”

It was brash, funny and great box office.

Only problem for Ali was that Frazier went on to win the fight, dealing Ali his first professional loss. The world held its breath: how would the cocky, former heavyweight champion of the world respond to the defeat?

Ali responded with grace and humility, much to the surprise of his detractors. Watch the video clip below to see how demurely and deftly he handles the loss.

Leaders are not afraid to be humble in defeat. Humility does not diminish self-belief, it enhances it.