What is humility but the faithful and honest rendering of truth. . .no more, no less. Why is it that for far too many, humility is about the degredation of ourselves at the altar of social acceptance? What it seems like is that pride is the real hidden god in that matter of not over playing our value within a situation, or group. I have listened to far too many speak of their abilities in ways that sound censored, but are largely that person copping out from facing their fear and practicing life truthfully. The messages of this false humility sounds right, but they are void of a deeper truth that demands full performance by the individual.

I see leaders withold themselves because they don’t want to come across brash or arrogant. I always encourage clients to pay attention to any noise within the system of their actions that reduce impact, but please differentiate between possible noise and fear. It serves none of us to play small. Likewise, it serves no one for us to misrepresent the truth. Let’s just be clear about the fact that misrepresentation of truth can swing either direction, and largely does.

My advocacy is toward an ethic of truth in love. I know that sounds “soft” in corporate circles, but try it and discover not only how hard it is, but how it is also good. Can we please live our lives asserting the truth of what we can do in the situations of our lives? Let the norm be that what is represented is a wholeness that offers clarity of what we are good at doing, and what we are not. It is only as we become honest about both truths - the good and bad - that we provide the situations and people of our lives the greatest contribution that we can give. . .ourselves.