Editor’s Note: This article is a call to all leaders, both present and future, to embrace humility in public service. It is not intended to single out or criticize any specific individual but to encourage every council member, board representative, and community leader to reflect on how humility can strengthen both their leadership and the community they serve.
Local Dysfunction
In recent months, residents of Whitehall have witnessed City Council meetings that are more combative than collaborative. Arguments erupt between board members, disparaging remarks are made in public, and worthwhile initiatives stall simply because of who proposed them. Council members frequently undermine one another, turning disagreements into personal conflicts rather than healthy debate. These behaviors do more than disrupt a meeting. They erode trust, waste time, and distract from the real purpose of leadership: serving the people.
The problem is not unique to Whitehall. Many councils, boards, and governing bodies fall victim to the same trap: leaders who confuse their role as a public servant with an opportunity for personal validation. When pride takes the driver’s seat, good ideas are discarded, grudges grow, and progress halts.
Patrick Lencioni, leadership author and organizational health expert, puts it plainly: “Humility is the single greatest and most indispensable attribute of a team player.” Without it, leaders see colleagues as rivals instead of partners. They stop asking, “What’s best for the community?” and instead ask, “How do I win this debate?”
Why Humility Matters in Leadership
Humility in leadership is thinking of oneself less. It is the posture of recognizing that no one person has all the answers, that good governance requires collective wisdom, and that credit should be shared, not hoarded.
As John Maxwell, another leadership thinker, notes: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” For a councilperson or board member, caring is demonstrated by listening to constituents, respecting peers, and keeping personal pride from overshadowing the needs of the city.
A humble leader can still be confident, decisive, and strong. The difference is that their confidence is rooted in service, not ego. They are willing to compromise when necessary, admit mistakes when they happen, and champion ideas even if they were not the ones to suggest them.
The Cost of Pride in Public Office
When leaders lack humility, meetings turn into battlegrounds. Decisions are delayed or derailed not because the proposals are flawed, but because the wrong person proposed them. The public watches arguments unfold, and faith in leadership diminishes. The very citizens who elect representatives to solve problems are left wondering why their leaders cannot even solve the problem of working together.
Humility is the antidote to this dysfunction. It reminds leaders that public office is not about scoring points. It is about building trust. As C.S. Lewis famously said: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”
What Humility Looks Like in Practice
In practical terms, humility in public leadership looks like:
- Listening first. Every resident and every fellow board member deserves respect, even when they disagree.
- Asking questions. Assumptions breed division; curiosity builds understanding.
- Collaboration over competition. A council should not be a contest of egos but a coalition for progress.
- Respect for process. Fair debate and due process safeguard fairness for everyone.
- Owning mistakes. Leaders who acknowledge their errors and adjust course earn credibility, not criticism.
Patrick Lencioni also reminds us: “Humble people are more concerned with what is right than who is right.” That lesson is especially vital for councils and boards tasked with making decisions that impact schools, roads, safety, and the daily lives of residents.
A Call to Public Leaders
Public service is not about being the loudest voice in the room. It is about carrying the weight of responsibility with wisdom and fairness, putting others first, and remembering that leadership is not ownership. It is service, and stewardship.
Whitehall, like every community, deserves leaders who recognize that their seat on the council is not a platform for personal agendas but a position of trust. Humility is the quiet strength that steadies councils, builds schools, and restores faith in government.
Communities do not thrive on pride and power plays. They thrive on humility, service, and leaders who are willing to say, “This is bigger than me.”
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