The Power of Humility: Why It Matters More Than Ever in Academic Pharmacy
In a profession driven by credentials, titles, and accomplishments, humility isn’t always the trait that gets the spotlight. But it’s often the difference between good and great faculty—between authority and authentic influence.
True humility isn’t about minimizing your worth or hiding your success. It’s about staying grounded in your authentic self and service of others. It’s knowing your strengths without needing to showcase them. It’s asking more questions than you answer. And it’s one of the most underappreciated skills in academic life today.
Leadership thinkers like Jim Collins (Good to Great), Patrick Lencioni (The Ideal Team Player), and Edgar Schein (Humble Inquiry) all point to humility as a key predictor of sustained impact—whether you're leading a team, mentoring students, advancing scholarship, or collaborating in patient care. Let’s face it. Don’t you enjoy being around people who are humble?
Here’s how embracing humility can elevate your work—and how to cultivate more of it through honest self-reflection.
1. Lead with Humility—Not Hierarchy
Key Idea: The best leaders don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. They make the room smarter.
Jim Collins calls this “Level 5 Leadership”—a blend of fierce resolve and deep humility. Humble leaders build trust faster, retain high-performing teams, and create space for innovation by inviting others’ input.
Try This:
Replace directives with open-ended questions: “What do you think is the best next step?”
Publicly acknowledge team contributions, even if you led the initiative.
Example:
A department chair credits their team’s efforts at a college-wide meeting rather than framing success as a personal achievement. This small act increases morale, engagement, and credibility.
2. Teach with Curiosity Over Control
Key Idea: Humility in teaching means knowing you’re not the only expert in the room.
In Humble Inquiry, Schein encourages educators to lead with curiosity. Great faculty model a willingness to learn from students, adapt their methods, and co-create knowledge rather than deliver it from on high.
Try This:
Invite mid-semester feedback and act on it visibly.
Say “I don’t know” when appropriate—and follow it with “Let’s find out together.”
Example:
A professor shifts from always lecturing to using case-based discussion, positioning students as partners in clinical reasoning. The result? More engagement—and a stronger learning culture.
3. Research with a Collaborative Spirit
Key Idea: Humble scholars don’t chase credit—they chase insight.
Humility in scholarship invites collaboration, shares authorship, and stays open to critique. Lencioni emphasizes that humble teammates are more focused on results than recognition.
Try This:
Seek out peer feedback before submitting manuscripts or grant proposals.
Elevate junior co-authors and involve them in shaping the narrative.
Example:
A senior faculty member co-authors with an early-career colleague, intentionally giving them lead authorship and mentoring them through the process—modeling humility and lifting others.
4. Practice Clinical Humility in Patient Care
Key Idea: Humility makes room for empathy, listening, and interprofessional respect.
In clinical settings, humility allows pharmacists to admit limitations, learn from others, and build stronger connections with patients and colleagues alike. It’s essential for lifelong learning and safe practice.
Try This:
Use reflective practice after difficult patient interactions: What could I have done differently?
Invite feedback from learners, patients, and interdisciplinary team members.
Example:
A preceptor shares a personal story of a clinical error with their student—not to highlight failure, but to teach accountability and growth through humility.
5. Take Inventory: Are You Living Your Values?
Key Idea: You can’t model humility unless you’re aware of how it shows up—or doesn’t.
True humility comes from intentional reflection. Take time to ask yourself how others may experience you, especially when you're under stress, in the spotlight, or receiving praise.
Try This:
Reflect weekly using questions like:
Did I listen more than I spoke this week?
When was the last time I changed my mind?
Do people feel safe disagreeing with me?
Seek anonymous feedback from peers or team members.
Example:
A faculty member sends out a short, confidential pulse survey to colleagues and learners, asking, “What’s one way I can improve as a collaborator or mentor?” They use the results to guide personal development.
Final Thoughts:
In the high-achieving world of academic pharmacy, humility can feel like a risk. But in reality, it’s your greatest credibility builder. It invites trust. It strengthens relationships. And it signals that your success is bigger than your ego.
Let’s stop thinking of humility as something soft. It’s one of the sharpest tools in a faculty member’s toolkit.
Next Steps to Next-Level Leadership:
Looking to develop your leadership presence without losing your authentic self? We offer coaching and faculty development tools to help you lead with clarity, courage—and humility. Include your entire leadership team for catalyzing group coaching and masterclass sessions.
Let’s Talk. Schedule a Free Strategy Session.
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