Why you should start with humility
A lesson leaders can learn from legendary composer John Williams
I leaned over to my right, despite my back’s protest, so I could see in between the heads in front of me. The orchestra painted whole new worlds using emotions like thick oil paint.
Perhaps if I were more of a classical music aficionado, my thoughts would have rested on the caliber of the music or perhaps wandered to the particular playing style of a given orchestra member (see Dr. Hannibal Lector watching the Baltimore Philharmonic Orchestra, his sharp eye trained on the poor playing of a flutist).
But I’m not. What I noted beyond my own soul’s exuberance for the sound dancing on the night air was the conductor, John Williams — admittedly the man I came to see.
With works like Star Wars, Superman, E.T., Indiana Jones, Jaws, Schindler’s List, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, John Williams defined the sound of contemporary cinema. In addition to his film work, he’s a concert composer and conductor, including conducting the Boston Pops for thirteen years.
As a registered Jedi and someone who enjoys many of his other works1 in galaxies not so far away, I wanted to see him conduct. I first saw the poster advertising Film Night when I was in college. A variation of that poster would appear in a gold-framed case outside the BSO every spring.
And for over a decade, I missed the concert. Every year.
Finally, with the help of my team member, Erin, I got tickets. I came to the concert with no preconceived notions about the man behind the music.
What I saw was joy.
Joy in conducting the music, joy in the audience’s delight in hearing it, and joy in the eyes and smiles lit up across the orchestra (and chorus — because Dual of the Fates needs a chorus).
All I could think was, “How do I become a leader like that?”
I left with that question on my mind. It stuck with me long enough that I pulled up interviews to learn more about him before writing a letter with my question.
Alas, Kobe Bryant had beaten me to it.
Bryant said he wanted to learn how Williams kept all the moving pieces working together. Bryant quoted Williams as saying, “‘Kobe, if I hear something is off, I can just interject and give them the answer. But I’ve found it’s better to ask them questions, because most of the time, the answer I’ll get back will be a better answer than the one I had.’”
Herein lies one of the best traits of a leader in the value economy. They recognize that the work will be better if they rely on the collective brainpower of their team and ask questions to bring it out.
It’s logical, but so many of us don’t do it. Why? What does Williams understand that I — and many others — don’t?
My digging led me to an answer: humility.
Maybe he picked up somewhere that humility was a good trait. Maybe he repeats a mantra every day to keep himself grounded. Or maybe it’s simply hardwired into who he is as a human being. Whatever the case may be, in almost every interview I read, the interviewer described Williams as humble. From my vantage point in the audience, his posture and remarks exuded humility.
Some of us see humility as a sign of weakness, or as a way to respond to compliments lest we err and reveal our ego. In reality, I believe the truly humble have a different perspective on themselves and their work that allows them to simultaneously serve as better leaders and reach a greater level of excellence.
When you don’t see yourself as the center of the universe, you don’t need to make everything about you. Unhumble leaders take credit for the ideas of others and bend numbers to show how good they are instead of how good the team is.
More fundamentally, a leader without humility dismisses my value as a team member as soon as they walk into the room. If you have all the answers and exist as the sole reason for our success, what do you need me for?
Humble leaders believe that they’re working with their people, not sitting above them. This vantage point makes it natural to respect your team members as key contributors to your success and to want to collaborate with them rather than lord over them.
Humility doesn’t mean you have no answers, nor does it mean you lack confidence or have no awareness of your abilities. It does mean that you see yourself as a constant work in progress. In other words, humble leaders don’t see themselves as having attained excellence — which means they can continue to strive for it.
In one interview, I learned that Williams does not listen to his own music once a piece is completed. “Once I’ve done, finished with it, I close the book and go on to the next empty page, which has become a way of life where I’m very happy to get up each day to work,” he said.
When he does achieve greatness — and he has, repeatedly — he doesn’t bask in his own glory. The project is over. He moves to the next one and returns to the process of actually doing the work.
Realistically, the wins come few and far between, even for the best companies. For those of us in the value economy, the wins are hard-won because it often takes time to achieve an outcome and then to make an impact.
It’s essential to find joy in the work itself. As a humble leader, joy comes from a place of gratitude. You find satisfaction in practicing your craft, and you’re grateful for the opportunity to try and achieve excellence again.
I’d argue it’s more fulfilling to get up every day and do the work if you’re not thinking about your next win: only the blank page and doing the best job that you can right here, right now.
Williams does most of his work sitting for hours at a time at his Steinway, composing in pencil2. And he will tell you success comes not from hard work, but from doing the hard work over and over again.
[1] I have created a John Williams playlist. It needs a lot of work, but you can check it out now.
[2] John Williams, 90, steps away from film, but not music
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Hey, I’m Katie. I’m the mastermind behind MatterLogic™, the only system for running a business in the value economy. I’m an essentialist thinker, Entrepreneur contributor, thoughtful speaker, and jargon slayer. I shift your focus by asking “What’s the point?” Connect with me on LinkedIn and subscribe to WTP to get more of my perspective.
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