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In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Urs Koenig, author of “Radical Humility: Be A Badass Leader And A Good Human,” to explore leadership through a lens of selflessness and authenticity. Drawing from his experience as a peacekeeping mission commander in Kosovo, Urs shares surprising insights on leading in high-stakes environments, revealing how humility shaped his approach in ways that challenge conventional leadership norms.
Few could argue that humility is a great strength in workplace leadership – and it’s a core value across all major world religions. One question we ask Urs is why humility is too often missing in leadership –subsumed by the ego-driven leadership style so prevalent in business today?
In our conversation, Urs highlights key research, including a University of Washington study which underscores humility’s profound impact on effective leadership. He also discusses a study from the book, Humbitious on how encouraging deep relationships between co-workers not only fosters greater connection, but also builds stronger, more cohesive teams.
We also question Urs on whether the current leadership selection paradigm needs an overhaul (we advocate for choosing people for leadership roles who prioritize genuine care to create more humane workplaces).
Urs dares us to imagine a world where radical humility redefines leadership, and we ask if this is possible in our ego-driven world?
