Humble Power

原文:

Leaders are more powerful when they’re humble, new research shows

By Ashley Merryman

Whither humility?

For years now, social critics (myself included) have decried a rising tide of American narcissism. We’ve warned against an overpraised, entitled, privileged culture. Get those participation trophies off my lawn! Yet, with the costs of narcissism well-known, some researchers are shifting their focus to narcissism’s antithesis–humility. These scientists want to discover if there are benefits to being humble. For instance, does humility improve academics or relationships or company bottom lines? Earlier this year, on Face the Nation, President-Elect Donald Trump said he was more humble than people knew, but he chose not to show it as a business strategy. Are humble leaders less successful? How might humility affect moral character? What might we lose, living in a less humble world?

Though there’s much research to be done, what scholars have already learned is enough for us to pause on our selfie-sticks and reflect.

Dictionaries often describe humility as low self-esteem, self-degradation and meekness. In a 2016 College of Charleston survey, 56% of 5th and 6th graders said that the humble are embarrassed, sad, lonely or shy. When adults are asked to recount an experience of humility, they often tell a story about a time when they were publicly humiliated.

The most humble rarely describe themselves as humble (that seems arrogant to them), but studies have shown that they aren’t embarrassed, humiliated or ashamed. No, they’re secure in their identity and higher in well-being. The humble are doing just great, thank you very much.

True humility, scientists have learned, is when someone has an accurate assessment of both his strengths and weaknesses, and he sees all this in the context of the larger whole. He’s a part of something far greater than he. He knows he isn’t the center of the universe. And he’s both grounded and liberated by this knowledge. Recognizing his abilities, he asks how he can contribute. Recognizing his flaws, he asks how he can grow.

译文：

新的报告显示，当领导者更加谦逊的时候他们会更加强大。

 

  无论在哪里都保持谦逊吗？

 

  到现在为止很多年了，社会评论家(包括我自己）谴责那种自我陶醉者的事迹呈一个上升的趋势。我们的那种太过于自夸，自我主义，拥有特权的那种文化受到警告。让这些被授予特权的参与者从我的草坪上面出去。然而，随着自恋主义者的坏处被熟知之后，一些研究者正在把他们的注意力从自恋主义者转到他们的反面--谦逊。这些科学家想知道谦逊是否有很多的好处。例如，谦逊真的可以改善学术研究或者人际关系或者公司底线吗？今年的早期，面向全国节目中，在总统竞选中唐川普说真实的他比人们知道的他更加的谦逊，但是他不会把谦逊当作一个生意策略。谦逊的领导真的会更少的成功吗？谦逊是怎样精神特点的？我们究竟会在一个缺少谦逊的世界里损失什么？

  尽管有许多的研究被进行，这些研究的学者学的东西对于我们来说已经足够去仔细思考我们的自拍杆并且反思一下。

  词典里面通常描述谦逊作为一个低自尊，自我贬低和懦弱的表现。2016年查尔斯顿大学的一个调查里，五六年级学生中的56%都说谦逊是很让人尴尬，伤心，孤独或者害羞的事情。当成年人被叫去叙述谦逊的经历时，他们经常会说一个他们在公众面前谦逊的故事。

 

  最谦逊的人是很少自称他们自己谦逊的（那样对于他们来说太自大），但是研究展示了他们并不感到尴尬，丢脸或者羞耻。不，他们只是在拯救他们自己的身份和更高的幸福感。谦逊做的事情是很棒的，很感谢她。

  科学家们知道了，其实真正的谦逊是当人们对自己的优势和劣势有一个确切的评估，并且他能够从全局去看待一个问题。他是一个比他自己更加美好的事物。他知道它不是宇宙的中心。并且它可以通过这种知识变得很接地气和得到解放。认识到他自己的能力，它能够知道他怎样去做贡献。意识到他的脆弱，他知道他怎样去成长。

阅读前：

  这个话题自古就有一句话：“知之为知之不知为不知，是知也。”这是我们自己对自己认知情况的一种真诚表述，这使我们不会妄自菲薄，自高自大，以免过分高估自己落得一个失败的下场。这是很聪明的做法。正所谓“知己知彼百战百胜”，我们保持谦逊的主要原因就是更加深刻的了解自己。

  这也是在《succeed，how we can reach our goals》中作者提到的进取型人格：

When people pursue get-better goals,they find greater interest and enjoyment in what they do.they have a heightened attention to the process,experience a greater sense of involvement and immersion,and personally value what they are learning more.当人们追求进取性目标的时候，他们在做事中会发现更大的兴趣和快乐。他们对这个过程有极高的关注，会经历一个更大的涉及感和沉浸感，并且他们会更加珍视他们学到的东西。

  进取型人格不会很在意自己现目前的表现如何，而是关心持续的表现，将来的自己的表现。这样的人格会更加的有韧性，不容易放弃。而表现型人格就在乎自己当前的表现，因为他们相信人的智商是天生的，不会改变的。这样的一种实体论者很难取得长足的进步。很容易受挫。会显得很装。

阅读后：

  其实整篇文章说的也是那样，我们谦逊的好处就是能够对自己几斤几两有一个正确的认知，并且知道自己再怎么强大，在宇宙中还是显得很渺小，这样的认知不会让自己有太大的失落感，反而会更有幸福感。

行动：

  时常对自己进行总结与反思，持续学习成长，做一个谦逊的行动派。

  永远把自己当做一个学生，身边每一个人都在某方面是自己的老师。

  自己擅长的领域可以适当表现。