The Battle Between Being Driven by Competence versusHumility
“Leadership is not about being perfect. It is about being willing to learn and grow”.[1] This quote from the beginning pages of Marcus Warner and Jim Wilder’s Rare Leadership: 4 Uncommon Habits for Increasing Trust, Joy, and Engagement in the People You Lead stuck with me as I read the rest of the book and has continued to resonate within me afterward. The underlying characteristic that it requires is humility. Humility, then, is the foundation for the 4 habits the authors discuss, relational presence, authenticity, resilience, and empowerment.
Why is humble leadership rare?
I think in part because we don’t understand what true humility is. Humility, for Asian-Americans, can feel like the yoke of the model minority myth that is placed on us. It reminds us of the voice that lauds our assimilation through submission and deference to dominant culture norms[2]; the same one that tells us to “go back to where you came from” when we break character and give any reason for fear, anger, or suspicion.[3] I suspect that’s why when I spoke to prominent Asian-American pastor, theologian, and non-profit president about the need for cultural humility in Christian spaces, their response was, “Asian-American Christians don’t need humility, because we almost have too much, we need others to have humility toward our populations… more than cultural humility we need a cultural confidence.”[4] The problem they stated, that Asian-Americans need a dose of confidence along with others being more willing to listen, can be solved with a better understanding of true humility. “True humility comes, ironically, from a deep inner self-confidence, and attends to the needs of and the valuing of others.”[5]
So why don’t ministerial leaders and pastors understand the value of true humility?
Currently, The Association of Theological Schools emphasizes “striving for culturally competent school communities”[6] with an accompanying set of guiding principles and recommended practices for schools to follow. I think this approach to honor diversity and address a changing cultural landscape here in the U.S. falls short. In the words of Martyn Percy in his talk at Oxford town hall, words matter. The focus on competency highlights Percy’s delineation between training and education. Competency often is attained by running down a checklist and suggests that culture can be distilled into a technical skill that can be mastered.[7] As seminary education (or training) is structured around the idea of competency(cultural or otherwise), ministerial leaders are elevated and chosen by how well they can prove their mastery along with, or perhaps instead of, how they’ve developed humility.
Learning from a Chinese Philosopher
In Hwa Yung’s book, Mangoes or Bananas? Lao Sze-Kwang is referenced to distinguish between Western philosophy, which is more “cognitive”, and Chinese philosophy, which is more “orientative”.[8] By this he means that there is an intention to “effect some change in the self and in the world”.[9] A flip from a Western philosophy to a more Chinese philosophy illustrates the move from competence to humility. Competence leaves one with various checklists to review and complete to better influence others. True humility allows space for those who practice it to change and grow, and in doing so better the communities around them.
[1] Marcus Warner and Jim Wilder, Rare Leadership: 4 Uncommon Habits for Increasing Trust, Joy, and Engagement in the People You Lead (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2016), 5.
[2] Ellen D. Wu, The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2013), 1.
[3] Gary Duong, “You’re Called a ‘Model Minority’ as an Asian American – Until They Decide You Aren’t”, National Public Radio, May 30, 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/05/30/1101790205/as-an-asian-american-youre-called-a-model-minority-until-they-decide-you-arent.
[4] Interview with Asian-American pastor/theologian, September 8, 2023.
[5] Martyn Percy, “Humility, Humiliation and Hope: Authentic Character in Leadership” (Lecture given at Bern University)
[6] “Policy Guidelines”, ATS
[7] Mary Jo DelVecchio Good, American Medicine: The Quest for Competence (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995), 265.
[8] Hwa Yung, Mangoes or Bananas?: The Quest for an Authentic Asian Christian Theology (Regnum Studies in Mission, Biblical Theology in an Asian Context), (Carlisle: Regnum Books International, 2004), (25)
[9] Ibid, 25.
About the Author
Caleb Lu
14 responses to “The Battle Between Being Driven by Competence versusHumility”
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Thanks Careb,
I totally agree with humility’s effectiveness over competence.
“Competence leaves one with various checklists to review and complete to better influence others.”
Competence has another negative side I think, it excludes some that are now willing to engage in these competencies for one reason or another.
It is true that many might not understand what true humility is, or even those who understand might refuse to take part in order to remain in control.
Thanks for a great post as usual.
Agreed! It can feel like there are simply hoops to jump through rather than nurturing gifts and strengths.
Not quite the same as competency, but I’ve been thinking about a friend who was an electrical engineer in Venezuela and scored in the 95th percentile on an exam with Portland General Electric, but until he can obtain his employment authorization, he can’t work for them. We’ve somehow created all these rules and standards to exclude.
Caleb,
I really appreciate you and how God created you. You always have great insight and look at things from many different angles. I believe and praying that you will know down barriers between generations and ethnicities. Your sermons will bring insight, correction, and unity.
I “see” you with a sledgehammer in your hands knocking down walls that divide us. Swing away my friend.
Greg, thank you for your kind words! Taking a sledgehammer to some walls sounds therapeutic and would be kind of fun. Thank you for that image and your prayer. I’m truly hoping I take sledgehammers to the right walls so I do bring unity and don’t foster more fear and resentment.
Caleb, a conversation with you at Oxford has stuck with me and shaped a section of my project. It was when you talked about the difference between cultural competency (check-list) and cultural humility (education). Thank you for your insight into this my friend.
At the Bear! we’ll have to grab a coffee when you come back from your trip. I would love to talk through some of the resources you’re using for your project to help give me some guidance/insight into how I might be approaching mine
Caleb,
You said, “True humility allows space for those who practice it to change and grow, and in doing so better the communities around them.” How can leaders in a very western context start to move toward true humility?
I think this book could be helpful! I really appreciated how they framed RARE leadership as practices and not just principles. I probably should’ve talked about that more but I got carried away… whoops!
Caleb,
I always enjoy reading your posts because of the insights you bring to the table. About humility, you said, “True humility allows space for those who practice it to change and grow, and in doing so better the communities around them.” I think I’ve never known a more humble man in spirit than you are, and yet strong in faith and character. I so appreciate your voice, and friendship.
Tonette, thank you for your kind words and encouragement!
Caleb,
I agree that the dominate culture does not value true humility. The prevailing mode of operation is to be ultra-aggressive (Type A) or passive and compliant (Type B). True humility is a strong sense of identity that does not need to asserted in every situation, but welcomes the presence of others into spaces of belonging.
What is one practice or orientation you assume to create spaces for those you lead?
Thanks for the question Chad! One practice I try is showing people I value learning from one another. As the leader of one of our Life Community groups (small groups) I try to lean into the awkward silences when someone asks a question, leaving space for others to fill the void and offer their thoughts. I will offer time afterwards or during the week to talk about it if they really do want an extended opinion from me though! My community is so used to it that someone new asked a question, looking at me and expecting a response, and one of the members immediately and knowingly said “oh no, he won’t answer”
I love this! It is so next level! It’s also a great practice to create space for others. It is very inspiring, especially when so many expect an immediate response. You are showing how to live a different frequency. Thanks for sharing!
Caleb, Wow, thank you for this post and for sharing your thoughts and wisdom. Your ideas here on competency and humility really inspire us to want to learn more about the power of humility and also to be aware of the ways in which we get caught in the “competency” habit.
I like how you clarified the meaning of true humility. Your closing sentences are also incredibly memorable. I will continue pondering this insight: “A flip from a Western philosophy to a more Chinese philosophy illustrates the move from competence to humility. Competence leaves one with various checklists to review and complete to better influence others. True humility allows space for those who practice it to change and grow, and in doing so better the communities around them.”
Thank you, Caleb. I’m grateful to be learning from you. Does this blog tie in with your project in any way?