Humility: The Secret Ingredient of Success

by Pat Williams, Jim Denney

You hold the secret in your hands.
 
We live in a narcissistic age, when our leaders and celebrities seem very impressed with themselves—and they think we should be impressed with them, too. Many believe that the key to success is a supersized ego. “Wrong,” says Pat Williams. “The key to true success is a humble spirit. Almost all of the people we regard as truly great—people who have had a lasting impact on the world—are people of humility.”
 
Skeptical? Read The Secret Ingredient of Success , and let him prove it to you.
 
With powerful insights from the sports, business, entertainment, military, and church worlds, Pat Williams will prove that you can be confident and assertive—and still be genuinely humble. And here’s the best news of Humility is a learnable skill. If you’ve been searching for that missing ingredient to becoming truly successful and influential, you’ll find it in The Secret Ingredient of Success .  You will be inspired and motivated to spread the contagious, infectious character trait throughout your area of influence. . .while coming to understand that genuine humility not only gives you an edge in your career and relationships; it also helps you to develop a closer bond with your heavenly Father.

Pat Williams knows success inside and out. He was general manager of the NBA Champion Philadelphia 76ers, and is the cofounder and senior vice president of the Orlando Magic, the author of more than a hundred influential books, and a noted public speaker. He shares stories of people from all walks of life who have achieved the pinnacle of success—and the secret of their success is humility.
 

Genres: Personal Growth

256 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2016

About the author

Patrick Livingston Murphy Williams was an American sports executive, who served as senior vice president of the Orlando Magic. Williams began his career as a minor league baseball player, and later joined the front office of his team. In the late 1960s he moved into basketball, with his biggest achievements being the 1983 title of the Philadelphia 76'ers and being a partner in the creation of the Orlando Magic.

Reviews

[Elizabeth (Liz) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opener!
For a while I have been aware that I need to do an in depth study on humility, and though I do not believe there is a better example of humility on earth than Jesus Christ, reading about other giants in history demonstrating humility has cemented in me what humility is and what is not.
I love the author's view and description of former president Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mother Theresa among others... what he describes in all of them is confident humility. All of them listened first, all of them defended their point with confidence but were open to admitting their error if a valid point and evidence to the contrary was expressed, all of them were fierce leaders, all of them were willing to forgo of the credit if that would bring the greater good in the end... most of all, all of them focused on the well being of others rather than on themselves.
I have been teetering on arrogance since middle of last year, tired of others getting the credit, etc. have done some self promoting; the good news is that God has made sure I am aware of this flaw and second that I now know that humility, like many others, is a learnable skill. The even better news is that as much as it hurts, I am able to admit, in light of valid evidence when I am wrong, though it may take me a couple of days of pondering, I am not too far gone to apologize or celebrate someone else for his/her accomplishments.
After reading this book, I am encouraged, that confident humility is the secret ingredient to a real & lasting successful legacy, and that even though I may need some course correction I am not so far off the course just yet. I am still within visible distance of the correct path, and I am already taking steps to get back on it!

[Tram Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a GOOD book! Definitely one of the best books I've have ever read in my life. A book I've been searching for so long, a book about being grounded. The author's humble personality is shown from the book cover, to the color tone used, to how he wrote in such a down-to-earth way. Everything ties in so strongly that you can just feel his humbleness even if he didn't ever mention about himself once. The examples the author used are also very special, mostly from the past U.S presidents and top leaders of big industries, which help him convey the message clearly. Every page was written so tightly and powerfully, that I just want to bookmark them all and re-read it whenever I can. This book deserves 11*/5*

[M. Funk · Rating 3 out of 5]

The message of humility is valuable and the book is well-written. I feel like I was not the target audience for this book, however. It was written by a male, and the author's examples of famous humble people were 99% male. It read kinda like a boys-only seminar on how to be a better man. A number of scenarios and lessons laid out in this books seemed like things that are so ingrained in feminine nature that they're about as ordinary as breathing.

STILL, this book has a good, sturdy message for the more masculine folks, and is worth a read.

[Bill Welte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humility written by someone who lives it

I have read everyone of Pat Williams' books. This book is written by a man who lives this message. Pat is one of my heroes and I have learned so much on leadership from his pen. If you desire to be a good leader, you need to read this book. Grab a highlighter and pad. You'll take lots of great notes.

[mathew tapusoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very deep and insightful , easy read

I was profoundly impacted by this book. The authors description of humility ( real humility vs false ) , the balance of true confidence and real humility , practical applications of how to be humble , the attitude .. it’s a very very good book indeed .loved it and highly recommend

[Sonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal

Must read. Gives excellent examples and description of arrogance and the ever-vaguely understood term humility. Then gives clear cut directions on how to incorporate the vital quality in our lives. Very easy to read. The stories are very entertaining and heartfelt.

[Charles Atabong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revealing

This book is a good start on the path to humility. It's well written and the examples used are inspiring.

[Jonathan Roy Shores · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Someone once said that humility doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself. It just means thinking of yourself less." Terrific book.

[Daniel Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible wisdom!

This is a top ten leadership book experience. So many brilliant examples to embody. I’m amazed by Pat’s life & contribution.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the ideas for life in general but also that he talks about it from a career perspective too.

[Killer Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.89 overall rating; director George Stevens story was nice. We are in the people business no matter what we do

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all have strengths and weaknesses, and cooperation involves meshing those strengths and weaknesses in a complementary way. If we let our egos get in the way of ability to cooperate, teamwork will suffer and we'll fall flat on our faces. But if we practice humility, if we humbly supply what each other lacks, we'll became an unbeatable team.

I was not aware of Pat William's career since I don't follow basketball but I have to say I would like to know more about him. Humility is a valuable virtue when it comes to relationships and as a life skill. We can have a "fake" humility and that is well described in the text as well. However, what is it like to have a life of humility? It is putting others first and thinking less of your own needs. Humility is something that needs to be practiced in all areas of life.

The text has eight chapters and they are the following.


The Price of Arrogance, the Rewards of Humility
A Short History of Humility
Humility as a Business Asset
Genuine Humility - or Just an Act?
Humble Confidence-Striking the Right Balance
Humility as a Communication Style
Hire the Humble
Humility-a Learnable Skill

All these chapters offer examples of sport figures, world leaders, and those that Williams has known in his career.


Some of the quotes that I found inspiring.
A humble leader builds a culture of humility-and organizations of humility can achieve great things.

Don't let failure go to your heart and don't let success go to your head.

A truly humble person won't try to impress you, manipulate you, judge you, criticize you, or put in your place. Humble people are safe to be around. You can relax . You can be yourself. Humility is a gift we give to other people. Ironically, arrogance makes us seem small and pathetic. Humility is what makes people great.

Humility frees you to give others your best and to be free of self where fear resides and bitterness grows. I highly recommend this read for business, leaders, and those that wish to have a better of grasp of what humility looks like.

A Special Thank You to Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I began to read ‘Humility: The Secret Ingredient of Success’, I had mixed feelings of eagerness and apprehension. I was eager, as I know it is something I need to learn more about, and apprehensive only because I didn’t want to know how much I had yet to learn and practice! The authors exceeded my expectations by demonstrating humility as a highly desirable asset.

Pat Williams is the co-founder and Senior VP of the Orlando Magic after a lifetime of managing various sports teams. He began to research humility after interviewing a leadership expert, Dr. Sheila Murray Bethel. Dr. Bethel had met Katherine Graham, the now-late head of the Washington Post. Mrs. Graham felt that the ‘absence of arrogance’ (pg. 13) is the number one trait of great leaders. Since then, Mr. Williams has researched leaders, noting that humility, or the absence of arrogance, ‘may be the most important trait any human being can possess’ (pg. 19). Mr. Williams further believes that humility does not exclude self-confidence as long as they are in balance, and that it is a skill that can be learned rather than a character trait that one is or is not born with (what a relief!).

Written in a conversational rather than a teaching tone, the authors show us what the arrogance of leaders has cost people, including Napoleon and Hitler. Even more so, the authors include examples of great leaders with the trait of humility. Reading the history of some of the people selected was fascinating to me, and there are some who I admire even more after seeing them through his descriptions, such as Abraham Lincoln who went to great lengths to befriend rather than alienate people, and Nelson Mandela. There were many leaders, such as George Washington, who learned humility as the result of arrogant behavior. Mentors to the author through his years in sports management are included, also. Most would agree that the greatest example of humility in history is Jesus.

Included are nine chapters, each beginning with a quote about humility, with several addressing humility in the business arena. One of the business models that was very interesting was the original design of Hewlett-Packard; the principals of HP had designed the kind of company they wanted to have, with regards to the importance of their employees and customers, before they had determined what they were going to design and manufacture!

There are several well-explained lists throughout the book that can be helpful, depending on the reader’s needs, such as “Seven Traits of a Humble Leader” and two that are on my new ‘go-to’ reference: “How to Communicate with Confidence and Humility” and “How to be Humble”.

There is so much information in ‘Humility: The Secret Ingredient of Success’ by Pat Williams with Jim Denney that is important to everyone for whatever season of life one is in. Whether one is in out in the workplace (of any kind), if their workplace is their home and children, or if one serves through ministry or through elected positions in government, this book makes gleaning benefits from the learning experiences of others profitable to one’s spiritual, emotional, and social life. I highly recommend it!

With a grateful heart, I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing; as a courtesy, I am posting my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no compensation was received.

[Debbie Chatley · Rating 4 out of 5]

What exactly is humility? Is humility a relevant topic? Why should we care about humility? And is humility even a valued commodity in today’s business world? The author seeks to answer each of these questions definitively.

The author very clearly lays out the definition of humility as the ability to keep your accomplishments in perspective, so that you treat everybody with kindness and respect, and the ability to accept criticism along with praise. I find this definition complete as it highlights the true meaning of humility. If we are indeed humble people, it is not that we become mousey people or doormats. Instead humble people have confidence in their strengths. Humble people are able to acknowledge the strengths in others, they are able to respect everyone, they are able to admit their mistakes, and they are able to seek feedback from others.

The main point the author tries to get across to us the reader is that not only is humility a valued commodity even in today’s business world, but that it may well be the most important factor for success. The author cites example after example of both historical and current people who were humble people, who were a success in their endeavors due to their humility. But the author doesn’t stop there; he highlights a multitude of examples were arrogance (the opposite of humility) was their downfall.

I found this book educational and challenging. Humility is too many times an overlooked and misunderstood quality in today’s me first society. I have to say that this author is brave to take on the challenge to defend humility and build a very clear case for its importance, but I for one am glad he did. I sincerely wish everyone would pick up a copy of this book and read it with an open mind, allowing the book to stir in their thoughts.

Get your copy not for the entertainment value but for the opportunity to grow in your understanding and the opportunity to become a humbler person. And that brings me to another point; the author even explains that humility can be learned, that we can make a conscious choice today to walk in humbleness.

I will end this review with a list from chapter 3 of humble leadership traits
1. Humble leaders are always learning
2. Humble leaders are servants
3. Humble leaders respect the individual
4. Humble leaders surround themselves with smart people
5. Humble leaders surrender control
6. Humble leaders demonstrate genuine empathy and caring for subordinates
7. Humble leaders treat customers like royalty
Are these not traits that we need more of?

[Connie Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the introduction of this new book by author Pat Williams, readers are told that the recipe for success has an ingredient that is rarely mentioned and this ingredient is humility. He states that in this book he will list both the rewards of humility and the high cost of arrogance and that is exactly what he does. Readers are given example after example of humble people who obtained great success: Jesus of Nazareth, Abraham Lincoln, publisher Katharine Graham, Mother Teresa, Ronald Reagan, Nelson Mandela....and the list goes on and on. He also mentions people who achieved great success but lost it due to arrogance and he even tells of a time when his own arrogance caused him to pay a high price in his early career. This downfall helped him to realize the many rewards that come through humility.

Pat Williams is a successful businessman and motivational speaker and he assures us that even if we lack humility now, it is a learned skill and we can learn to be humble in the future. He also stresses that no matter what profession we may choose, our real business should be the "people business". When we humbly take time for people we should achieve the success we desire.

I thoroughly enjoyed the glimpses of history that Mr. Williams shared and I admire the encouraging thoughts that he conveyed. I also appreciate that he shared examples of many people who aren't famous but they are certainly very successful!

Thank you to Barbour Publishing for providing me with a complimentary copy to read.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is there a secret ingredient to success? Many books have been published on the subject of success to the point where they actually have their own particular genre. You would think with all the wealth of knowledge that we have that there would be a universal understanding of what the secret ingredient of success is.

Pat Williams, in his book Humility, writes that the secret ingredient of all the successful people that he has ever encountered is they were humble and they worked on remaining humble. That did not mean that they lacked confidence. Rather, it meant that they understood their abilities but recognized that they were nothing special and deserving of praise and adoration.

Story after story, example after example, and quote after quote, Pat Williams has done a wonderful job of collecting all sorts of anecdotal advice and evidence that points to success being built upon an attitude of humility.

I found this book to be an amazing read and something that everybody should read more than once. We live in a culture that idolizes those who have a “look at me” attitude. Pat Williams’ book flies in the face of that and has written a book that goes to the heart of what true success is; not cultural success.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Tony Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humility, The Secret Ingredient of Success by Pat Williams
This is an excellent book on the importance of humility in effective leadership, management and success. The book uses many examples from the sports world to show the results of humility and self-importance in how we live our lives, lead and manage. The examples are well chosen, easily understood and the lessons on target and helpful. I am not a follower of sports or sports personalities but was easily able to relate to the material. One example not involving sports concerns Katherine Graham, owner of the Washington Post. Mrs. Graham had hosted all the greatest leaders from around the world. When asked “What is the single most important trait of all good leaders?” she replied “The absence of arrogance.” George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa and Gandhi all exhibited a lack of arrogance in their leadership and daily lives. I will use this book in my corporate management training, graduate classes in leadership/management and other groups I teach and facilitate. I received a free copy of Humility, The Secret ingredient of Success from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks to NetGalley.

[Blue North · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a medium sized non-fiction book packed with simple ways to become more humble. Best of all I liked the stories about different famous people. I did not expect to become so interested in Abraham Lincoln again. After all, there are many, many books written about his life. However, these stories were new to me.

The author does seem opinionated at times. It is good to keep your thinking cap on and choose how you feel about the people mentioned in the book. The quotations at the top of the chapters are very helpful. In the end, it is definitely not easy to understand humility. It is a book that takes hard thought. Thank goodness, the authors leave hope at the end of the rainbow. "Humility is a learnable skill."

I am grateful to Barbour Publishers for my review book. It is a book that is practical, and I can read it again and again.

[Jim Serger · Rating 5 out of 5]

"humility is a strength; arrogance is weakness."
I love this book, then again I love all of this author's books.
Humility--I need to work on it, this is a true guide to achieving that want.
We are all in the PEOPLE business, this novel exemplifies that message loud and clear.