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Humbitious: The Power of Low-Ego, High-Drive Leadership
Fortune favors the humble.
Arrogant. Charismatic. Narcissistic If you were to name traits that define strong leaders, these are some of the words that likely spring to mind. Conventional thinking would have us believe that it’s those filled with hubris and free of self-doubt that make the best leaders. The evidence, however, tells quite a different story.
In Humbitious , professional speaker, executive coach and distinguished Trinity University professor Amer Kaissi shatters the common myths about leadership being an ego-driven game. Drawing on extensive research, personal stories, and fascinating historical examples of leadership done right (and wrong), Kaissi reveals why the most effective, high-performing leaders aren’t those with the biggest egos, but who possess humility, coupled with ambition and drive.
Tracing triumphs (and missteps) of leaders from Napoleon Bonaparte to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs to disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, soccer star Alex Morgan to Costco CEO Jim Sinegal, and others, Kaissi illuminates what true humility is—and what it isn’t—and how to cultivate it within yourself and with others. As you gain insight into this critical leadership trait, you’ll come to understand that humility requires ambition, courage, and fierce determination. Humility, you’ll learn, isn’t about false modesty; it’s about being honest with yourself, and others, about your abilities and potential, so you can make a realistic plan for improvement.
The unequivocal truth is that the successful narcissists that you either know or are working for right now are the exception to the rule. The highest performers are those who adopt and integrate humility into their relationships with others, with their organizations, and with themselves. Because fortune favors not simply the bold—but the humbitious .
Arrogant. Charismatic. Narcissistic If you were to name traits that define strong leaders, these are some of the words that likely spring to mind. Conventional thinking would have us believe that it’s those filled with hubris and free of self-doubt that make the best leaders. The evidence, however, tells quite a different story.
In Humbitious , professional speaker, executive coach and distinguished Trinity University professor Amer Kaissi shatters the common myths about leadership being an ego-driven game. Drawing on extensive research, personal stories, and fascinating historical examples of leadership done right (and wrong), Kaissi reveals why the most effective, high-performing leaders aren’t those with the biggest egos, but who possess humility, coupled with ambition and drive.
Tracing triumphs (and missteps) of leaders from Napoleon Bonaparte to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs to disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, soccer star Alex Morgan to Costco CEO Jim Sinegal, and others, Kaissi illuminates what true humility is—and what it isn’t—and how to cultivate it within yourself and with others. As you gain insight into this critical leadership trait, you’ll come to understand that humility requires ambition, courage, and fierce determination. Humility, you’ll learn, isn’t about false modesty; it’s about being honest with yourself, and others, about your abilities and potential, so you can make a realistic plan for improvement.
The unequivocal truth is that the successful narcissists that you either know or are working for right now are the exception to the rule. The highest performers are those who adopt and integrate humility into their relationships with others, with their organizations, and with themselves. Because fortune favors not simply the bold—but the humbitious .
286 pages, Paperback
Published January 8, 2022
59 people are currently reading
521 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 2, 2022
Humility is making a comeback as one of the most sought-after professional virtues organizations look for in their leaders and employees.
Humble, authentic leaders confess to their followers that they make mistakes and ask for their patience in correcting them. They demonstrate their teachability by acknowledging when they are wrong and asking for forgiveness when mishaps happen.
Humbitous presents the power of low ego, high drive leadership, and being compassionate and decisive, breaking down misconceptions about seeing kindness as a weakness.
Fascinating reading supported by years of research.
Next, I will list my favorite quotes:
"One of the most common myths about leadership is that arrogant, overconfident, and even narcissistic individuals are better leaders."
"I realized our educational systems and organizational hiring practices are set up to penalize humble people and reward self-promoting egocentrics."
"There is an illusion of knowledge in our society, especially among leaders. They rarely acknowledge gaps in their knowledge."
"Humility combines self-awareness, open-mindedness, and your place in the universe."
"Confident leaders who lack humility may stay the course, but they don't seek crucial input from others. They may get others to follow them but don't get their full support."
"Individuals who acknowledged their own limitations and accepted reality as it was were more likely to have meaningful relationships and demonstrate personal growth and good health."
"What stimulates people is learning new things and experimenting with new ways."
"Surround yourself with leaders who have different strengths that can complement your weakness."
"Values are our non-negotiables. Passions are what we love to do, and aspirations are what we want to achieve and experience."
"Loving critics are a group of people with best interests in mind and are willing, to tell the truth."
"The term feedback has a negative connotation that invokes evaluation and judgment, resulting in less actionable input."
"When you receive an input, listen to understand, do not become defensive, and thank the other person."
"Too much confidence can turn into arrogance, high decisiveness can be seen as a failure to listen to opposing views, and extreme logic can be detachment from other team members."
"Adopt a regular reading habit. As you are reading, highlight important passages, write them down and reflect on them later on".
"Perfectionism is about hiding your weaknesses, so you can avoid the pain of shame while striving to be your best is about healthy achievement and growth."
"An inflated ego is dependent on how others view you and is wrapped up in being right all the time."
"I disagree with myself. Practice curiosity by being genuinely interested in people and conversations."
"When you explicitly express your gratitude to your team members, they are much more likely to engage in what researchers call pro-social behaviors. They help not only the person who asks them for additional help, but other people and the organization more, even if they don't get anything in return for that additional help."
"Different what is under your control and what is not. Surround yourself with people that will keep you grounded no matter how successful you become."
Humble, authentic leaders confess to their followers that they make mistakes and ask for their patience in correcting them. They demonstrate their teachability by acknowledging when they are wrong and asking for forgiveness when mishaps happen.
Humbitous presents the power of low ego, high drive leadership, and being compassionate and decisive, breaking down misconceptions about seeing kindness as a weakness.
Fascinating reading supported by years of research.
Next, I will list my favorite quotes:
"One of the most common myths about leadership is that arrogant, overconfident, and even narcissistic individuals are better leaders."
"I realized our educational systems and organizational hiring practices are set up to penalize humble people and reward self-promoting egocentrics."
"There is an illusion of knowledge in our society, especially among leaders. They rarely acknowledge gaps in their knowledge."
"Humility combines self-awareness, open-mindedness, and your place in the universe."
"Confident leaders who lack humility may stay the course, but they don't seek crucial input from others. They may get others to follow them but don't get their full support."
"Individuals who acknowledged their own limitations and accepted reality as it was were more likely to have meaningful relationships and demonstrate personal growth and good health."
"What stimulates people is learning new things and experimenting with new ways."
"Surround yourself with leaders who have different strengths that can complement your weakness."
"Values are our non-negotiables. Passions are what we love to do, and aspirations are what we want to achieve and experience."
"Loving critics are a group of people with best interests in mind and are willing, to tell the truth."
"The term feedback has a negative connotation that invokes evaluation and judgment, resulting in less actionable input."
"When you receive an input, listen to understand, do not become defensive, and thank the other person."
"Too much confidence can turn into arrogance, high decisiveness can be seen as a failure to listen to opposing views, and extreme logic can be detachment from other team members."
"Adopt a regular reading habit. As you are reading, highlight important passages, write them down and reflect on them later on".
"Perfectionism is about hiding your weaknesses, so you can avoid the pain of shame while striving to be your best is about healthy achievement and growth."
"An inflated ego is dependent on how others view you and is wrapped up in being right all the time."
"I disagree with myself. Practice curiosity by being genuinely interested in people and conversations."
"When you explicitly express your gratitude to your team members, they are much more likely to engage in what researchers call pro-social behaviors. They help not only the person who asks them for additional help, but other people and the organization more, even if they don't get anything in return for that additional help."
"Different what is under your control and what is not. Surround yourself with people that will keep you grounded no matter how successful you become."
Currently reading
January 20, 2022I love this new contribution to the thinking on how to be a good leader. There are thousands (millions?) of books out there, but Dr. Kaissi's work here is special. It's easy to read, with engaging stories of leaders like Jacinda Arden of New Zealand, and Dr. Kaissi's own personal story. It goes beyond the platitudes and admonitions ("be humble!") and illustrates with research and case studies why humility is powerful, and why ego and narcissism, common as they may be in senior executives, will hurt you in the end. This book is both wise and practical, a hard combo to pull off. In its style and its arguments, "Humbitious" covers what can feel like familiar ground in a sharp and fresh way. Powerful stuff for anyone who wants to be a better leader.
August 2, 2022
If you work you need to read this book. Although it is directed at Leaders who also have authority this book is good for everyone. Don't wait to become a person of authority to start to develop your leadership skills. This book is the one book if you don't read any others. The premise is you can be ambitious, and humble at the same time and the book gives so many examples of when that is exactly what a leader did and not how it worked but the science behind why it's successful. I can't say enough good things about this book, except more people should be reading it.
February 20, 2022
This book has clear actionable points which we can implement and monitor the progress.
July 20, 2022
Me gusto mucho la forma en que observa el liderazgo entre humilde y ambicioso.
July 28, 2022
Not much new here for me. The book ist mostly about the humble part of humbitious and very little about the ambitious part.
February 18, 2025
Kaissi gave a keynote speech to our company in December. He and his book were entertaining, inspiring, and easy to understand.
June 5, 2025
Many new discovery and things to reflect upon to further get better at leadership skils
September 5, 2022
Having just previously read The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups, which seemed to cover a lot of the same ground, I was pretty meh on this one. If you're picking between the two go for that one instead.
February 2, 2025
There is no mystery to the connections that Amer has made through this book. In a world of chaos, he has found simplicity that guides the inquisitive mind. Well-sourced, his thoughts capture us, and stories immerse us in the richness of lived experiences. Alternatives abound, but there are right ways and wrong ways to approach issues that confront us. How to sort these alternatives remains a challenge for most. Using the lens of humility coupled with ambition provides a solid foundation for success. This is a must-read for anyone serious about leading. Looking forward to future works by this author.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews