Understanding the Formation Process of Humility-Based Leadership in Business Using Meta Synthesis Approach

Humility-based leadership is a style which is based on virtue. A virtue that is deeply rooted in the beliefs and basic assumptions of staffs. Theoretical development and empirical findings about this subject is very poor. The traces of recent organizational scandals have been blamed on arrogance, sense of selfishness and self-righteousness of the managers. Virtues such as humility have faced with an incresingly interest in organizational studies. The aim of this study is to provide a conceptual model of components, requirements and outcomes of humility-based leadership. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: Humility-based leadership is a style which is based on virtue. It is a penetrating feature that allows a person to fit and even prevail in a particular society. Humility has been defined as possessing a multi-dimensional construct, which includes the passion for self-assessment (i.e., self-awareness and recognition of constraints), orientation and tendency to others (againest self-centred), interpersonal acceptance, the ability to regulate the emotions of others, and confirmation and appreciation of the value of creatures. Humble leadership is recognized as the acknowledgment of individuals’ limitations, highlighting the strengths of others and readiness to learn from models. Here it is assumed that this set of behaviors helps to reduce the social distance between leaders and followers through the promotion of bilateral exchange relations. Initially, with the acknowledgment of individual limitations, a leader will be able to stay close to the subordinates. The philosophy of research is interpretive, its approach is meta-synthesis and its strategy is grounded-theory, which is carried out qualitatively and through data collection using the instrument of documentation. Meta synthesis is qualitative analysis of concepts in previous studies using the common coding method in qualitative research and qualitative strategies such as grounded theory. Analysis have shown that the main phenomenon (humility-based leadership) consists of four components: self-awareness, coaching, mentoring, and teachability. The first component of the definition of humility is the desire to engage enthusiastically in an influential process called self-awareness. In case of the second component, theorists have recently suggested that modesty is a driving force for credible service and leadership. The third essential component of humility is the ability to learn (experiential, responsive). As humility is rooted in development tendencies, this component also has implicit beliefs about the utility of learning and its potential for self-development. CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS: For further research, future researchers are advised to study the process of forming this leadership style in a variety of quantitative and qualitative ways. Reviewing the personality characteristics of these leaders can also significantly contribute to organizational growth. It is suggested that researchers investigate the impact of this phenomenon on other behavioral structures such as organizational citizenship behavior, organizational vocation, and organizational learning.