Humble Leaders Are Better Than Arrogant Leaders

Throughout history we have been accustomed to follow a leader who is over showing in their confidence, yet could the best leaders have more humility than arrogance? Humble leaders are better than arrogant leaders because they are inspiring, beneficial in the long run, and selfless.
As an arrogant leader “everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are” like (Machiavelli 38) . Even though the stereotype of an arrogant leader may seem attractive in pop culture, no one actually likes being lead by one. Unlike arrogant leaders though, humble leaders are inspirational and loved. One way humble leaders inspire others is through wanting what is best for their followers. By showing their supporters that they have their best
interests in mind they gain their trust, and people are more encouraged by those they trust.
Arrogant leaders, on the other hand, only have their own self interest in mind and manipulate others to do their bidding. Followers of an arrogant leader always have to watch their backs for fear of being manipulated and turned on. This creates a hostile work environment that is terrorizing and fearful, not loving and inspirational. Another way humble leaders inspire others is through leading by example. When a leader does the same task as they have assigned to others it gives their followers the feeling that they can do the same. This feeling of empowerment then follows into other parts of the the project leading to more productiveness in the long run.
Humble leaders are more beneficial than arrogant leaders because they do not have a self destructive, over-inflated ego. The ego of an arrogant leader is so sensitive that his team members hold back their ideas for fear of upsetting him by challenging the ideas he has presented. On top of this, arrogant
leaders “intrinsically do not trust new things that they have not experienced themselves” due to the mindset that they know what is best, leading them to not accept new ideas even if they are presented (Machiavelli 24). This constant lack of being able to voice an opinion is harmful to the effectiveness of the team. Humble leaders, on the other hand, have high self esteem and are up for constructive criticism as they are constantly pushing themselves and others to do better. An arrogant leader is also less beneficial in the long run because they will rub too many people the wrong way by barking orders causing people to turn on them. Arrogant leaders fear competition, so their subjects will not work to their full potential for fear of being put down. Followers of an arrogant leader will fear even challenging themselves to do better because of the potential backlash of one-upping the boss. Humble leaders though do not mind their followers challenging them for effective purposes and support others actively competing against them in a friendly manner for the good of the team. The allowance of competition motivates growth in individual team members continuously, revealing that a leader with humility is more beneficial in the long run. Long term benefits and inspiration are not the only thing that make a humble leader better than an arrogant one, selflessness is often an important characteristic of humility, and a defining characteristic of good leadership, but is not present with arrogance.
Humble leaders are selfless as they promote the well being and success of others above their own fame and glory.
They help others without expecting anything in return. They are not afraid to make mistakes and take full responsibility when they do, but when things go right humble leaders will always share credits with all those who helped them out. Arrogant leaders, however, focus mostly on glorifying themselves. They will never help others without seeking some form of praise. They hide their mistakes when they can and are quick to blame others when they come to light. If things do go their way, an arrogant leader will take all the credit despite how many others may have helped them out. Selfish arrogant acts carry little weight compared to those done selflessly with humility, which is why arrogance is inferior to
humbleness.
There are two types of leaders in this world: those who are arrogant and those who are humble. Each having the power to lead but both having different positions on how to do so. A good leader will possess the qualities of a selfless person by showing the positive results from criticism, while an arrogant leader will look for their own satisfaction. Eventually, one will fail and the other will stand up by moving forward with constructive feedback. The humble leader will be the one standing, improving where they went wrong showing their positive attributes in leading their team on. Arrogance will be left behind when people realize that they would rather be loved than feared. Everyday people are looking to the world to find new leaders, which one are you going to be?