Write a summary of maximum 1200 words on the topic of “The Leadership Killer:

Reclaiming Humility in an Age of Arrogance” covering following items:

1. What impact hubris has on leaders?

2. How to understand and avoid its worst effects?
3. Why leaders should heed 10 essential tips?

Hubris is the worst enemy of leadership skills which poisons the leader’s mind and force him to
misapply his powers. It causes problems in the mission, reputation, performance, loyalty, morale
and ethics. Now the question is that what this leadership trait (Hubris) has on leaders. A leader
infected with Hubris becomes arrogant, selfish and always work for his own benefits rather than
organization’s goals. Hubris is actually the exaggerated pride and self-confidence. A hubris
leader always try to impose his own rules to his employees rather than listening to them. Hubris
leader do not listen the ideas, views and thinking of his employees and considered himself more
superior than them. This trait inflates the ego and destroys moral character. It ruins leaders and
damages the people they lead. A hubristic leader compromises on 5 main things:

Mission: A hubristic leader replaces organizational goals to his personal goals which
effect the organization badly. When he compromises with organizational goals which
means he is not sincere to organization he is just working for his own benefits

Performance: Employees do not work for those whom they do not like, so a hubristic
leader not only destroying his moral character but also the performing ability of
employees.

Reputation: A hubristic leader not only destroy his own reputation within the
organization but also his organization’s reputation. When employees hates someone
they do not work for them from the bottom of their heart.

Moral: Hubristic leader destroys morale. As we know success of any organization

depends upon the morale of workforce.

Loyalty: This type of leader is not is not loyal to his organization but loyal to his own
benefits which badly destroys the organization.

Ethics: Ethics is very important in any organization. Strong leaders are ethical and
hubristic leadership is the opposite of it.

For example: We have an example of United Airline CEO Oscar Munoz, in which a
messenger is dragged out of the air plane with blood. In this example the Munoz’s
 hubristic leader cost him. As a result of which his airline lost more than half a billion in
one week because of his behavior.

In Pakistan, from previous 30 years, every prime minister misuse the power which he
has been given by the public. (PMLN) a political party use to think that Pakistan have no
other option other than them. Shareef family looted Pakistan for approximately 18
years and see what happens they loses their mandate. Whoever who tries to occupy
hubristic behavior falls badly because Pride hath a Fall.

Interpersonal relationship is the most important thing in any organization.

No interpersonal relationship = No organizational success

To prevent yourself from hubris, a leader have to handle two wolves.

1) A good wolf
2) A bad wolf

According to an cherokke legend, two wolves lives inside us. One is aggressive, angry and proudy known
as bad wolf and the other one is generous and trustworthy known as good wolf. So a leader have to
handle these both. So we cannot choose one but we can increase the ratio of good wolf to be a good
leader. So suggestion is that “Feed the good wolf but do not ignore the bad wolf”.

We have discussed the 10 essential tips of leaders, but the question is that why a leader should follow
it?

A leader is the one who is representing his organization in front of whole world and he is a role model
for his employees. These employees learn ethics, morality, performing in different situations from him.
So these 10 tips are important for him to follow to become an inspiring leader for his employees.

A leader cannot lead others if he cannot govern himself. You cannot expect anything good from your
employees if you are not working with honesty. A leader have to value the values if you do not value
then how can you expect your employees to value. A leader is like a mirror for his employees whatever
he do his employees tends to follow him. So, being hubristic is not a way, you cannot force your
employees to work but you can inspire them to work. A leader when accepts his mistakes and fears, it
develops the courage in his employees to accept their failures and fears and work on them. In these 10
tips, interpersonal relationship is important than everything. Concluding, these 10 tips are important to
follow for a leader for the prosperity, wellbeing of his organization and to become a role model for his
employees and interpersonal skills are very important to follow.

ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE:
According to holy prophet, Pride is a disease. Hubris means being arrogant and an egoist
person. According to Islam, Islam doesn’t allow a Muslim to be arrogant. Holy prophet said “ no
person with an atoms weight of pride in his heart shall enter paradise. Islam tells us to
be humble with everyone. Allah said in Surah Al Nisa “Allah loves not the proud and
arrogant”. One of the good characteristic of Muslim is humbleness. Pride is a
characteristic of Satan. Pride make a person disobedient towards the commandments of
Allah and Holy prophet. In organizations, Pride and ego is the only thing which do not let
a leader to except his failures and mistakes and don’t let them to forgive the mistake of
his employees. When Pride enters in any human being’s heart his way of talking, tone
and how he treat others changes. As a result of that a proudy person starts to think that
he/she is better than all. Forgetting the fact that we all are made up of same clay and we
all are from Allah and we shall go towards him. Pride is the biggest sin of all. Pride take
away the person from Allah.

The Almighty says, “‘Do not avert your face from people out of haughtiness and do not strut
about arrogantly on the earth, Allah does not love anyone who is vain of boastful,” (W31;17;
H31:18)

‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
“No one who has an atom’s weight of pride in his heart will enter the Garden.” A man said,
“And if the man likes his clothes to be good and his sandals to be good?” He said, “Allah is
Beautiful and loves beauty. Pride means to renounce the truth and abase people.” [Muslim]

So, Islamic perspective is also against the hubristic view, So a leader should be humble so that
employees can work with more ease. As stated earlier, a leader should inspire others to work
instead of imposing their orders on them.
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (RA): I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: He who lets
his garment trail during prayer out of pride, Allah, the Almighty, has nothing to do with
pardoning him and protecting him from Hell.

Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 2, Hadith 247