Dr Nate Zettna
Humble leaders and committed workers can reduce costly silence and lead to improved team performance and customer satisfaction, according to a new study from the University of Sydney Business School.
The study published in Personnel Psychology investigates the impact of team silence - when members withhold important information, suggestions or concerns - on performance, and explores critical strategies for overcoming this damaging force to enhance team performance.
Examining more than 3,000 workers in Australia, Thailand and the Philippines working in fields including healthcare, banking and project management, the research found that humble leadership significantly reduces team silence, which in turn improves team performance.
Humility is a leadership style that favours two-way communication and is marked by a leader's ability to accurately assess themselves and recognise their limitations, value others' contributions, and be open to new ideas and feedback.
Lead investigator Dr Nate Zettna said the study found the benefits of humble leadership are amplified in teams where workers are highly committed to the organisation.
"While leader humility is beneficial, its effectiveness is contingent on the team's commitment. In teams with lower commitment, leader humility alone does not significantly impact silence or performance, as seen in the research conducted in bank branches and hospitals."
Dr Zettna advises organisations to complement leadership training with initiatives that foster team commitment and address collective attitudes, such as co-designing team members' and leaders' roles and responsibilities to align with personal, team, and organisational goals.
"Effective interventions should target both leaders and team members to create a more open and collaborative work environment," Dr Zettna said.
"Organisations can do this best by involving team members when designing interventions, in order to ensure their attitudes and motivations are reflected in the process."
