CEO Coaching: Humility Is Not a Weakness

The passing of Jimmy Carter got me curious about his life. I’ll admit, my initial take on him was shaped by secondhand opinions and headlines. “Bungler as a president,” they said. And, I’ll confess, I bought it. Sure, I admired his post-presidency contributions—Habitat for Humanity volunteer, Nobel Prize winner, peacemaker, Sunday school teacher—but as a leader? My verdict was: good guy, way out of his depth.

Looking back, I see now how my own tribal biases as a supporter of the ideals of what used to be the Republican Party might have clouded my view. But hindsight is humbling, isn’t it? When I dug deeper, I rediscovered leadership moves that even the staunchest critics would have to grudgingly respect. His military service. Deregulation of airlines, trucking, and railroads. Lifting price controls. Appointing Paul Volker as Fed Chairman when he knew of the short-term pain required to solve inflation. And let’s not forget his gutsy, if ill-fated, attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran.^[1]

Yet Carter’s presidency coincided with a series of unfortunate events: Iranian turmoil, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, energy shortages, runaway inflation that began before he took office, and the hostage crisis—which he ultimately resolved, albeit after losing reelection. Those circumstances buried his legacy in a heap of bad PR.

As Gerald Seib aptly put it in The Wall Street Journal: “Jimmy Carter was a good man who was president at a bad time.”

What stands out to me now is Carter’s humility. He didn’t chase headlines or clamor for credit. He made decisions based on principle, not optics, and let the chips fall where they may.

I recently wrote about the stark contrast between the leadership styles of today’s public officials and the business leaders I coach. (CEO Coaching: Do Good, Be Good, Make Others Good). The contrast isn’t just striking; it’s a full-blown case study in opposites. Humility, or lack thereof, is the key differentiator. Competence comes in second place. And let’s be real—when’s the last time you spotted a credible Sunday school teacher in high-level politics? (You know, one who espouses and practices love, honesty, and compassion.)

For better or worse, many voters seem drawn to egotistical, vain leaders in public office. We’ll see if that loyalty holds once they start feeling the financial pinch. In business, though? It’s a different ballgame. Quality employees don’t stick around for blowhard bosses. They’re not signing up for the ego rodeo.

If you’re in a leadership role, yes—you need confidence. You need to take pride in your accomplishments. And sure, you should be comfortable in public settings. But don’t mistake humility for weakness. It’s not. Humility is a strength.

Jimmy Carter’s legacy reminds us that leadership isn’t about loud voices or chest-thumping. It’s about quiet, steady principles and a willingness to play the long game—even when it doesn’t guarantee applause.

^[1] As you may recall, a helicopter crash ruined this rescue mission. When asked what he might have done differently during his presidency, he joked, “I wish I’d sent one more helicopter to get the hostages and we would have rescued them and I would have been re-elected.”