In today’s ever-diversifying workplaces, cultural humility has emerged as a vital leadership trait that goes beyond traditional notions of awareness and competence. At its core, cultural humility embodies a commitment to ongoing learning, deep listening, self-reflection, and power-sharing—qualities that are now indispensable for ethical and inclusive leadership.
What Is Cultural Humility?
Cultural humility is defined as a lifelong process of self-evaluation, self-critique, and commitment to addressing power imbalances. Originally rooted in healthcare, the concept has since expanded into leadership and organizational development, offering a transformative lens for how leaders can show up with authenticity and responsiveness.
Unlike static cultural competence, which focuses on acquiring knowledge about different cultures, cultural humility acknowledges that no amount of information can replace the lived experiences of others. It encourages leaders to remain open, admit gaps in understanding, and actively learn from their teams and communities. This practice enhances emotional intelligence and provides a framework for building relationships based on mutual respect and trust.
Cultural Humility vs. Cultural Competence
The difference between cultural humility and cultural competence is more than semantics. Cultural competence often implies a level of mastery that can unintentionally lead to a checkbox mentality. On the other hand, cultural humility acknowledges that complete understanding is unattainable but that effort, openness, and adaptability are crucial.
Consider this: a culturally competent leader might know the holidays observed by different cultural groups. A culturally humble leader, however, would ask how those holidays affect their team members’ experiences and would adjust project timelines accordingly. This subtle but powerful shift reduces the risk of performative DEI and builds genuine inclusion.
Additionally, cultural humility places emphasis on acknowledging and addressing one’s biases, rather than pretending they don’t exist. It moves beyond intellectual understanding into embodied leadership—transforming how decisions are made and how relationships are cultivated.
Explore our DEI-focused Workshops to integrate humility into your leadership style.
Shifting from Authority to Allyship
Traditional leadership often emphasizes authority, decision-making power, and expertise. Cultural humility, however, reframes leadership as allyship—a practice that centers listening, co-creation, and advocacy. Humble leaders recognize that they are not saviors but learners who must elevate underrepresented voices.
For example, a manager might shift from making top-down decisions to holding regular listening sessions with their team. This demonstrates a willingness to be led, which strengthens psychological safety and fosters innovation. Leaders who practice allyship consistently create environments where all team members feel their perspectives are not just welcomed but essential.
Leadership grounded in humility cultivates a deeper sense of belonging. It promotes transparency and invites dissenting views, which are often the catalyst for meaningful change. It encourages team members to show up fully, knowing their identities and experiences are honored.
Power Dynamics and Accountability
Cultural humility challenges leaders to recognize systemic inequities and actively work to redistribute power within teams. That might look like inviting junior employees to co-lead meetings, rotating speaking opportunities, or implementing 360-degree feedback mechanisms.
Accountability also means being open to critique and using it to improve. Leaders practicing cultural humility do not fear being wrong—they fear not growing. They create structures for feedback and act on it transparently.
Power is not inherently negative, but unchecked power can harm. Cultural humility asks leaders to examine how their roles and identities impact those around them, and to take responsibility for mitigating harm and increasing equity.
Discover DLA’s Programs that support leadership development rooted in equity and inclusion.
Active and Empathetic Listening
Listening is more than hearing words. For leaders, it means absorbing, reflecting, and validating the lived experiences of others—especially those from marginalized backgrounds. Micro-behaviors such as eye contact, paraphrasing, and resisting the urge to “fix” are markers of active listening.
When leaders listen empathetically, they invite trust. Team members feel seen and respected, which translates into greater engagement and collaboration. Humble leaders solicit feedback regularly, particularly from those whose perspectives are often overlooked.
Incorporating listening into everyday leadership practices strengthens relationships across difference. It cultivates environments where mistakes become learning opportunities and where feedback becomes a shared value. Listening becomes a strategic leadership skill—not just an interpersonal one.
Encouraging Reflective Practices in Leadership
Self-reflection is a cornerstone of cultural humility. Tools like journaling, peer coaching, and structured debriefs help leaders examine their biases, emotional responses, and blind spots. Questions like, “Whose voice was missing in that meeting?” or “How did my privilege influence that decision?” can drive meaningful growth.
Organizations that value reflective practice often embed it into performance reviews or leadership development programs. Leaders are encouraged to seek feedback, acknowledge gaps, and create action plans for improvement.
Additionally, reflective practices allow leaders to remain grounded amid rapid change. In times of crisis or uncertainty, self-awareness helps leaders stay aligned with their values and communities, and make decisions that are inclusive and just.
Learn more about DLA’s Resources designed to support continuous learning.
Continuous Learning in Action
Cultural humility isn’t a destination—it’s a journey. Leaders must commit to ongoing education through books, podcasts, mentorship, and experiential learning. Reverse mentoring—where junior staff from underrepresented groups mentor senior leaders—is a particularly powerful tool.
DEI training should be regular and evolving, not one-off events. Organizations that reward curiosity and vulnerability help normalize the growth mindset needed for cultural humility to flourish.
Learning can also be embedded into workflows. For instance, dedicating time in team meetings to share lessons from recent DEI experiences or insights from equity-centered literature can normalize growth as a shared goal.
Attend one of our upcoming Events to deepen your leadership toolkit.
Stories from Nonprofits and Corporations
Real-world examples bring cultural humility to life. One nonprofit executive, after receiving feedback from staff about exclusionary practices, launched a monthly listening circle. Over time, this initiative led to policy changes around hiring and communication, drastically improving morale and retention.
In a corporate setting, a CEO shifted recruiting strategies after recognizing the company’s lack of diversity. By involving employee resource groups and community organizations in hiring decisions, the company saw a measurable increase in workforce diversity and inclusion metrics.
These stories highlight the importance of leadership that responds to feedback, embraces change, and uplifts voices that have historically been marginalized. They demonstrate that humility is not weakness, but a powerful catalyst for innovation and growth.
Measuring Impact Beyond Optics
Metrics matter—but only the right ones. While diversity numbers are important, they don’t capture the full picture. Humble leadership is often reflected in qualitative outcomes like psychological safety, trust, and belonging.
Surveys, one-on-one interviews, and stay interviews can reveal deeper insights. When leaders approach these tools with humility and act on findings, they drive lasting change.
Additionally, data must be interpreted with cultural awareness. For example, exit interview data should be analyzed through an equity lens, considering how identity impacts both experience and response. Qualitative feedback from BIPOC employees, LGBTQ+ team members, and people with disabilities must be centered in organizational learning.
Embedding Humility in Workplace Culture
Cultural humility must be embedded into organizational DNA. This includes policy audits to eliminate bias, hiring for mindset and values, and supporting peer-led learning forums. Leaders should champion humility not as weakness, but as strength.
One effective strategy is incorporating humility into job descriptions and leadership evaluations. This signals that the organization values growth and empathy over ego.
Other strategies include employee storytelling platforms, restorative justice circles, and anonymous feedback channels that empower employees to share truths without fear of retribution.
Role of DEI Committees in Supporting Humility
DEI committees play a crucial role in sustaining cultural humility. They can organize ongoing education sessions, facilitate feedback loops, and ensure that employee concerns reach senior leadership.
By serving as bridges between grassroots voices and executive teams, DEI committees help operationalize humility in meaningful ways.
These groups are also responsible for advocating for structural change—not just educational programs. They must be equipped with resources, decision-making power, and leadership support to enact lasting impact.
Read more About Us and our commitment to inclusive leadership practices.
Conclusion
Cultural humility is not a leadership buzzword—it’s a critical practice for building trust, equity, and inclusion. Leaders who listen deeply, reflect often, and share power are better equipped to lead diverse teams in a complex world.
Whether you’re an executive, educator, or DEI practitioner, now is the time to lead with humility. Embrace the discomfort of growth. Create space for difficult conversations. Honor lived experience as expertise.
Explore DLA’s Programs and join us in building a future where inclusive leadership is the norm, not the exception.
FAQs
Q1: How does cultural humility benefit leadership teams?
It fosters open dialogue, reduces bias, increases trust, and strengthens collaboration by recognizing the lived experiences of all team members.
Q2: How is cultural humility different from cultural competence?
Cultural competence focuses on learning about others, while cultural humility emphasizes learning about oneself and remaining open to others’ perspectives.
Q3: Can cultural humility be taught in a workshop?
It can be introduced and practiced, but it must be continuously cultivated. DLA’s programs are designed to support that long-term development.
Q4: What are signs of a culturally humble leader?
They listen more than they speak, seek feedback, acknowledge mistakes, and actively work to elevate marginalized voices.
Q5: Why should organizations prioritize this in their leadership development?
Because diverse teams thrive under leaders who lead with empathy, adaptability, and accountability—hallmarks of cultural humility.