Junior Caleb Eldridge writes a leadership column representing student leadership, continuing a long tradition of partnership with students on campus.
Leading with courage is an essential quality of leadership. Courage also needs to be coupled with humility. The definition of “humble” is having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance. Does leading with humility seem contradictory as we’re supposed to lead with confidence and strength? Is leading with humility the right way to lead?
Although it seems contradictory, humility is easily one of the most important qualities that a leader can have. An example I think of is George Washington, specifically during the creation of the Cabinet. At this point in 1789, George Washington was well-known across the whole country. He was a leader in the Revolutionary War, a war hero who was essentially handed the title of President by a unanimous vote in the first Presidential election. That year he proposed the idea of a presidential cabinet, the purpose being to support the President in his decisions. He sent proposals to Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Knox and Edmund Randolph. The first president, within months of taking office recognized his need for outside perspectives and assistance in leading the nation. This humility and collaboration brought great things to America, and the Presidential Cabinet is still used today.
To be a good leader, you must be humble enough to accept that you need help from others. This type of humility will naturally draw others to you, causing a chain reaction that can inspire others to lead.
Often, God is the one whom we need to be humble before, not just man. This is depicted in the Bible story of the Ten Plagues. If you haven’t read this Bible story before, Moses was the former prince of Egypt, who returns to his land and confronts the pharaoh, ruler of the Egyptians. He tells Pharaoh to let God’s people go, but Pharaoh refuses, instead requiring them to make bricks without straw, which was nearly impossible during this time.
This cycle repeats many times with God showing miraculous signs in the form of plagues upon the Egyptians. Pharaoh continuously rejects God and hardens his heart, bringing more plagues for himself and his people. The level of destruction escalates from plague to plague, but eventually, it reaches a climax with the Plague of the Firstborn, also known as Passover. God told the Israelites that he would end the lives of every firstborn in all the lands of Egypt, but if they put lamb’s blood on their doors, they would be safe. Then God does what he says he would do; and the firstborn children of the land of Egypt die, all except those who put lamb’s blood on their doors.
You’d think this would be the end of the tale of Pharaoh and his stiff heart, but it is not. Pharaoh realizes what he’s done and gathers the army of Egypt to pursue the Israelites. Then comes the face off at the Red Sea. As the Egyptians pursue the Israelites, Moses, through God’s power, parts the Red Sea, gets all of the Israelites through it and crashes the waters back down upon the Egyptians, destroying every single one of them.
Don’t be like Pharaoh. To be a good leader, you have to be humble enough to listen to God’s voice and accept his words and will as truth (although you won’t face the same mistakes and consequences Pharaoh did). God’s plan is always the best for you, and so humbling yourself to him will only benefit you, even if it doesn’t look like it will right away.
Some people have everything to brag about. Whether it’s fame, fortune or power, there are people across the world who could easily boast about their accomplishments. Whether they choose to or not is a different story. A man I think of who leads humbly in this way is Tim Tebow.
In 2006, Tebow became the quarterback of the Florida Gators, a very well-known college football team. That same year, he led the Gators to a BCS National Championship, and another two years later in 2008. In 2007, Tebow won the Heisman Trophy. The Heisman Trophy is given to the most outstanding player in all of college football for that year; Tebow made history as the first underclassman ever to win it. He also broke two records in his college career, one for passing efficiency and the other for the number of rushing touchdowns. After his incredible college football career, he was drafted into the NFL by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. That same season, he led the team to the second round of the playoffs.
The rest of his NFL career is less thrilling than his first season. After being traded to the New York Jets in the following 2011 season, Tebow was eventually traded to the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. He did all of this while displaying a profound Christian attitude and being a man of great faith.
This wasn’t the end for Tebow. He then began a baseball career, playing for the New York Mets from 2016 to 2021, which went well for him. After this, he attempted to rejoin the NFL; when that didn’t work out, he decided to start co-hosting for college football. He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
I know that was a lot, but I have two key points to express. Tebow has every right to boast. He made history four times: getting the Heisman Trophy as an underclassman, breaking two different college football records and getting inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He has every right to flaunt his fame, and yet he displays a righteous humility not often seen in people this successful.
Even when it looked like Tebow’s career was beginning to fail, such as when he was traded to the Jets, then the Patriots, then the Eagles and unable to land a starting job any of those times, that didn’t affect his humility. He stayed modest, showing humility on and off the field. I believe that this humility was rewarded by all of his achievements, such as his Hall of Fame recognition.
If you want to be a good leader, through the good and the bad, remain humble. Even if you’re at the pinnacle of your goals, like the College Football Hall of Fame, or at the lowest point, like the Israelites in the story of Exodus, remain humble. Humility shows kindness and love to others, building trust and relationships with the people around you. That humility inspires people not just to follow, but to lead in their own way. That humility could be rewarded. That humility is what can make you a great leader.
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