Humility should be part of our work ethic

Last month, I wrote about a situation in which a mid-level manager consistently arrives at work late or doesn’t report to work at all. She was arrogant about her short hours and bragged that she has not worked 8-to-5 in 15 years and she’s not going to start now.

That August column focused on the response of that manager’s co-workers, but I started to wonder what made that woman so convinced that she was justified in working less than required and less than her peers and subordinates. Then, within days of writing that column, I heard a story about a worker who falsified his timecard repeatedly and then claimed it was justified because he contributed so much to the organization. The man pointed to all his accomplishments, which were considerable, and was aghast that the employer would even consider firing him after he had done so much good. Somehow, in his twisted mind, he justified lying and cheating because he had done good work.

I think there are two sins at play in these cases. The first is that dreaded word “entitlement.” Somehow, workers like these become convinced that they “deserve” special treatment. Perhaps it is because of contributions they somehow deem “special.” Sometimes they’re convinced their very presence justifies special perks. That sense of entitlement is why personal phone calls, fudging on expense reports and stealing office supplies become all too frequent in the workplace.

People who self-justify bad behavior with the “entitlement” argument often seem to overlook the 40 hours of pay and the handsome benefit package they receive. They find a way to convince themselves that the basic employment contract is lacking in some way and “extra benefits” are required to make it right.

Those people are kidding themselves. If the employment contract is truly unfair, either leave or exercise the right to organize. Do not try to justify lying, cheating and fraud.

The second sin at play here is pride or the lack of humility. In the book “Father Joe” (Random House, 2004), author Tony Hendra says a “saint is a person who practices the keystone human virtue of humility.” If you are like me, you can march right through your life and your work experience and realize how far you are from being a saint if humility is the keystone.

At work, when we act as if we know it all and hoard information, or act as if we have better answers than the boss and our co-workers, we are filled with pride and we lack humility. When we make excuses for poor performance and find it impossible to admit we have erred, we lack humility

I heard recently about a woman who insisted she wouldn’t go to a party if someone else was invited. Her threat forced the guest of honor to blink and not invite the other person. The woman needed to control the entire event. Everything had to be about her. We often do the same thing in the workplace when we try to control every little detail so events precisely fit our needs and goals. We ignore everyone else’s needs. When we do that, pride vanquishes humility.

And yet there are wonderful examples of humility in work. Dr. Sheldon Burns of Edina, Minn., is my family doctor and a friend. More importantly, he’s the U.S. Olympic basketball team doctor. He is a highly regarded physician, a genuine big shot. When I watched the pre-Olympic basketball games on television, there was Sheldon handing out towels and offering water and Gatorade to players. For the entire world he looked like anything but a doctor. Rather than playing big shot, Sheldon humbled himself to do what needed to be done.

That ability to do what needs to be done, no matter your title, can make the difference between acting as if we’re “entitled” and showing genuine humility in the workplace.

Tip for your search: This week at coffee, when you start griping about people in the workplace, shift ground. Talk about the most humble people in your workplace. Analyze how they go about their day. How could you follow their example?