In general, humility allows people to see and accept their own strengths and limitations without defensiveness or judgment. According to research, humble people share certain qualities. First, they’re less hypersensitive to information or situations that challenge their own ideas about who they are, e.g., I’m smart, I’m caring, I’m generous. They also have the ability to see one’s self and others more clearly, without exaggerating the good or the bad.

Humble people are open to new information in a way that allows them to continue learning about themselves and the world. And they focus more on others rather than themselves, showing greater appreciation and awareness of others in their day-to-day lives. Finally, they believe that other people are equally important and have the same intrinsic value.

When a department head tells her best teacher that he needs to be open to ideas from other educators, the teacher thanks her for her feedback and promises to listen better to his colleagues.
 
A school principal admits to the staff that he needs their help in knowing how to respond to certain parent complaints.

Beyond general humility, researchers have identified particular forms of humility that each offer greater insights into the importance of humility, such as intellectual humility and cultural humility.

People who practice intellectual humility recognize the limits of their knowledge and express appreciation for others’ ability to provide insights.

A veteran teacher with many years of experience reaches out to a 1st-year teacher for ideas on how to incorporate technology into her pedagogy.

Cultural humility is “a process of reflection and lifelong inquiry,” that involves examining one’s biases and demonstrating respect for and equally valuing other people’s backgrounds and experiences.

A high school mental health professional whose cultural and economic background differs from most of the students questions her assumptions about a student’s family situation before speaking to the parents.