One very important characteristic of a good leader is humility.

I was asked to be a speaker on a panel at the Martin Luther King Jr. Future Leadership Summit this weekend. Because of my line of work, I spoke specifically about the importance of leadership through public service and volunteerism, and the whole day was focused around the importance of stepping up to lead whenever and however possible.

So when they asked for a volunteer to lead a large group of participants from one building to another, I stepped up and offered to take the lead. After all, the event was being held on the college campus at which I work. Granted, neither the building I was leading from nor the one I was leading to was the one in which I work, but still, I thought I was capable of guiding this group across campus.

Or not. I did successfully lead them through the hall and down the stairs, but then somehow I took a wrong turn and we ended up on the wrong side of the building. I had to turn the whole herd around and guide them back through the building to the other side, all the while enduring wisecracks about what kind of leader is this who can’t even get us from point A to B on her own campus!

Yes that’s me, you’re humble leader. Now if you’ll just follow me this way, please, I’ll be happy to lead you right off this very tall cliff.