Humility and Competence

Which Attribute Affects Social Relationships at Work

Bibliographic Data

ID15465795
AuthorsAi Ni Teoh (0000-0002-5069-937X, James Cook University Singapore, corresponding author), Livia Kriwangko (James Cook University Singapore)
Year2022
Volume19
Issue10
Pages5969-5969
Publication date2022-05-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph19105969
PMID35627506
OpenAlexW4280491956
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited36

Between likability and competence, people value likable colleagues (regardless of their competence level) more than competent colleagues. If humility replaces competence, the preference might be different since humility is not always associated with positive outcomes. Humility and competence form four archetypes: humble star, humble fool, competent jerk, and incompetent jerk. This study examined the personal and professional preferences for these archetypes in the workplace and how the preference is moderated by colleagues' seniority. There were 475 working adults aged between 21 and 77 ( M = 40.34, SD = 11.32) recruited to complete an online survey. While humble fools were more likable than competent jerks in personal interactions, competent jerks received more cooperation than humble fools in professional interactions. Seniority did not affect these findings. Our findings shed light on whether, and when, humility should be highly valued in organizational settings. Promoting humility in the workplace setting might require more caution

Competence (human resources · Humility · Political science · Seniority · Theology · Conflict Management and Negotiation · Emotions and Moral Behavior · Forgiveness and Related Behaviors · Psychology · Social Psychology

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Open DOIOpen Access