Humble Leadership book club questions

1. 1.

   The Scheins define three levels of relationship. Honestly assess a current important work relationship: which level are you operating at, and is that the right level for the work you're doing together?

2. 2.

   What would it look like in your organization if information flowed more freely upward? What would have to change?

3. 3.

   Think of a leader you've worked with who modeled humble leadership. What did they specifically do or not do that created that impression?

4. 4.

   The Scheins say leaders must go first when building Level 2 relationships. What's one personal thing you could share appropriately that would move a key relationship forward?

5. 5.

   Where in your organization do you see Level 1 relationships creating real operational problems? What are the visible symptoms?

6. 6.

   Humble inquiry is asking from curiosity, not from a script. What question do you genuinely not know the answer to about someone you manage?

7. 7.

   The Scheins argue that changing relationship levels requires vulnerability from leaders. What makes that hard in your specific context?

8. 8.

   Edgar Schein's work on organizational culture argues that culture changes slowly and from the top. What does a leader in your organization do daily that reinforces transactional norms?

9. 9.

   The book uses healthcare examples extensively — nurses who don't speak up, residents who don't question attending physicians. What are the equivalent dynamics in your field?

10. 10.

    Is it possible to build a Level 2 relationship with everyone you work with? How do you prioritize given limited time?

11. 11.

    What's the difference between a leader who is humble and a leader who is simply conflict-averse? How do you tell them apart in practice?

12. 12.

    The Scheins suggest that humble leadership produces better outcomes. Where have you seen that hypothesis confirmed or contradicted by your experience?

How to run the discussion

• Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
• Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
• Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
• Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.