Most mornings before the day officially starts, I jump on the spin bike and binge Netflix (two birds with one stone, right?). Usually it’s crime thrillers, but recently I watched the Victoria Beckham documentary and it completely surprised me.

I’ve always admired Victoria, but what stood out wasn’t her success - it was her humility. She openly admits her business nearly collapsed partly because her team had become afraid to say “no” to her.

That kind of self-awareness is rare. The higher we go, the harder it becomes for people to challenge us. Yet real leadership means creating a culture where honesty and pushback are safe - and expected.

Research from Harvard Business Review shows humble leaders build teams that are 34% more engaged and 50% more creative.

Humility isn’t soft - it’s smart.

Try this week:

1. Ask for pushback - “What am I missing?”

2. Own and openly talk about your mistakes - it builds trust faster than perfection.

3. Reward honesty - even when it stings.

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers – it’s about creating the space for better ones to emerge... and if you’re ever on a spin bike at 6am, the VB doco is well worth it!