Learning to Lead with Humility: Insights from Student Mentors in India

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Kumar, A. T., & Prieto-Flores, Ò. (2025). “I am not any greater than you are”: Cultivation of humility in higher education through mentoring. Innovative Higher Education, 50, 947–965. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-024-09759-9

Introduction

Kumar and Prieto-Flores (2025) explored how humility—often misunderstood as weakness—functions as a strength in higher education mentoring. Grounded in the HEXACO (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness) personality framework, this study examined how college-student mentors perceive and enact humility while mentoring rural school students. The researchers argue that humility, combining self-awareness and empathy, is a critical socio-emotional skill for cultivating socially responsible leadership in academic settings.

Methods

Seventeen mentors (nine undergraduate and eight graduate students) from an elite Indian engineering institute participated in a six-month School-Based Mentoring program. Each mentor pair worked with rural high school students, meeting both in person and online. Data were collected through semi-structured, one-on-one interviews lasting 60–90 minutes. Using the HEXACO model’s six personality domains, researchers coded and analyzed transcripts deductively, focusing on expressions of humility within mentoring relationships.

Results

Three personality domains—honesty-humility (25%), agreeableness (25%), and conscientiousness (23%)—dominated mentor narratives. Humility emerged as a key behavioral and emotional driver. Mentors expressed intrapersonal humility through self-reflection and emotional regulation and by acknowledging socio-cultural differences, showing empathy, and prioritizing mentee growth. Despite hierarchical and cultural gaps, mentors maintained egalitarian and sincere attitudes that strengthened relationships and enhanced program outcomes.

Discussion

Findings suggest humility enables emotionally intelligent mentoring by linking self-awareness with empathy and relationship management. Mentors who practiced humility demonstrated generativity—leading with purpose, fairness, and social responsibility. The study aligns with the Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Theory, emphasizing consciousness of self, others, and context. Humility was found to transform both mentors and mentees, promoting reflection, inclusivity, and leadership readiness.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

Mentorship programs should intentionally cultivate humility alongside technical and academic skills. Training mentors in emotional intelligence and reflective practice can foster empathy, self-regulation, and cross-cultural understanding. As the authors revealed, humility in mentoring is not self-effacement—it is strength through awareness, integrity, and shared growth.

Read the full paper here.