Book Review - Humilitas by Dickson

Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership by John Dickson

My wife and I just finished a great little book on leadership called Humilitas by John Dickson. We heard John speak at a conference in Aug. 2011 where he presented a few of the books key points. We were intrigued so we decided to read it together (I read, Mecca listened). John is a PhD Historian, he is a pastor, and he is a thoughtful writer (bonus: he is Austrailan and funny). Essentially, he researched the historical development of the word humilitas (Latin) and discovered that the word changed means and uses after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Hmmm.
Here are a few "teaser" points from the book:
Humility = "the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself"
John writes (pg 24) that humility presupposes your dignity. The one being humble acts from a height so to speak, as the "lowering" etymology makes clear. True humility assumes the dignity or strength of the one possessing the virtue, which is why it should not be confused with having low self-esteem or being a doormat for others (pg 25). In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is impossible to be humble in the real sense without a healthy sense of your own worth and abilities.