While humility has been consistently linked to positive organizational outcomes such as engagement, creativity, learning and innovation, its assessment remains limited as a measurable cultural value. Despite a proliferation of humility measures, most continue to focus narrowly on individual traits and leadership behaviors. This study aims to propose and validate a model of organizational culture of humility (OCH) to support the development and improvement of measurable humility practices.
The research involved theoretical modeling, face validity and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using data from organizations that publicly endorsed humility as a core cultural value.
The final model comprises seven constructs: balance, praise, trust, collaboration, feedback, creativity and communication, represented by 27 behavioral indicators. Results confirm the model’s validity and reliability, providing a robust framework for assessing humility at the organizational level.
The study advances humility research by translating an abstract virtue into an assessable organizational construct. Grounded in behavioral indicators, the OCH model links cultural diagnosis with behavioral intervention, offering organizations a practical means to identify, shape and sustain humility-oriented practices. Assessing humility at the cultural level provides organizations with a practical tool to diagnose, manage and embed this virtue as a strategic cultural asset that enhances adaptability, learning and sustainable performance.
