Stay Humble: Listening & Learning Without Ego

We are keeping the momentum going with another Leadership Principles Spotlight Session, this time zooming in on Stay Humble.

Staying Humble isn’t about shrinking yourself or down playing strengths, it’s about showing up with curiosity, openness, and the courage to admit you don’t have all the answers. It’s about learning, and embracing feedback like the gift it is.

Hosted by Katharina Maxis, Vice President of People & Culture, with Yashwant Singh, Head of IT Service Delivery, and Deniz Özkan Ergün, Senior Director of M&A Legal and Integration joining on stage for an honest, thoughtful panel discussion, the session gave us plenty to reflect on.

Here’s what we learned…

What Does It Really Mean to Stay Humble?

Deniz set the tone - Staying Humble is about how you engage with feedback. It’s not enough to just hear it, you have to truly consider it. "How I react to the first challenge sets the tone on whether someone might speak up again or not," she shared. Highlighting that humility isn’t just for you, it’s how you create a safe space for others to speak up, challenge ideas, and help the team grow.

She shared a story about moving from a central legal role to a regional one working with foodpanda, one of Delivery Hero’s subsidiaries based in Asia. At first, she thought she had all the answers. Within days, she realized she didn’t! She had to pause, listen, and reframe how she approached her work. It was humbling, and ultimately it made her better in her role.

Katharina echoed this, sharing that as she is a newcomer to the company, only joining 2 and a half months ago. She’s been embracing the power of asking questions and learning constantly. “You can’t Stay Humble if you’re not open to being a beginner,” she said.

Yashwant added that Staying Humble also means being open about your mistakes. By sharing when things don’t go as planned, he creates a safe space where his team feels comfortable learning and working together.

No Flex Required!

Yashwant reminded the audience of one of his favourite role models: Peter Parker (The fictional character, also known as Spider-Man!)  Staying Humble doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means you don’t need to flex all the time. Real strength is found in quiet confidence. It’s found in listening more than you speak.

What If We Don’t Stay Humble?

Deniz shared a story of nearly making a decision. One last minute conversation changed everything as one of the stakeholders had a better idea. Staying Humble kept the decision collaborative, and ultimately, better for the business.

Being humble isn’t about being uncertain or indecisive - it’s about being confident enough to listen, reconsider and still make the call. It’s critical to stay clear in the direction, while being flexible in how we get there. If we lose humility, we lose learning.

Katharina warned that we risk becoming stagnant. “If you’re not open, you don’t take risks, and you miss the chance to improve.” At its core, Staying Humble is a protective layer, it shields us from poor decisions and missed opportunities.

Navigating Big Egos

Sometimes we work with big personalities. The question is, how do you stay grounded when egos are flying?

Yashwant channeled Gandhi: “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”. When someone leads with ego, you don’t need to match that energy. He reminded us that wisdom doesn’t always trickle from the top. Sometimes the best insights come from the people executing on the ground.

Yashwant went on to explain how he gains major insights from discussing topics with local teams across Delivery Hero brands and hearing about the challenges firsthand. 

What You Can Do Starting Now

Still wondering how to embed this into your everyday routine? Here are some practical ways to embody this Leadership Principle:

• Ask more questions: Even if you think you know the answer, stay curious.
• Embrace feedback: Don’t just hear it, act on it.
• Check your ego: Focus on understanding, not just responding.
• Look beyond titles: Insights can come from anywhere, at any level.
• Admit mistakes: It builds trust, not weakness.