Rob Horton is the Executive Director of Strategy and Business Development at ThreeWill. His experience includes over 25 years of leading software architecture, design, and development focusing on support tools, automation, and e-commerce for large corporations and his own small businesses.
The heart of ThreeWill’s culture is based on our four core values. We use these core values to guide all aspects of our business, including whom we hire, how we reward and recognize our employees, whom we choose to partner with, and whom we serve as clients. We know complimentary values build strong and rewarding relationships.
ThreeWill’s core values include:
- Better Together
- Extreme Ownership
- Choose Growth
- Humble Confidence
“Humble Confidence” is a core value that combines humility and self-assurance. An individual outside of the company who exemplifies this value is Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.
Malala’s story showcases her humble confidence. Despite facing grave danger and adversity, she stood up for girls’ right to education in the face of the Taliban’s opposition. Malala’s humility is evident in her deep appreciation for education and her acknowledgment of the support she received from her family and community. At the same time, she demonstrated unwavering confidence by fearlessly advocating for what she believed in, addressing world leaders, and continuing her activism despite the risks.
“Humble Confidence” is an essential core value to ThreeWill’s identity. Many associates demonstrate this core value when they accept what they don’t know, work hard to fill their knowledge gaps, listen with curiosity, and reframe their view from “me” to “we.” ThreeWill associates often celebrate together and are uncomfortable when singled out.
“Humble Confidence” is crucial because it allows individuals to strike a balance between recognizing their strengths and accomplishments while staying open to learning and growth. ThreeWill associates’ “Humble Confidence” empowers everyone they work with, creating a sense of psychological safety where everyone feels valued and encouraged to contribute their best ideas. This ultimately leads to increased innovation, better decision-making, and a more vital team dynamic.
The contrast to “Humble Confidence” would be arrogance or excessive humility. Arrogance disregards the input and perspectives of others, hindering collaboration and stifling creativity. Excessive humility, conversely, can lead to self-doubt and an unwillingness to assert oneself, impeding progress and personal development.
To provide an analogy for “Humble Confidence,” let’s consider a river. A river flows steadily, carrying water and nurturing the surrounding environment. The river is confident in its purpose and destination, yet it remains humble as it adapts to the changing landscapes and interacts with the ecosystem it passes through. It does not boast about its power or insist on being the center of attention. Similarly, individuals who embody “Humble Confidence” have a strong sense of purpose and direction but remain humble in their interactions, understanding the importance of cooperation and adaptation.
“Humble Confidence” involves actively listening to others’ perspectives, valuing diverse viewpoints, and being open to feedback and new ideas. It also means acknowledging and taking ownership of one’s strengths and accomplishments, while recognizing the contributions of others. “Humble confidence” encourages collaboration, fosters a positive work culture, and enables individuals to lead effectively, inspiring and empowering those around them.