????這個(gè)爭(zhēng)論早已司空見慣：最杰出的領(lǐng)袖到底是散發(fā)著謙遜的光輝，并以此引領(lǐng)眾人，還是自命不凡到對(duì)他人和外界都不屑一顧的地步？

????在對(duì)全球創(chuàng)業(yè)者進(jìn)行調(diào)查的過程中，我和我的合作作者發(fā)現(xiàn)，真正杰出的領(lǐng)袖往往能在舍我其誰的自信中搭配恰如其分的謙遜。

????走這樣的鋼絲需要很好的平衡技巧，而最終能否實(shí)現(xiàn)平衡就來自于對(duì)以下三個(gè)問題的回答，每個(gè)創(chuàng)業(yè)者都需要問自己一遍：道路是否正確？所說所想是否忠于自我？公司處在哪個(gè)演化階段？

????創(chuàng)業(yè)道路是否正確？事業(yè)開創(chuàng)者必須有引領(lǐng)眾人的自信，如果他們?cè)噲D顛覆現(xiàn)有格局，那就更是如此。就像宜家（Ikea）把精心設(shè)計(jì)的家具帶給普羅大眾，優(yōu)衣庫（Uniqlo）在服裝行業(yè)進(jìn)行同樣的革命，F(xiàn)acebook則從大學(xué)的聚會(huì)項(xiàng)目發(fā)展成全球性的社交網(wǎng)絡(luò)，當(dāng)公司真正地突破傳統(tǒng)界限時(shí)，他們需要一個(gè)信念堅(jiān)定（對(duì)，有時(shí)甚至是自負(fù)和自大）的掌舵人，相信自己是走在正確的道路上。但真正的問題是：他們是否確實(shí)選擇了正確的道路？

????如果大功告成，人們自會(huì)見風(fēng)使舵，奉承領(lǐng)袖當(dāng)年的堅(jiān)定不移現(xiàn)在回想起來是多么的“目光遠(yuǎn)大”，但卻絕口不提具體策略和他的缺點(diǎn)。而一旦公司的表現(xiàn)差強(qiáng)人意，人們就會(huì)冷嘲熱諷，說什么：“做事不錯(cuò)做人太差”。話雖如此，真正杰出的領(lǐng)袖恃才傲物的同時(shí)依舊能夠保持一份謙遜，也能不忘在艱難時(shí)日里仔細(xì)應(yīng)對(duì)?，F(xiàn)在誰還記得播客網(wǎng)站Odeo是Twitter的前身呢？

????所說所想是否忠于自我？高效的領(lǐng)袖經(jīng)常自我拷問，也會(huì)被自我懷疑所困擾。但最頂尖的人物能迅速堅(jiān)定信念，停止無謂的自我懷疑。他們相信自己的事業(yè)值得關(guān)注、值得嘗試，其重要性甚至可以達(dá)到改變?nèi)藗冃袆?dòng)和思考方式的地步。不出所料，我們的研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，最杰出的創(chuàng)業(yè)者都不懼怕表達(dá)自己內(nèi)心的想法。他們并不完美，但他們總能讓別人了解自己的立場(chǎng)，展現(xiàn)真正的自我。他們會(huì)用極富感染力的故事，而不是幻燈片和復(fù)雜的計(jì)劃來打動(dòng)人。他們充沛的自信會(huì)讓人心馳神往，甚至不知所措，但你也許會(huì)發(fā)覺自己也已經(jīng)被他們的想法深深打動(dòng)。

????公司處在哪個(gè)階段？信念和謙遜的平衡在整個(gè)創(chuàng)業(yè)歷程中都是不可或缺的，但在兩個(gè)關(guān)鍵節(jié)點(diǎn)至為重要。第一點(diǎn)是在公司從創(chuàng)始演變到成長(zhǎng)階段，第二點(diǎn)是從規(guī)模擴(kuò)張階段轉(zhuǎn)變到業(yè)務(wù)擴(kuò)張階段，此時(shí)公司必須重塑自我，或者拓寬其核心產(chǎn)品或服務(wù)范圍，以求得新的增長(zhǎng)。比如，谷歌(Google) 就從搜索引擎演變成包羅萬象的平臺(tái)公司，而蔻馳公司（Coach）則從單一的手袋生產(chǎn)發(fā)展到提供全方位的生活時(shí)尚解決方案。所有公司都經(jīng)歷過相同的成長(zhǎng)階段或者成長(zhǎng)周期，開始是概念的驗(yàn)證，如果成功的話，就會(huì)實(shí)現(xiàn)首次快速增長(zhǎng)。但如果創(chuàng)業(yè)者試圖延續(xù)公司的成長(zhǎng)，但卻不想在文化和愿景方面做些調(diào)整，大多數(shù)時(shí)候他們會(huì)一頭碰壁，或者至少遭遇挫折。

????在這一階段，公司通常需要不同的技能和流程，領(lǐng)袖則要放下身段，面對(duì)現(xiàn)實(shí)，承認(rèn)改變的必要性。他們必須問自己：“哪些東西對(duì)公司來說是核心的，不容更改，哪些又是不觸及根本、而又亟待改變的？”更難的問題可能是：“我是否具備所需的技能，還是應(yīng)該引進(jìn)新人？”

????事實(shí)上，很少有人像邁克爾?戴爾和維珍集團(tuán)創(chuàng)始人理查德?布蘭森那樣全能，很多時(shí)候，領(lǐng)袖都需要依靠其它高管來查漏補(bǔ)缺，他們自己則專注于展望未來，開拓愿景。

????It's a common debate: Do the very best leaders exude -- and lead with -- humility, or are they self-absorbed to the exclusion of everything and everyone else?

????In the course of conducting research of entrepreneurs across the globe, my co-authors and I found that most exceptional leaders tend to balance their convictions with a healthy dose of humility.

????Walking this tightrope calls for careful balance, and much of that equilibrium comes down to three questions all entrepreneurs must ask themselves: Are they right? Are they true to what they say and feel? What stage or evolution is their company at?

????Are they right?

????Business-builders need to lead with conviction, especially if they are trying to be disruptive. When companies are really pushing boundaries -- think Ikea democratizing well-designed furniture, or Uniqlo doing a parallel effort in clothing, or Facebook (FB) morphing from college meet-up project to global social network -- they need a leader at the helm who has the conviction (and yes, sometimes the ego and arrogance), to know he or she is right about something. The big question is: Are they actually right?

????If the business succeeds, people are quick to be revisionist and recall a leader's conviction as "visionary" and may be more forgiving of his or her strategies and flaws. If the company doesn't live up to expectations, people tend to recollect a leader's certainty in less kind terms, or to say something along the lines of "Great-leader-Lousy-Human-Being." With that said, the very best leaders can celebrate their progress while retaining the humility and good sense to shift gears when things aren't going well. After all, how many of us still remember Odeo as the precursor to Twitter?

????Are they true to what they say and feel?

????The most effective leaders constantly question themselves while wrestling with self-doubt. But the best of the best swiftly resolve to suspend their own disbelief. They believe what they are doing is worth caring for, worth attempting, and is important enough that it might actually change the way people act and think.

????Our research found, not surprisingly, that the best business builders were comfortable with genuinely expressing themselves. They weren't perfect, but you always knew where they stood and who they were. They weren't pitching you with slides and complex plans, but rather with an infectious story. You may have felt a little put off or even overwhelmed by the degree of self-confidence in the room, but you might also have found yourself falling in love with the ideas, too.

????What stage is the company at?

????Balancing conviction with humility is essential throughout the business-building journey, but it matters most at two key points. The first is when a company evolves from the founding to the growth stage, and the second is when it moves from the scaling stage to an extending stage -- that point where the business needs to either reinvent itself or broaden its core offerings for the sake of new growth. For example, Google (GOOG) evolved from a search company to an all-encompassing platform company, and Coach (COH) went from making handbags to offering consumers a complete lifestyle solution.

????All companies pass through common growth phases or cycles that begin with getting a proof-of-concept followed by -- in a successful scenario -- a first period of rapid growth. Most founders hit a wall or at least speed bump when they are looking to grow their company without making some tradeoffs in culture or vision.

????At this stage, a company often requires different skills and processes -- and leaders need to exercise the humility and pragmatism to acknowledge this. They must ask themselves, "What are the things about this company that are core and incorruptible, and which elements are less sacred and need to change?" Another key question to ask: "Do I have the skills to do it myself, or should I bring in a different person?"

????Truth is, there are very few Michael Dells and Richard Bransons out there, and in many cases, these leaders relied on other executives to fill gaps while they carried the broader vision forward.