Who is the best leader you ever encountered?

What made that person the best?

The top leaders are able to connect.  The connection comes through personal interest.  The leader is interested in you.  The leader wants to help you improve.  The connection is made through you understanding that this person will help you get to a better place.

The top leaders back up connection with competence.  The knowledge and insights they are able to share helps you to gain the development the connection envisions.  They are good teachers.  They don’t miss the teaching opportunities.

When you combine connection with competence, trust develops.  When you have confidence that the leader is for you and will help you get better, you trust enough to lean in to the relationship and the team.  Your experience bears out the trust.  You can move faster and higher as a result.