Why Being a Reliable Leader is Important to Your Team

When it comes to teamwork, reliability is, without a doubt, one of THE MOST important traits of a leader. 

Your team needs to know they can rely on you, their leader. This is critical for establishing and maintaining trust among your team members. The progress of a team’s effort can easily get derailed when a leader doesn’t do their part.

 

Reliability fosters trust.

Being a reliable leader is more than just being trustworthy.

It’s performing consistently, day in and day out at a high level. 

Each day that you are able to perform at a high level and produce the same or better-than-expected results, you are building up trust and setting expectations.

Expectations of what others can rely on from you, and also what you expect from others. 

There are four qualities a reliable leader must possess in order to effectively lead their team to greatness.

1. Integrity

Reliable leaders follow through on their commitments. 

In other words, a reliable leader does what they say they will do.

Integrity is built on consistent actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations and outcomes. 

Becoming a reliable leader means learning to follow through on what you say you are going to do.

2. Authenticity

Reliable leaders are who they say they are.

They present themselves as the same person whether they are dealing with vendors, team members, even their friends and neighbors.

Leaders also set the tone for desirable and acceptable workplace behaviors.

Your team will follow your behaviors because like children learning manners, they will see your actions more than they will hear your words.

Show your team that you are who you say you are, and they will become more loyal to not just the company, but to you as well.

3. Dependability

Research has shown that being dependable is a key factor not only in leadership, but in overall team performance.

A dependable leader is more inclined to be in the middle of their team’s activity.

Not to monitor the team’s performance, but rather as a part of the overall team, throwing their hat in the ring and working beside them.

When your team sees that you are willing to jump in and truly help, they will not only recognize you as a teammate but as a dependable part of the overall team. 

4. Trustworthy

At the heart of a trusted leader is a core of service and support. 

Leaders need to be unfailingly supportive and willing to go the extra mile to help their team grow and improve. 

It’s also crucial that they listen with an open heart and mind.

When you invest in your relationships with your team members, you will find that you cultivate a more loyal and supportive team. 

 

Your team needs to know what to expect from their leader. 

When you learn to be who you say you are, do what you say you will do, show your team that you are a dependable and trustworthy member of the team, your team will thrive and grow! If you can exude these 4 qualities, your team will know they can rely on you. 

 

Communicating with your team can make a huge difference in building trust and helping you become a more reliable leader. Grab our free “10 Levels of Communication” ebook and learn how to get more traction with your communication skills.

 

When you’re ready to show your team how reliable of a leader you truly are, grab a complementary strategy session with me and I’ll help you develop these traits!