Great leadership doesn’t just inspire; it transforms teams and organizations. Executives have an unmatched influence on their teams, molding cultures, driving performance, and determining organizational success. But in today’s fast-paced business environment, where employee turnover is high and agility is non-negotiable, one question emerges:
What marks a truly remarkable leader?
Leadership is about a set of behaviors. A recent Deloitte survey found that 94% of executives and 88% of employees agree that a strong corporate culture is critical to success. Yet, culture doesn’t build itself. It starts with the daily, weekly, and monthly behaviors of the leaders.
After leading global teams and volunteer organizations, coaching countless teams, and consulting hundreds of organizations, we've identified 7 key behaviors that define remarkable leaders. They are remarkable not because they’re extraordinary actions but because they consistently inspire safety, foster growth, and elevate teams.
Here's what they do differently:
1. Act Humanly
Leadership isn’t about perfection, it’s about connection and execution. Remarkable leaders show up authentically. They admit mistakes, correct them quickly, and celebrate their team’s uniqueness. By being human, they create an atmosphere where employees feel confident bringing their whole selves to work. This doesn’t mean lowering the bar. Hold your team to the highest standards, but balance accountability with empathy, grace, and encouragement.
Teams thrive when their leaders are both approachable and aspirational.
Think about this: How human are you in your day-to-day leadership? What’s one way you can build more authentic connections this week?
2. Remarkable Leaders are Predictably Consistent
Consistency builds trust. Your team should know what to expect from you—how you’ll respond to challenges, lead through uncertainty, and engage in their growth.
Unpredictable leadership will always destabilize teams, creating anxiety rather than alignment.
Be unwavering in your ethics, transparent in your communication, and dependable in your decisions. Consistency is a foundation of psychological safety—the hallmark of thriving teams.
Pro tip: Start by standardizing how you walk in the room and leave the room or how you deliver feedback—balanced, specific, and timely—and watch trust deepen.
3. Practice Growth
Here’s a reality check, your organization will never outgrow you. Your growth sets the ceiling for your company’s potential. Remarkable leaders commit to personal and professional development, acting as beacons for their teams. Lead by example. Set the standard.
Consider this insight from recent case studies we conducted with ten different teams. 70% of those teams lost high performers due to their leadership. Why? A lack of emotional and practical support to grow. Employees crave environments that challenge and develop them—and they look to their leaders as champions of that growth.
Action step: Carve out 10 min this week to listen to an audiobook, read an industry report, or learn from a peer- then share what you learned with your team.
4. Step Into Every Moment
Big wins are hard to miss, but remarkable leaders don’t stop there. They also celebrate the small victories along the way—those moments of individual effort, creativity, or teamwork that align with values and goals. At the same time, they address misalignment with immediacy and clarity. Missteps happen. The difference lies in addressing them constructively, privately, and with care. Every moment, big or small, matters. Small moments are like the bumpers of a bowling lane. If you use them correctly, they can direct energy to hit the right target.
If you fail to show up in small moments, you'll role the dice in the large moments.
Ask yourself: When was the last time you celebrated a small but meaningful team win?
5. Build People -> They'll Bring the Results
Great leaders build great teams—and great teams build great organizations. Remarkable leaders don't just focus on their direct reports. They look two, even three levels deep, cheering for success and actively developing capacity at every level.
Think about the ripple effect this creates. When leaders take the time to mentor, coach, and invest in employees broadly, the entire organization rises. This is particularly crucial in today’s climate, where top talent is looking for opportunities to grow—or they’ll go.
A simple model to use:
Coach those you manage.
Mentor high-performers who are two layers down.
Cheer on front-line team members with specificity and by name.
I've never witnessed a leader embody this principle better than Frank Harrison, CEO and Chairman of Coca-Cola Consolidated. Whether walking through office hallways, the mailroom, hangars, or meeting team members in the parking lot, Frank consistently addressed people by name. He remembered their recent struggles or successes, offered thoughtful advice, and—without fail—paused to pray with them. From hourly employees to his C-suite executives, every interaction felt intentional and deeply personal.
It wasn't just about leading a purposeful company; it was about building purposeful people.
This kind of leadership isn't about titles or power—it's about presence, empathy, and care. Frank’s example challenges me daily to be a leader who sees and values the whole person, not just their role.
Food for thought: Who is one person two levels below you that you can grab coffee or a call with this week?
6. Plan and Prepare
Remarkable leaders always anticipate what’s next. That doesn’t mean having a crystal ball—it means being agile and proactive. Regularly review your strategies, adapt to real-time feedback, and prepare for future challenges with intention. Most leaders we work with are really good at one or the other, but remarkable leaders find ways to measure what matters and prepare for what is next. Whether it’s mapping out market shifts or strategizing team restructuring, planning is an active behavior, not a passive process.
How to Get Started: Dedicate time each week to evaluating current results and brainstorming ways to advance your goals.
7. Be Humble, Stay Agile
While consistency is crucial, rigidity isn’t. Leaders who cling to their personal ambitions at the expense of their team’s shared values and vision risk alienating their people. Instead, remarkable leaders adjust course as necessary—always keeping core values and long-term goals in focus. Agility doesn’t suggest a lack of direction; rather, it means prioritizing results and the bigger picture over ego or personal gain.
The ego of the leadership team continues to be the greatest threat to the organization's future.
Ego blinds leaders to the engagement of their team and the dangers that lie ahead.
Ask yourself: How easily do you adapt when your strategy isn’t delivering as expected?
A Final Thought on Leadership Behavior
At the end of the day, remarkable leadership is about more than driving profits—it’s about creating an environment where people feel safe, empowered, and inspired. Leaders set the cultural tone, and through their behaviors, they can either build trust or erode it.
If you’re wondering why great employees leave, consider this stat from our recent coaching sessions with ten teams facing high turnover—7 out of 10 top performers left not for greener pastures but because leadership failed to engage, challenge, or support them.
Leadership behaviors aren’t one-time efforts—they’re ongoing commitments that evolve alongside your team, your business, and even yourself.
What’s Next?
Which of these behaviors resonates most with you? Are there areas where you excel or ones that need more time and attention?
We’d love to hear your thoughts. Share your perspective in the comments below, or contact us directly to explore how we can help you develop transformational leadership techniques within your organization. Together, we can build leaders—and teams—that thrive.