What are the best traits in an authentic leader?

1) Honesty: How can troops effectively follow you if they can't trust your word.
2) Composure: It never works when you can't keep a level head and remain calm under pressure of when upset.
3) Motivation: Keep a positive attitude and encourage your troops to work hard not due to order, but in order to improve the situation for everyone to include themselves.
4) Forsight: Plan ahead, look at the possible angles and avenues of approach to situations. Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.
5) Proactive: Keep yourself busy while on duty, even when it looks like you can take it easy and do nothing. There is always something to improve or correct.
6) Knowledge: If you don't know ask: You can't know everything and different people have different skill sets.
7) Ability to take criticism and suggestions: If you can't listen to what those with experience or a different point of view have to say, then you will never really improve yourself as a leader.
8) Respect: Its a two way street and if you want respect then you need to earn it.
9) Never let someone else screw with "your" troops. If they outrank you and you feel they are in the wrong, seek higher in your chain of command.
10) Punishments and correctional discipline should be designed to establish order and good operational habits as well as fix any issues, not for the leader to flex his position and make the troops feel like they have no place and are just being cast off as fodder.
11) If you're not willing to do it yourself, don't expect your troop to do it. Leaders need to get in on the work and get dirty as well. Don't think that your position makes certain tasks beneath you. If you need to chip in to get it done, do it. Lead by example. Sometimes you need to show them the ropes.

Remember, A good leader can get his troops to carry out the mission and orders not because they have to do it, but because they want to do it. A good leader will find the motivation they need without forcing it on them.

I have knows some really good leaders and some that I wouldn't give the time of day to. Example: Had a motorpool gunney on one PTA op who treated his drivers like second class citizens and his "correctional training" for them was for them to build 6' monuments of respect to him out of small rocks. Tried to make me load a pile of full garbage bags into the back of the Cooks Mess Humvee, we were using the Tray Ration Heater System. He didn't want to use the 5 Ton cause that was our supply storage that he also used as his mobile bedroom. Told him flat out no, E4 to E7. I was not one of his Marines, it was a violation of regulations (MARINE CORPS ORDER 10110.14M, DoDD 6400.04E and TB MED 530/NAVMED P-5010-1/AFMAN48-147_IP), and I had to sleep in the back of the vehical as well. Trash was not going back there. He took it to my E7 who took my side, stated all the regulations and made sure I was left to do the job that I had been trusted with. Added other stipulations to ensure compliance. Had mad respect for my Gunney who was later promoted to Master Gunnery.

1. Lead by example
2. Earn respect and allow those under you to do their best free from micro management
3. Humility
4. Confidence
5. Honesty

The traits would include being trustworthy, patient, accessible, focused, knowledgeable, respectful and a creative troubleshooter. These are the things I've noticed in myself as people gravitate towards me when they want someone to lead. I've been told many times I'm a natural leader, even though I've always been fine just watching from the sidelines, and it's only in recent years that I've actually understood why.

SPC Jerry Robertson V

Give you people inspiration to believe in themselves to be the best they can be. Empower your subordinates and trust them to make good decisions in situations at hand. Most importantly, believe in them.

The best traits of a leader

integrity: Do the right thing when no one is around to check you

Honest: Just simply tell the truth-the core of our society is based on honesty

Good Listener: Hear people out

Communicate: Get your message out. Talk to folks

Delegate: Don't have a big ego- allow others to help you

Decision maker: Make quick decisions. Don't have people standing around for no reason

Problem solver: When there is an issue, drama or a bad situation. Use the 5 step process

Favoritism: Don't have favorites-- BE FAIR

Understand cultural differences: BE CULTURALLY COMPETENT

Constructive criticism: Be prepared to accept flaws in your ability to lead. Accept it, adjust and move on- not personal grudges

Accept responsibility: When things don't go right. Take the blame, communicate the issues with your team, adjust and move on

Empathy: feel for everyone

Be honest, teach your subordinates, lead by example, listen, never talk down to a surbordinate , look out for their best interest, employ a team model, allow for mistakes but correct and teach where the mistake was made so that it won’t happen again. Teach them to take initiative whenever possible

A leader trains his subordinates to become future leaders. It's an investment in the future that traditions and one's service is not wasted.

Integrity - to oneself and one’s subordinates.
360 degrees of loyalty.
Moral and physical courage.

Empathy and compassion are the first two, but confidence. Both in having great confidence and the ability to instill confidence in one's subordinates. Of a leader show little confidence then they aren't leaders.

There are soo many traits we can go days upon days answering this but from what I have gathered over the years is to do your best to relate. Be Honest. Admit when you're wrong. Get in the trenches with your people. Sweat it and work with them. Show compassion always help when you can. Reward your people. Either in big ways or cups of coffee and donuts. Show them that you care and never lie.