Building on relentless personal leadership development, Part 2 covers the four remaining traits for high-impact leaders in tough, low-authority kaizen events with skeptical teams.

Trait #2: Connect rapidly through genuine respect—valuing identities, doubts, histories, and resistance—putting others first to build key relationships.

Trait #3: Declare intent early (e.g., memorizing names, meaningful intros, showing care) to establish trust and reveal authentic motives.

Trait #4: Build trust with consistent character (integrity, humility, courage) and competency—modeling teachings, keeping commitments, proving care precedes knowledge.

Trait #5: Teach leadership principles upfront (~20% time) to answer “Do you care? Can I trust you? Can you help me?”—boosting productivity up to 40% via eager followership and shared leadership

In Part 1 of this 2 part series, Mack Story begins to explore the 5 Traits of High Impact Team Leaders, starting with the foundational trait of relentless personal leadership development—continuously investing in character over mere competency (as influence stems 87% from who you are, per key studies)—to inspire voluntary followership, boost productivity by up to 40%, and unleash team potential in high-pressure, low-authority environments where change is resisted but results are demande

Crews can handle tough jobs, bad weather, tight deadlines, but they won’t tolerate a boss who acts like he’s above the rules he pushes on everyone else.

Good leaders keep it real: they own their mistakes, put the team first, and stay consistent no matter who’s watching.

Do that, and people will run through walls for you.

Blow it with hypocrisy, blame-shifting, or manipulation, and you’ll watch your best guys walk out the door—or worse, stay and just punch the clock until something better comes along.