George S. Barrett, CEO of Cardinal Health, in an online New York Times interview, talked about the importance of people believing in their leader, and trusting the competence and judgment of the person at the helm. He articulated leadership presence as a combination of doing the right things and forging a connection at a human, fundamental level.

What qualities make you a leader with presence, one with an aura of command?

Confidence. Leaders with presence use language that is strong, positive and based on facts.  They are calibrated about what they know and don’t know.  Because of that calibration, they don’t oversell themselves or their ideas, and are not falsely humble. They are a visible, passionate force within the organization.

Vision. Leaders with presence have a strong clarity of purpose, a compass that guides not only what the organization does, but why. They share this vision widely and engage others within the organization in shaping how the vision will be realized.

Strength under fire.  Even in the most arduous circumstances, leadership presence requires self-control and poise. Leaders with presence are grounded in the facts, and do not allow emotions to skew their perspective about what is important. They remain focused and responsive to changes around them and are not afraid to make the tough calls when necessary.

Judgment. Leaders with presence use judgment to achieve excellence. They establish mechanisms for accessing the critical information needed to understand the current reality and predict the future. Like good chess players, leaders with presence think 1, 2 or 3 moves ahead in terms of strategy. They focus only on what’s most important and are prepared with contingency plans for both the foreseeable, as well as the unpredictable, future scenarios.

Learning. Leaders with presence are continual learners. They gain insight first and foremost by listening and asking the right questions. They are disciplined in their efforts to better understand themselves, their people and the world around them.

Humility. Leaders with presence recognize that they don’t know everything and actively ask for help when needed. They admit mistakes and take action to ensure that they are not repeated.

Engagement. Leaders with presence create space for people to own their work and express their passion, thinking and creativity. At the same time, they ensure that people know what results are needed and why and provide the necessary support and accountability.

Image. Leaders with presence project a professional image through appropriate dress, grooming, behavior and language. They freely express their own unique personality within these boundaries, and are comfortable in their own skin.

Leadership presence is an intangible that can be readily observed, and difficult to achieve. The payoff is that leaders with this aura of command can more easily create a work environment where people relax, engage and confidently take action themselves. Without this intangible, others in the organization may feel anxious and uncertain because of the leadership vacuum. Assess yourself today and begin addressing the gaps in leadership presence, so that you can earn the respect and trust of your people.

We want to believe that our direct reports (DRs) are trustworthy. Essential characteristics for trust are integrity, competence, transparency, reliability and commitment. When we see or even sense a waffling in any of these qualities on the part of a DR, trust is damaged.

Even when trust is high, you can’t delegate and walk away. You should verify progress:

At the point of delegation. Don’t assume anything, even if the person you’re delegating to has a proven track record of success. Make sure you align on impact, results, boundaries and mutual responsibilities. Include how and when updates on progress will be given.

At agreed-upon milestones. No news isn’t good news when it comes to a key assignment. If your DR doesn’t come to you, seek her out, reminding her of your delegation agreement.

If the DR requests time. There may be a hiccup you’re not aware of; be available for consultation and don’t shoot the messenger if the news is bad.

When changes will impact success. Get involved when plans need to be altered due to unexpected circumstances.

If you sense something is wrong. Your “spidey senses” are tingling. Maybe the DR’s demeanor has shifted or you have heard rumors that there’s a glitch. If you have a gut feeling that something’s amiss, follow up on it.

As soon as you realize that your delegation process was incomplete. Re-align with the DR when you realize you left out vital information the first time around.

If you find yourself verifying frequently, you’ll give the impression that you don’t trust the DR’s ability. Figure out why you can’t chill out and let the DR do his job. Are you a control freak? Is the project more fun than your own job? Do you really NOT trust this person, but don’t have the courage to say so? Face up to the real reason you keep checking in, and take steps to reclaim the “sweet spot” of trust and verify. Your direct report will grow more capable, and you can get back to the strategic responsibilities that need your attention.

The quantity and quality of your relationships matter. You need to have a sufficiently large web of connections to get the job done. And the relationships with those people need to be rock solid. How do you make sure that you have positive bonds with the people you need to connect with? Start with the three laws of influence.

The Law of Big Things: Take on what you can handle and deliver 100% of the time. Failure is not an option, or at least it should be a rarity. Otherwise, you impact your integrity and the degree of trust people can have in you to follow through. The Law of Big Things requires an honest assessment of your capabilities, the time required and your competing priorities.

The Law of Little Things: Fulfill the social contract. “Little things” include everyday courtesies, manners, helpfulness, hospitality and a friendly demeanor. Don’t take for granted that you already abide by The Law of Little Things. It’s all too easy to get caught up in your “busy-ness” and lose sight of common civilities.

The Law of Reciprocity: Seek first to be influenced, listen, trust and value others. You build your ability to influence by practicing The Law of Reciprocity, which is much like the good old Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If you want to influence, allow yourself to be influenced. If you want others to listen, do so yourself. You really do reap what you sow.

Influence depends upon the quality of the relationships you build over time and the degree of trust you inspire. Influence depends less upon what you say and more upon what you do.  As Zig Zigler noted, “The most important persuasion tool in your entire arsenal is integrity.”

Nope. But too many leaders focus on loyalty at the expense of true leadership.

Perhaps the definition of loyalty is the problem. I had a boss once who demanded loyalty. Unfortunately what passed for loyalty was not asking unwanted questions, telling her what she wanted to hear, and towing the line.

We want employees to be loyal. But to what? Ultimately, we want our people to be steadfast in their commitment to the organization and its mission. How do we get that? Through great leadership.

Great leaders inspire loyalty, often without trying for that outcome. They build emotional commitments based on trust and credibility. Most importantly,  they’re able to nurture dedicated employees who are loyal to the organization, not just the leader.

It is said that no (wo)man can serve two masters. Are your people serving you as the leader, or is their first loyalty to the organization?