I started studying leaders who actually got shit done not the ones with fancy titles, but the ones people genuinely followed.

Here's the weird stuff they do that nobody talks about:

1. They ask stupid questions ."Can someone explain this like I'm five?" Leaders aren't afraid to look dumb. They care more about understanding than appearing smart. This makes everyone else feel safe to ask questions too.

2. They admit their mistakes immediately. "I screwed this up" without excuses or deflection. Most people spend energy covering up mistakes. Leaders spend that energy fixing them. People respect honesty over perfection.

3. They repeat back what they heard. "So you're saying..." before responding. This isn't just active listening it shows you actually care about getting it right. Most people are just waiting for their turn to talk. Making people heard is good for leadership.

4. They say "I don't know" more than anyone else. Then they follow up with "but I'll find out" or "who here might know?" Leaders aren't human Wikipedia entries. They're human too and the difference is they put effort into finding answers.

5. They speak slower when things get heated .Everyone else speeds up during conflict. Leaders deliberately slow down. It forces the room to match their energy instead of escalating. An underrated leadership trait is being able to de-escalate situations.

6. They give credit aggressively. "That was Sarah's idea" even when they built on it. They're not trying to look good but trying to make their team look good. Because they understand teamwork matters more than soothing the ego.

7. They ask "What am I missing?" instead of giving answers. This one's counterintuitive. Instead of solving problems, they help people solve problems themselves. Makes everyone feel smarter and more invested. Bad leaders criticize but good leaders help.

8. They end conversations with next steps ."So we're doing X by Friday, and Y by next Tuesday?" Most meetings end with confusion. So it's a no brainer. Ending conversations with clarity works better

The most respected leaders I know are the ones who made me feel like I was capable of more than I thought possible.

I always use no.2 and it always works.

Let me know what tactics you've noticed good leaders do.