The manager I used to work with within my previous job was definitely the best colleague I had. He was professional and maintained just the right distance so that everybody felt his support while not feeling like their personal space was invaded. He was a real servant leader and always supported the team instead of ordering people around. That allowed everybody to work to the best of their ability.
We were not afraid to come up with new ideas and discuss them with the manager. At the same time, he managed to keep himself goal-oriented and lead the team towards achieving the set aims. He achieved that by explaining to the team members very clearly what exactly is needed from each of them and explaining his reasoning for that distribution of responsibilities. His style of leadership made me understand that leading the team is about maintaining a careful balance between professional interpersonal relationships and the hard work to keep everybody working towards a common goal. This approach can help the colleagues avoid groupthink, make reasonable decisions, and utilize the skills of each of the team members.