If a leader describes one of your top qualities as "reliable", it may or may not be a huge compliment.  Most leaders would rather be labeled as visionaries or disruptors or innovators, all good qualities. 

But I put reliability in my top 3 most desirable traits of a leader.  Together, we can BUILD higher results on top of reliability.  We can make future decisions on top of a track record of reliability.  TRUST and CONFIDENCE are born out of reliability.  

Over time, a leader that is deadly reliable is easy to take for granted.  Being on time, delivering the results you said you would, getting upstream of problems so that they never develop into problems...

But without reliability, customers can't count on us to get their orders right.  Other leaders can't have confidence that our projects will be completed on time and our brand with customers becomes one where others must SLOW DOWN and put contingencies in place in case we don't deliver (again).  All of these are death sentences to a business.

It is true that we must keep an eye on enemies like complacency, sand bagging goals and falling behind all in the name of being reliable.  But in healthy environment, reliability is one of the building blocks that we use to go from good to great over time. 

Be a leader that others come to rely on because you have a track record of delivering results on schedule.  Have a plan to deliver.  Be willing to go above and beyond to hit a goal once you sign your name to it.  Be RELIABLE.