A few weeks ago, a friend sent me a link to this article, exclaiming, “Can you believe how much these employees LOVE their CEO?!” Just in case you don’t have 6 ½ minutes to spare watching the video that accompanies this article (though you really should watch, because it’s quite a spectacle!), allow me to summarize: The CEO of online luxury retailer Net-a-Porter, Mark Sebba, was retiring after 11 years at the helm of the company, which has grown from a tiny online retailer to one of the most popular fashion websites with 2,600 employees worldwide. Employees decided they wanted to give their leader an epic sendoff, and when he arrived to work on his last day, he was greeted with a massive surprise celebration, complete with acrobats, a mariachi band and a gospel choir singing his praises. While most of the action happened at the company’s London headquarters, employees from around the world in Shanghai, Hong Kong, New York and New Jersey sent their well-wishes via video.

It’s not very often that an internal event celebrating a beloved CEO goes viral the way this video has, and it’s also quite rare that employees would feel motivated enough to send their CEO into retirement with such an epic celebration. So just what is it about Mark Sebba that would inspire his employees to proclaim, “You’re the man!” Are there qualities that other CEOs and business leaders can adopt?

Communicate openly and often

According to Glassdoor’s 2014 Highest-Rated CEOs report, which was based exclusively on input from employees who participated anonymously, the most common trait among top rated CEOs was their ability to communicate clearly on where the company is headed, how it’s going to get there, and how each employee plays a role. Being accessible, personable and transparent were also success factors. What’s more, Brilliant Ink’s own Employee Experience research found believable, relevant and direct communications from senior leadership correlate directly to higher levels of employee engagement. The lesson? Senior leaders need to communicate with their people in an authentic way, sharing clear feedback on where the business is heading, and do it often.

Empower your people

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, is commonly recognized as one of the most effective CEOs, responsible for creating one of the most well-respected and sought-after corporate cultures in the world. But how much credit can Hsieh really take? He’s famously said that he’s more like an architect for his company – setting the big vision and then getting out of the way so people can make it happen. Any truly effective leader will surround him or herself with other trusted leaders and then empower them to succeed. The ability to meaningfully support the company’s vision can inspire performance and engagement at all levels of the company.

Wear your passion on your sleeve

It’s basic human psychology that we follow leaders we believe in. And there’s no better way to truly inspire employees than for leaders to demonstrate their passion openly and honestly. Arianna Huffington is one of the world’s most beloved leaders – after building her Huffington Post into one of the world’s most read websites, her latest effort is to inspire people to redefine success, looking to improve physical and mental well-being to achieve true fulfillment. But she’s not just touting this belief in a best-selling book and through a series of live events – she’s also incorporated that belief into the way she runs her company. There are two nap rooms at the Huffington Post, and they are always full, because Huffington openly and vocally encourages napping to improve focus and productivity. What’s more, she’s made it clear she never expects people to answer emails in the evening or on weekends, paving the way for people at all levels to achieve more balance in their lives. Now that’s a passion I can get behind!