There are essential leadership qualities that stand out as being extremely important to a person’s greatness. The good news is that all of these leadership qualities, traits, and skills can be acquired through repetition and application. Great, successful leaders learn the balance between tactical foresight, personality, and organization.

All great leaders understand and appreciate the need for organization. Their success begins with an effective planning process. Planning must start well before any action is taken. The first step in any great leader’s strategic planning is to determine and articulate a clear plan.

All good leaders need good communication skills. It may seem relatively simple, but they must be good at talking, both in personal and group settings. Good leaders inspire confidence, thus creating an atmosphere where people come forward and share information and thoughts. In turn, these positive interactions lead to even greater success.

All leadership qualities emphasize self-awareness. A clear vision is essential for building a successful team or organizing an effective enterprise. Self-awareness allows leaders to see where they are concerning the company’s vision and control the course of action that would lead to achieving it. This also enables leaders to assess the company’s efforts to communicate with key stakeholders and identify growth opportunities.

All great leaders are resilient. They understand that the world can throw many challenges at them and that their effectiveness is often contingent upon how they react to the challenges that come their way. Resilience requires being alert to the possibilities and the reality that every challenge brings with it. Great leaders not only look for opportunities, but they also exploit them. In order to build a sustainable organization or develop meaningful strategic initiatives, good leaders have to be resilient. They are good at managing stress, developing positive conflict resolution strategies, improving employee relations, implementing quality control, and maintaining a strong work environment.

All good leaders have empathy. Leaders who excel at empathy understand the human condition and the unique qualities that people bring to the table. They understand how others feel, what they want when they need it, how to negotiate difficult situations, and how to reach an agreement. Empathy gives them the ability to relate to individuals and solve problems that involve emotions other than logic. Great leaders instinctively understand the concepts of compromise, negotiation, and collaboration and are skilled at using these tools to address problems. Those who exhibit good leadership qualities are adept at building coalitions, developing relationships, and fostering morale within the organization.