Some say that the best leaders are born, not taught. That is not necessarily the case. While some leaders have a winning personality and an innate talent for building rapport with others, anyone can cultivate the traits required to be an effective and successful leader.

There are several characteristics that you can develop to improve your leadership skills.

Move Forward

The most successful people in any field do not become complacent; they continue moving forward and strive to make new accomplishments. When phenomenal people want to succeed in what they do, they have a strong drive to conquer their goals gracefully.

This requires you to be determined to work harder than most to make sure you follow through on your promises. You can take pride in yourself that you see your things getting done. You are willing to step in when necessary to get things done. You drive yourself purposefully and seek to achieve excellence.

Many professionals are accustomed to being brushed off, rejected, and hearing the word “no.” Ideas are rejected because some higher up do not have the time to listen. And yet, they do not let this slow them down. Instead, they continue striving for excellence and giving their all every day, even when it is difficult. What sets an exceptional leader apart from the rest is how fast they get back up and what they do with the situation once they are back on their feet. If you want to excel, accept that you will experience challenges and setbacks, but train yourself to keep going anyway.

The Drive

This is the drive, and all successful leaders have it. It is essential to recognize that goal setting is one thing. Successful leaders have a strong drive to meet their goals. They are motivated, with a strict focus on what they are striving for. They work tirelessly because they trust in their abilities and their team. They genuinely want to achieve their goals. You see things through without procrastination.

It is essential to recognize successful leaders have explicit goals. The goals are clear and specific. They use SMART goals, which creates a specificity beyond something like “become rich” but “expand to five locations in the next three years.” This clarity makes achieving the goals much more possible. Additionally, these goals create a roadmap for their career. This is because they have defined what success looks like. And they can move forward incrementally. These goals are prioritized to complete the most important tasks (and sometimes the most difficult) are accomplished first.

Being Optimistic

A helpful note on achieving goals is to be optimistic. Optimism is a belief that you can make a difference and create a better future. The most successful leaders are always willing to step up because they believe they can make a positive difference in the world. Visualizing the possibilities in a positive light helps to counter negative thoughts and comments. This is because you know the outcome you expect.

Successful leaders work to communicate and listen to the communicators around them. Communication creates an environment of collaboration, respect, and trust. No plans for mediocrity, but if you do not communicate your vision, listening to what is said and what is not said, you will not be able to live out your vision on a daily business. When communicating with others, the best leaders can clearly articulate their vision. But they do it with humility, respect, and gratitude.

Passion and Patience

Great leaders practice their craft with passion and patience. Passion is what fuels them. Passion creates the persistence and resiliency that otherwise may be missing. It occurs when we do something we love, which causes you to give your all every day. This takes practice. And the practice is much less valuable than what you put into the practice. You must practice with drive.

Successful leaders demonstrate exceptional patience. When things are not going well, they recognize that this discomfort is the most growth. As you develop your patience, you will see yourself rise. Patience is the basis of perseverance. This patience and perseverance demonstrate through a willingness to put in the work and wait to see the results.

Discipline

Discipline is an essential attribute of extraordinarily successful leaders. Remember, consistency is rewarded by success. Consistency requires discipline. This means creating a routine that you will work hard to follow. Consistent effort always pays off in the long run. While routines are individualized, this is a key trait that allows people to gain success and longevity in their careers.

It is vital to be curious and to have a willingness to learn. The desire to learn must be authentic and genuine. Successful leaders recognize that they do not know everything, which causes them to keep an open mind. They take every opportunity to learn, knowing that every new experience is a chance to grow. They are receptive to new ideas as lifelong learners. The result is they are continuously exposed to new inspirations and creative thoughts.

Be Curious

The willingness to learn comes from an innate curiosity. Curiosity is what allows people to learn something new every day about their or a related field. Learning something new every day keeps our minds sharp and helps us to ask better questions. And the journey of curiosity has no end.

While this is not a complete list of successful leaders’ traits, it does highlight the most common. Recognize that not every successful leader has mastered all of these, but awareness of them may help us develop ourselves. If you take the time to learn and apply your new knowledge, you will thrive even in the face of adversity and potential failure.