Humility. A rare trait, and one that may not be expected at higher levels. Think you only get ahead by being cutthroat and climbing the ladder on the backs of others? That may bring you short-term gain, but not long-term success. Few people get to higher levels without supporters and mentors, and by being a supporter and mentor to others as well, they gain a support system that lasts their entire career.
Faith. Believing in what you do, and what your company does, may sound a little trite. But honestly, how can you spend the amount of time and energy that is required to succeed on something you don’t care about? If you don’t believe in your company, product, job or mission, find something you can believe in. It may not mean changing jobs, maybe it’s just gaining a better understanding of what you do and why it’s important.
Optimism. Frankly, no one wants to work with the sad-sack or constant complainer. Taking the optimistic view about yourself, your career, company and role leads to much more positive daily interactions. No one can afford to just blindly follow, we all have to take care of ourselves of course. But if you assume the best while asking the right questions, you’ll be both optimistic and realistic.
