Young professional here who loves understanding what makes people tick in life and business.

What are your keys to being successful in business and what stands out to you the most in others who are successful? What got you to where you are today?

Common traits I see in no particular order:

1. Tremendous people skills
2. Effort/intensity
3. Detail
4. Willingness to do what others won't
5. Problem solver
6. Leadership
7. Kindness
8. Demeanor
9. Networking (back to people skills)
10. Belief in one's self
11. Good timing

Willingness to take risks

Agree with Apache above and also a really important one I didn't see on your list:

- handling failure effectively

This one kind of fits in with problem solver but should probably be specifically called out:

- unquenchable thirst for efficiency / working smart (it's not just about working hard / effort)

Self advocacy - networking means nothing and nobody will be able to help you much if you don't know how to articulate what you want and why you want it.

Say/Do ratio = 1:1

Understand your customer's real need (whether external or internal customer). Sometimes they don't articulate it well or know their real need. But they realize it when you've met it.

Ability to set aside the Urgent to focus on the Important

Understand the Result trumps Effort

Along with problem solving and iniative, I'd say plain old curiosity.

I can't tell you the number of times I've asked a technical question during an interview and the interviewee happened to struggle with an answer; only to call them back for a second round and ask if they had looked over some of the technical stuff that they were a bit weak on.

If the answer is no or not really, I pretty much add them to the stack of other resumes that lacked curiosity.

To me, one has to stay curious and always learning new stuff. Otherwise, you're not growing, perhaps becoming complacent, and likely not adding a great deal of value to the company. Never become comfortable or complacent in a career...ever.

TTUArmy said:

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Along with problem solving and iniative, I'd say plain old curiosity.

I can't tell you the number of times I've asked a technical question during an interview and the interviewee happened to struggle with an answer; only to call them back for a second round and ask if they had looked over some of the technical stuff that they were a bit weak on.

If the answer is no or not really, I pretty much add them to the stack of other resumes that lacked curiosity.

To me, one has to stay curious and always learning new stuff. Otherwise, you're not growing, perhaps becoming complacent, and likely not adding a great deal of value to the company. Never become comfortable or complacent in a career...ever.

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I love this interview tip!