In addition to mastering certain concrete skills, effective leaders generally share a cluster of essential characteristics. These characteristics can be categorized as components of emotional intelligence—the ability to manage yourself and your relationships effectively. Research has shown that what distinguishes outstanding leaders is their degree of emotional intelligence, not their technical or analytical skills. Five key components of emotional intelligence (EI) are:

• Self-awareness: The ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions, and drives as well as their effect on others
• Self-regulation: The ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods, suspend judgment, and think before acting
• Motivation: The ability to pursue goals with energy and persistence, for reasons that go beyond money or status
• Empathy: The ability to understand people's emotional makeup
• Social skill: The ability to manage relationships, build networks, and find common ground