Good leaders require certain abilities.

1. Ability to Think Strategically

The ability to think strategically is perhaps the most crucial talent a leader requires — and what truly distinguishes leaders from managers.

2. Ability to Plan and Execute

While it is critical for a leader to be personally organized and motivated—for more on these topics, see our articles on Time Management and Self-Motivation—it is possibly even more critical to be able to plan and deliver for the organization.

3. Ability to Manage People

There are no leaders if there are no followers. Leaders must be able to work with individuals one-on-one and in groups, as well as have a variety of weapons in their arsenal to deal with a variety of scenarios. A lot of these abilities are also important for managers.