This story was originally published on CFO.com. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO.com newsletter. Maybe, like me, you started your career at a large public accounting firm. Or maybe you began with a major consulting firm, financial institution or Fortune 500 company. Or maybe you have been working for small businesses all along. Regardless of where we start our careers, finding our way into a small business seems to be part of the natural progression. My first days as a sm ...

Core Insights - The article emphasizes that great leaders are not born with extraordinary abilities but intentionally place themselves in environments that foster learning, adaptation, and growth [3][19] - It outlines eight essential qualities for successful leadership and methods to cultivate these qualities [3][19] Group 1: Essential Qualities of Leadership - **Authenticity**: Being genuine and maintaining a real self is fundamental for success. Leaders must show their best selves to inspire trust and connection [4] - **Curiosity**: Great leaders possess a mindset of curiosity, observing and exploring unknown areas to understand possibilities better [5][6] - **Analytical Skills**: Leaders need to break down complex problems, identify root causes, and propose innovative solutions while combining experience with analytical ability [6][7] Group 2: Adaptability and Creativity - **Adaptability**: The fast pace of change requires leaders to be adaptable to shifting stakeholder expectations and to cultivate an agile team culture [8][9] - **Creativity**: Innovation stems from diverse thinking and the ability to generate new ideas, which leaders should foster within their teams [10][11] Group 3: Managing Ambiguity and Resilience - **Managing Ambiguity**: Effective leaders can hold conflicting viewpoints and prioritize competing demands, requiring a system thinking approach [13][14] - **Resilience**: Successful leaders recognize the dynamic nature of their environment and demonstrate the ability to adjust when necessary [15][16] Group 4: Empathy and Continuous Growth - **Empathy**: Understanding others on an emotional level and building trust is crucial for strong leadership [17][18] - **Continuous Learning**: Becoming an excellent leader is a process of ongoing learning and growth, driven by challenges, feedback, and relationship building [18][19]