Science Says These 2 Personality Traits Predict Whether You'll Be a Successful Leader

By Shana Lebowitz

Every organization, from Apple and Google to the US government, demands different skills and personal qualities in its leadership.

But research suggests there are two traits that are common to the majority of successful leaders: extroversion and conscientiousness.

According to a meta-analysis led by Timothy Judge, Ph.D., a professor at the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame, extroversion is the best predictor of leadership effectiveness (typically measured by assessments from subordinates and supervisors), followed closely by conscientiousness.