There are many leaders who are competent at their jobs, but few stand out as exceptional. There are several key traits that separate the common from the remarkable, and managers looking to increase their effectiveness should concentrate on bolstering these traits in both their personal and professional lives. The first trait is awareness. There is a difference between leaders and followers, and truly remarkable leaders not only understand this, but allow it to inform their image, their actions, and their styles of communication. A leader should maintain an objective perspective on what’s going on in the organization. This heightened sense of awareness leads to increased decisiveness. Tough decisions have to be made, and extraordinary leaders cannot hesitate when the time comes—either to act unilaterally or to recommend collaborative decision making. Related to the ability to make decisions confidently is the idea of accountability. Remarkable leaders will take responsibility not only for their own actions, but for the actions of their teams. When things are going well, leaders will share in the team’s praise, but when things are not going well, they will seek solutions and strive to right the ship.