Skills required for Doctors

It is as important for doctors to be able to communicate well with patients, carers and colleagues, as it is to sew up a wound or read an X-ray.

There is no single set of characteristics that makes a good doctor. Medicine includes a wide range of people, working in very varied roles. As in any strong team, it needs players with different aptitudes that complement each other.

Comments from doctors and students suggest that these are some personal qualities you may need to draw on. You don't necessarily need them all, but do you recognise something of yourself here?

• A concern for people
  Do you care about the people around you and what happens to them?
• An enquiring mind
  Do you always want to find out more about things that interest you? And do you analyse and update the knowledge you already have?
• An interest in people
  Are you curious about how other people think and feel? Do you generally like other people and take an interest in what they say and do?
• A rational approach
  Are you keen to establish facts, test ideas and find out how things work and why they go wrong? Do you approach problems in a logical way?
• An open mind
  Do you get along well with people whose attitudes and background are very different from yours? Can you see things from other people's point of view?
• Imagination
  Can you see around problems to find new solutions? Do people look to you for ideas?
• Ability to handle pressure
  How have you coped with pressure situations such as the build-up to exams? Does it affect your behaviour significantly or can you handle it?
• Hard work
  Can you cope with hard work over sustained periods?
• Patience
  Do you get impatient with other people easily, or are you willing to go along at their pace?
• Determination
  If something doesn't come right first time, do you give time and effort to sorting it out?
• Decisiveness
  Do you make decisions with a fair degree of confidence, based on what you know?
• Humility
  Are you comfortable with recognising the limits of your ability and knowledge, and willing to look to others for help?
  http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/doctors/skills-required/
  Confident. “The doctor’s confidence gave me confidence.”
   Empathetic. “The doctor tries to understand what I am feeling and experiencing, physically and emotionally, and communicates that understanding to me.”
   Humane. “The doctor is caring, compassionate, and kind.” Personal. “The doctor is interested in me more than just as a patient, interacts with me, and remembers me as an individual.”
   Forthright. “The doctor tells me what I need to know in plain language and in a forthright manner.” 
  Respectful. “The doctor takes my input seriously and works with me.”
   Thorough. “The doctor is conscientious and persistent.” - 
  See more at: http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/113732/tomorrow-doctors/#sthash.Us3FdZtq.dpuf
  Dr. Weil also suggests two additional categories that doctors should have that are not mentioned on the Mayo Clinic list:
  • Healthy. “The doctor exemplifies and models health and health-promoting behavior.”
  • Broadly knowledgeable. “The doctor knows all the factors that influence health and all the strategies for treating disease.”
       I’d also add two more qualities needed for doctors who work with those who have dementia. These traits are:
  • Patience. I suggest this attribute because the doctor will need to repeat himself/herself often while explaining health issues to the patient during an appointment. I found that in Mom’s case, she’d forget what we talked about in just a few moments. Therefore, the ability to repeat oneself without allowing frustration to seep in is critical for doctors working with these patients.
  • Systematic. Using Merriam-Webster.com’s definition – “relating to or consisting of a system; methodical in procedure and plan” – I’d suggest that doctors who work with people with dementia will need to broaden their communication strategies to include family members. In my mom’s case, the doctor (who also was the nursing home physician of record) often visited her in the nursing home; these visits were not announced to family members. However, Dad and I were not present during these visits and never heard the doctor’s analysis. The doctor only communicated to the nursing staff, who would give us some information if we thought to ask. However, it’s not the same as hearing directly from the doctor. Therefore, it’s crucial for these doctors to develop communication strategies that are inclusive, rather than exclusive of family members.
  - See more at: http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/113732/tomorrow-doctors/#sthash.Us3FdZtq.dpuf
  
  http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/113732/tomorrow-doctors/

  Top 3 traits of successful doctors

  
  
  Determination

  Being a doctor isn’t for the faint of heart. People have to jump through a lot of hoops just to become doctors: university, applying to medical school, completing medical school, residency—it’s quite a challenge and can be very hard on people. “One of the doctors I work with put it perfectly one day when he pointed out that medical students are the masters of delayed gratification,” says Jo Innes, a resident at a trauma 1 hospital. “You go to school for years and years, delay a lot of life events that are very meaningful to some people (buying a home, getting married, having kids), and all the while it’s hard—the hours are long, and it’s not always warm and fuzzy. But the reward is potentially having the chance to do something you’ve always wanted to.”

  In short, you can’t be easily discouraged. A lot of the challenges of medical school and residency—like long days and stress—are all part of being a doctor.

  Concern for people

  Doctors must be able to pair medical expertise with a lot of patience, empathy, and compassion. Additionally, bedside manner isn’t enough: doctors don’t only communicate with patients. They’re constantly talking to other healthcare providers, laboratory staff, family members, and other people. So if you’re only interested in becoming a doctor because it pays well, move along.

  Decisiveness and rational thinking

  Doctors—general physicians especially—see a lot of people for different reasons, who may have difficulty describing what’s wrong with them. It’s up to doctors to diagnose their conditions and prescribe treatment, which requires stellar decision-making skills. You have to be able to interpret a patient’s medical history and symptoms, and come up with the right treatment. Humility is also helpful for situations in which you’re not sure—there’s nothing wrong with asking others for a second or third opinion. Even doctors can be unsure.
  
  
  The ability to be empathetic.
  Placing yourself in other's positions.
  Feeling how they might.
  
  Tolerance and great compassion would be necessary traits also.
  
  Selflessness, because often you need to put yourself second.
  
  An insatiable thirst for knowledge with an analytical mind.
  
  You would need to be logical and practical and possessing a great memory.
  7 Traits Needed To Become a Successful Medical Doctor

  Dedication

  One of the primary requirements in order to become successful is to have an immense desire in the medicine at the same time to a passion help people. A doctor of medicine is responsible to cure the patient based on the medical principles he learned from school and internship. 

  Hardwork

  A doctor of medicine should also possess the quality of a hardworking person. Becoming a physician involve lots of preparation. First, you have to take a 4 year science-based degree from a high standard university. You should be diligent in school in order to obtain good grade point average, which is one of the requirements when taking an admission test in medical school for another 4 year medical studies. After which, you may now be ready for residency so as to be exposed to various medical disciplines at the same time decide what specialization to choose. Hospital training lasts for 3 to 8 years, depending on your chosen specialty. 

  Patience

  Let’s admit it. No matter how well you are in executing all the medical disciplines you learned from the medical school and during your residency, there will always come a time wherein you will fail to save your patient from death. And when this happens, distressed families of the patient might blame you for the death of their relatives. You will also sacrifice your time and energy for the care of your patients. This is the reasons why it is very important for a medical doctor to have enough patience. 

  Frugal

  Money is another reason why medical students fail to become a successful physician. We all know the tuition fee for medical studies is more expensive than generally other professions. The need to buy those medical equipments hands-on experience is likewise necessary. The stethoscope and blood pressure device are just some of the basic instruments used for medical practice. And when getting a license, it is another expense too especially when you decide to have a board examination. Thus, if you learn to spend your money wisely, achieving your dream is not impossible.

  Competence

  A successful doctor should be competent and confident enough. So to maintain high levels of competency and confidence, you have to continuously be updated with new information regarding medical science and apply it vigorously for the benefit of the sick. 

  Gentle

  One of the pledges the doctors made when they get their license is to treat their clients with tender loving and care. Thus, they should at all times be gentle in diagnosing, treating, advising, and giving prescriptions to their patients.

  Responsible

  A doctor of medicine has a big responsibility to cure whatever abnormalities a patient have and as much as possible save the person from death. All of these responsibilities are stated in the Hippocratic Oath – a traditional rite wherein medical doctors swear to practice medicine with integrity. Thus, you should at all time be responsible in every action you make because a single mistake is equivalent to a lawsuit. 
  
  
  http://nanetteparker.hubpages.com/hub/7-Traits-Needed-To-Become-a-Successful-Medical-Doctor
  
  
  Here are the seven traits listed by the patients, along with the patients' definitions of those traits:
  • Confident: "The doctor's confidence gives me confidence."
  • Empathetic: "The doctor tries to understand what I am feeling and experiencing, physically and emotionally, and communicates that understanding to me."
  • Humane: "The doctor is caring, compassionate, and kind."
  • Personal: "The doctor is interested in me more than just as a patient, interacts with me, and remembers me as an individual."
  • Forthright: "The doctor tells me what I need to know in plain language and in a forthright manner."
  • Respectful: "The doctor takes my input seriously and works with me."
  • Thorough: "The doctor is conscientious and persistent."
  
  
  Still, Li says it's natural for patients to want caring caregivers. He drafted a list of seven traits that are the opposite of those mentioned in the study:

  • Timid
  • Uncaring
  • Misleading
  • Cold
  • Callous
  • Disrespectful
  • Hurried

  "Can healthcare really ever be high quality if the patient-physician interaction is hurried, disrespectful, cold, callous, or uncaring?" Li writes.

  http://www.webmd.com/news/20060309/7-key-traits-of-ideal-doctor

  
  
  
  
  11. Professionalism
  2. Empathy
  
  
  3. Patience
  
  
  4. Up to date
  
  
  5. Not squeamish
  
  
  6. Hard working 
  
  

  10 Signs You Would Make a Good Lawyer

  
  

  Considering law school? Here are 10 signs you would make a good lawyer.

  One. You love to argue.  Not the occasional tussle. But day in and day out, you want to argue about everything, from what to eat for dinner to the right amount of detergent you should use for a wash. Love of argument is the first sign you would make a good lawyer. Lawyers argue constantly. With their adversaries, with the courts, with insurance companies, even with their own clients. Practicing law is by its very nature adversarial, so if you love to argue, the legal field may very well be for you.

  Two. You love to write.  If you love to write - and you are good at it - you may want to consider becoming a lawyer. Lawyers draft briefs, contracts, motions, pleadings, and hundreds of letters every year. Writing is a large part of practicing law. If you love to write, it might just be a sign you would make a good lawyer.

  Three. You are a workaholic.  Many lawyers are workaholics. Indeed, some of the best attorneys work seventy or eighty hours a week. If you are a workaholic, it may be a sign you would make a good lawyer. In order to be successful in the law, you will most likely have to make sacrifices. Among those sacrifices will be your time. If you enjoy burning the midnight oil, consider the field of law.

  Four. You are a good negotiator.  Lawyers negotiate on a daily basis. Whether you are a sports lawyer negotiating contracts for professional athletes, or a personal injury lawyer negotiating settlements for injured clients, or a criminal defense attorney negotiating plea bargains, you had better be good at what you do.

  Five. You are good at persuasion. This is essential if you want to become a litigator. Motion practice and trial work is all about persuading people to your side of the argument. Whether you are persuading a judge or a jury, it takes a great amount of skill and practice.

  Six. You have a thick skin. Beware of irate judges, angry clients, and vicious adversaries. You will take a fair share of abuse. If you have a thick skin, you have a better chance at making a good lawyer.

  Seven. You are good at balancing your time. This is essential. As a lawyer, you will need to balance your time between paperwork and courtroom appearances, between telephone calls and face time with clients and colleagues. Not to mention your family life.

  Eight. You are persistent. You simply must be persistent as a lawyer. You will not get your way the first time around. You will need to write letter after letter, draft motion after motion, in order to succeed for your clients.

  Nine. You are patient. Practicing law involves a lot of waiting around. Waiting around courthouses for your case to be called. Waiting around for decisions on appeals to be handed down. You simply must be patient, or you will grow old before your time.

  Ten. You must be aggressive. You must be a pit bull. In the law, poodles need not apply. No client wants a lawyer who is a pushover, or a lawyer who waits for things to happen. Clients want lawyers who are hungry and unafraid of a fight. They want a lawyer who is aggressive.
  http://voices.yahoo.com/10-signs-would-good-lawyer-393600.html
  
  
  1) Tier Level Thinking – The practice of any type of law requires advising the client regarding either a proper avenue to proceed with no liability to the client, or the least precarious route to take to minimize the client’s exposure. To effectively achieve this end, lawyers must be able to see future possibilities. Also, litigation is adversarial in nature and you must be able to out think your opponent.

  This is called multi-tier level thinking… similar to a game of chess where a skilled chess player will not simply look at the next move, put actually plan out the next 4-10 moves (or possibly to the end of the game) mentally reviewing every move and counter move.

  2) Hyper Skeptical/Critical – Being skeptical and critical are other important traits of the lawyer personality. Lawyers are generally risk averse, and/or hired to minimize risk… thus the ability to be highly critical and not take things at face value is a required skill that all lawyers possess. If a lawyer does not learn this skill it will be unlikely that he/she will ever be able to retain clients, because a client pays a lawyer for their ability to spot unknown issues/pitfalls to the client and advise of the best course of action.

  3) Independent – Lawyers are generally pretty independent people. Once you become a lawyer you will be considered a professional, and thus you will be expected to do your work properly often without direct supervision. Therefore, especially as a young associate you will be spending a significant amount of time alone researching and writing.

  You will be left to your own devices and expected to produce a useable work product (either memorandum summarizing research or written documentation to be submitted to the court). Though certain types of lawyers do work on larger teams, you will be given more room to work independently vs. another industry.

  4) Tough Skin – Lawyers operate often in adversarial proceedings, and therefore it is necessary for a successful lawyer to have a tough skin. As a lawyer you will be operating in a highly emotionally charged industry (from your client side), tough business pressures and demands (coming from your employer), and adversarial pressures (from other lawyers).

  The ability to balance and manage unreasonable conflicts with opposing counsel, the emotional imbalances of your clients, and the billing demands of your employer can take a toll on those who are emotionally sensitive.

  5) Disciplined – The practice of law requires someone who possesses personality traits associated with discipline. Again, lawyers are given a lot of independence, and as a lawyer you will be expected to produce work product on your own.

  Realize now while you are still researching how to become a lawyer that as a lawyer you will not have someone checking in with you every five minutes to make sure you are still working. You will be required to self-regulate, and if you do not possess this element of the lawyer personality, you may find it very difficult to keep a legal job.

  6) Hard Working – It goes without saying that the practice of law requires hard work (and as an aside you should be working hard right now collecting as much information as you can about how to become a lawyer).

  As a lawyer, you will be required to decipher and master complex legal questions. Sometimes, some questions will not have clear answers, and finding the best avenue to proceed will take a great deal of time and energy to discover.

  This element of the lawyer personality should be expected, and most likely you already possess this lawyer personality trait as otherwise you would not be researching how to become a lawyer.

  7) Good With Deadlines – This character trait of lawyers is especially important to those types of lawyers who practice in the realm of litigation (i.e. filing and processing law suits).

  All court rules (though varying state by state) require certain time limits to file certain papers with the court. If you miss those deadlines, your ability to file those documents may be barred by the court, and possibly end the litigation with your client losing because of your oversight. Then your firm would most likely be sued by the client for malpractice (a headache you don’t want).

  
  

  http://www.become-a-lawyer.com/how-to-become-a-lawyer.html
  
  
  

  Our Top Tip:  Balance your academic studies with extra-curricular activities from other areas of your life, to illustrate you are a well-rounded person with lots to offer. This will almost certainly impress recruiters.
   

  *Teamwork: One of the most important skills you'll need to be a successful solicitor is the ability to be a useful member of a team. When applying, ensure that you highlight examples that show you're are a good team player and leader during university and your past work experiences. At law firms you will need to be a good team player because teamwork is a very important to get-on in your legal career. 

  Teamwork consists of working with others to form a consensus and reach the best possible outcome for all parties, whether in transactions, mediations or arbitrations. Negotiations are based around working with teams which often not only includes working with your colleagues in your department, but those from other groups to form multi-disciplinary teams, which also has input by the client and other professionals. The ability to work collaboratively and effectively with others is of fundamental importance to working successfully at a law firm.
  
   
  *Interpersonal skills - Any lawyer must be able to communicate effectively with their client. Your ability to relate and interact with others in such a way as to engender confidence, form lasting relationships, and clearly explain complex situations in a clear manner is integral to the role of a solicitor. In addition, having good "people skills" will help you to interact with a wide variety of characters at your firm and fit into the culture of the firm.
   
  At times, you will need to tap into the know-how of different people in order to get-on. For example, the librarians and secretaries play such a pivotal role in the daily function of a law firm. If you build up a good rapport with your secretary, your work may be placed on the top of the pile and your work turnaround quickly, which will impress your supervisor. 
   
  The most successful lawyers tend to be personable and able to work effectively with people by cultivating, building, developing and maintaining relationships with clients and colleagues alike. As you progress through your career, your firm will expect you to build up a list of contacts and eventually win new business. Marketing opportunities are very important and you need to be able to show clients that as well as being a solid legal technician, you are also "good value" in a social context.
  
   
  *Communication - Being able to communicate clearly and effectively on paper or face-to-face or over the telephone underpins the role of a solicitor. This is because the role of a solicitor largely involves being able to advise and negotiate effectively with their client and the other side to ensure a deal runs smoothly. The use of clear and succinct language will be valued by both your clients and colleagues. Client care is fundamental and possessing excellent communication skills will help you to communicate ideas and advice to your clients.
  
   
  *Commercial acumen - Based on talking to recruiters up and down the country this is the single most desirable attribute employers look for in a future trainee, and is becoming more and more important for modern day legal practice. Trainee solicitors are expected to emerge not only as good lawyers, but as sound business advisors as well. Commercial awareness, simply put, is developing an understanding of the business environment in which law firms and their clients operate. Aspiring lawyers must be able to appreciate the role of a commercial lawyer and the commercial context in which they provide the legal advice.
  
  The best way to demonstrate that you have what it takes to cut it as a commercial lawyer is to demonstrate your ability to think commercially, and from a client's perspective as early as possible. As a commercial lawyer you need to understand your clients' businesses in order to give them the best legal advice. Recruiters will look for candidates who have a keen understanding of the business world.
   
  A commercial client will not care about the technical meaning of legal terminology, but she will be deeply interested in the impact that it may have on the transaction at hand. For City firms especially, legal advice always takes on a business element and every student needs to be commercially aware, so that you will be able to contextualise legal advice to the client. For more information - go to Demystifying commercial awareness.
  
   
  * Commitment and dedication to a legal career - With intense competition for places, it is vital students can demonstrate a long-term commitment to a career in law, which can be shown through work experience. It is important that you acquire work experience in both a legal and commercial environment to evidence your interest, enthusiasm and motivation for pursuing a legal career.
  
  
  *Attention to detail - When lawyers draft contracts, a single word in the wrong place can change the emphasis of a clause and possibly the outcome for your client. A lawyer is expected to have a thorough, accurate and meticulous approach to their work. Committing any glaring grammatical or punctuation mistakes on your application form is the easiest way to fast track your application to the rejection pile.
  
  
  *Honesty and integrity - Clients expect lawyers to work to a high moral standard, total professional integrity and ethical code, because they will only instruct solicitors they trust. Solicitors' professional conduct rules are strict guidelines ensuring lawyers always act in their clients' best interests; client confidentiality and professionalism are paramount to safeguarding the reputation and standards of the legal profession.
  
   
  * Pro-activity - Firms like applicants who display initiative and a get up and go. They are also impressed by candidates who value their skills and strengths. This can be demonstrated by the way in which you apply to the firm. For example, aspiring lawyers rarely seem to ask law firms for unpaid work experience; shadowing a solicitor is a really good way of gaining an insight into legal practice, and follows the proviso that, once you impress the solicitor and other professionals at the firm - they will offer you a job.
  
  
  * Ambition - Many aspiring lawyers are extremely ambitious, determined and driven. In such a competitive business, you should have a clear and realistic plan of where you imagine your career heading in the next five to ten years, and whether it is your aspiration to become a partner at a law firm, or a senior counsel in-house at a global blue-chip company.
  
    
  *Image is vital - Project a professional and businesslike personal brand. Your attitude and source of motivation for becoming a lawyer is really important; before a firm commits to employing you, they will want to be sure that their clients will see you in a positive way. First impressions always count for so much. Even when completing your application forms, so take your time over your applications and carefully consider the image you are conveying.
  

  
  

  Competitiveness

  Like skilled athletes, lawyers need to have a passion for winning. There is almost always an opposing party that you’ll be dealing with, whether it’s the state when you represent an alleged criminal, a spouse in a divorce case or regulators going after your client for non-compliance. Winners typically are aggressive and unafraid to tackle difficult issues and barriers. You must be willing to give your clients the best representation possible and do everything in your power to win.

  Logical Thinking

  Effective lawyers usually are not emotional people. You’ve got to be able to separate your feelings from your thought processes, a trait that usually is inherent in your personality. You have to have the ability to think a problem through to its conclusion to build a case and then present that logic in a practical and logical way to a judge or jury. You’ve got to be able to think quickly on your feet in many circumstances, often without the time to consult your associates. You must enjoy a good argument and not take opposing remarks personally, because the job is not about you – it’s about your client.

  Self-Control

  Unlike some of the lawyers you see on TV who engage in rants and emotional outbursts, a successful attorney is self-controlled. Even if you’re nervous about your case or your confidence is waning, you’ve got to control those negative thoughts and present a clear, forceful argument in front of juries. When you’re the type of person who controls her emotions, you tend to think before you speak, a vital trait you’ll need when enduring the pressure of the courtroom.

  Adaptability

  As you’re moving through your research, taking depositions and interviewing clients, your case may take an unexpected turn. That’s a scenario you often see on a TV show that really does happen in real life. So even if you remain cool and collected, you have to be able to switch tactics or change course because your ultimate goal remains the same – win for your client. You also have to deal with constant changes and interruptions in your days at the office, where any new development can throw your carefully planned schedule out the window. Adapt you must – or you won’t get very far as a lawyer before you burn out.

  http://woman.thenest.com/personal-qualities-needed-lawyer-5283.html

  
  

    
  * Enthusiasm and Energy - Demonstrate a real interest for the firm you are applying to, and the type of work they do. Your passion will enable you to talk about the firm and the reasons for your application in a vibrant way. You will naturally come across as highly-motivated applicant that will fit in and do well at the firm.
  
  * Individuality - Always be yourself and do not try to be someone that you think firms are looking for. Firms don't want order-following clones on the career treadmill! They want to see a variety of individual personalities with sparky characters.  At interviews, always give answers that are personal and unique to you, rather than the answer you think interviewers want to hear. 
  
    
  * Sense of humour - Allow your personality to shine through at interview. Firms want individuals who are not afraid to be themselves, express their opinions and who know what they want out of their legal career. Throughout your legal career you will have to socialise constantly and your ability to talk to people is important to your employability prospects. During the course of your training contract, you may end up working into the early hours of the morning on a large transaction. Any associate will appreciate working with someone whose personality helps to keep spirits high and boost the morale of the team.  
  
    
  *Extra-curricular activities - Your interests and hobbies can be an incredible selling point, as this is your opportunity to showcase your personality. How else will you show that you have developed into a well-rounded individual? Law firms aim to recruit a variety of personalities and the way you spend your free-time adds value to your credentials to show how you manage your time, your leadership qualities and that you are an interesting and fun person to work with. Use whatever you say to reinforce to the recruiter that you have all the qualities they are looking for.
  
    
  *Legal/commercial work experience can be the decisive factor at interviews. Lots of savvy candidates will use this kind of experience to integrate their commercial awareness and transferable skills into their CV/applications. Eye-catching experience or interests can make a significant difference to being selected for interview. If you do not yet have any work experience it is necessary that you do your best to find some. If you are interested in a particular area, there is no better way of expressing your interest than having gained solid experience in this area of the law. Gaining an insight into the realities of working life also shows you appreciate how academia translates into the day-to-day practicalities of working as a lawyer; because there is a huge difference between studying and practicing law as the two require completely different sets of skills. Any vacation placements will be an advantage, and if marketed effectively could give you an edge over other applicants with similar academic grades. 
   
  
  Our Top Tip: Devising a skills table is a particularly useful technique to highlight your skills against a firm's criteria, which will help you prepare your application forms and interviews. List a number of skills (such as legal experience, problem solving, commercial awareness etc) and then think of examples of how you have used/developed these skills. Try to find examples from each of your education, work experience and extra-curricular activities. Aim to use as many different examples as you can in order to reflect your varied experience and well-rounded personality. The aim is to show that you have a wide range of experiences. By doing this you will be able to answer most of the skills-based questions on an application form, as well as those that interviewers throw at you. Below is an example of a skills table with examples of different experiences:
  
   
  

  CRITERIA (SKILLS)	Experiences / Background demonstrating skills in action
  Commercial Awareness	Young Enterprise Scheme Legal and commercial work experience.
  Teamwork	University Law Committee organisation of the annual Ball. Gap year reconstruction project
  Interpersonal skills	Holiday job
  Communication skills	Teaching English in Japan Volunteer work and pro bono experience.
  Attention to detail	Editor of university newsletter
  Good judgment	Decision to study maritime law

  
  
  

  Communication Skills

  Lawyers need to possess good oral communication skills in order to be effective in the courtroom and make convincing arguments to judges and juries. They must have good written communication skills because they might have to write a variety of documents, including legal case studies. They must also be good listeners, able to follow complex testimony or to understand and analyze what clients tell them.

  Judgment

  The ability to think critically is important for lawyers. They must be able to follow a chain of logic to identify potential trouble areas in their own arguments, and to spot weaknesses in the reasoning presented by their opposition or even their own clients. Lawyers must often exercise their judgment in deciding the best course of action to pursue.

  Interpersonal Skills

  Lawyers should be able to persuade clients to follow their advice or convince the opposition to negotiate a resolution. This requires the ability to read people and figure out the best approach to take when making your points. When presenting a case, lawyers must be able to read how jurors react to statements and testimony, and they need to read witnesses well enough to know whether the individual’s testimony is honest and unbiased.

  Analytical Skills

  Lawyers must absorb a great deal of information, both during law school and when preparing a case, then be able to organize and analyze the information in a logical manner. If more than one law or precedent applies to a situation, lawyers must evaluate which argument best advances their cause.

  Perseverance

  The mere act of becoming a lawyer requires a great deal of commitment. The typical path is a bachelor’s degree, followed by law school, which lasts three years. The lawyer must then pass the state bar exam before being allowed to practice law. Once he passes the bar and begins accepting cases, a lawyer often has to spend many hours preparing his case. He'll spend a lot of time conducting research, preparing documents and interviewing witnesses. Lawyers need a willingness to invest the time needed to achieve a successful conclusion to the case.

  http://work.chron.com/personal-qualities-needed-lawyer-4148.html

  
  

  According to the Hildebrandt study, lawyers are:

  • High scorers on learning, "suggesting that they value education and enjoy academic activities";

  • Self-critical and temperamental;

  • Lousy on interpersonal sensitivity. They are task-oriented and speak their minds, coming across as "cold, critical, and argumentative";

  • Easily excitable, "becoming tense and overly critical";

  • Cautious to the extent they have a hard time taking risks and making decisions; and

  • Resistant to authority and skeptical of others.

  http://thecareerist.typepad.com/thecareerist/2011/03/lawyer-personality-study.html

  
  

  1. Sense of humorI cannot overstate how important a sense of humor is. If I’m interviewing you and I detect a humor deficit, you have no chance of my hiring you. I truly believe that a sense of humor is a sign of advanced intelligence. I’ve met plenty of very smart people who lack a sense of humor, and I’m always less impressed with them. But show me that you can be funny and that you understand and appreciate other people’s humor (read: mine), and you get a big check mark on the pro side of your ledger. Plus it makes you more fun to have in the office, and that’s extrememly important, too.

  2. DifferentnessI value individuals and what makes them different. Your job as a candidate is to show me how you stand out, which means I want to know what makes you unique. It’s human nature to try to fit in and be like the rest of the herd, but that quality will not help you in your job search. Think of TV commercials. I bet you can’t recall a single individual ad for a car company, because they all blend together. The ads that stand out are the ones that are different from their competition.

  3. Eye sparkleThis is the hardest to describe but the easiest to notice in person. Management guru Tom Peters hasdescribed this eye-sparkle factor as one of the most important traits to look for in hiring an employee. It appears in a person who looks you in the eye and conveys his or her engagement with you and what matters to you. It shows warmth and empathy and fun. It’s missing in a person who smiles only with the mouth instead of the whole face, if you know what I mean. Like Potter Stewart and pornography, you know it when you see it. Of all these ten traits, it’s the one that many people will write off as hokey, but it’s one of the most important.

  4. ConnectivityI want to know that you are good at interacting with other people. Show me that you are a social animal, that you have the ability to make friends and that you won’t hang by the wall at networking events. For me, the fact that you have a bunch of LinkedIn connections and Twitter followers and Facebook friends is a positive sign. Same with being involved in organizations like law-school groups or bar associations. This shows that you know how to deal with people, a skill that we need in law firms and one that is often overlooked.

  5. OptimismI have no use for a Debbie Downer. Life’s hard enough without some Eeyore telling me that it looks like rain. I prefer to surround myself with people who believe things are going to turn out well. Clients tend to prefer people like that, too.

  6. CreativityNot a trait often used when talking about lawyers, but one that I think is important. Creativity is useful in writing a brief, in strategizing over a case, in doing legal research, and in marketing the firm. Creative people also tend to be more positive and engaged, looking for better ways to solve the clients’ problems.

  7. PerseveranceThis is a particularly good trait to have when job-hunting. It’s also crucial to practicing law. I have more respect for someone who will keep trying to find that elusive case while doing a research project than I have for someone who gives up after a few futile searches. Lawyering is hard. I need to know that you’re going to stick with it.

  8. InitiativeI’m less interested in having people who wait around until I tell them what to do. I’d rather see them jump in on their own and try to solve a problem. Sometimes they might outstep their bounds, but that’s less of a problem to me then timidly waiting for instructions.

  9. Self-confidenceThis is probably the single most important trait. If you don’t have self-confidence, you can’t be a good lawyer. Go do something else. Your self-confidence tells the people you interact with — clients, opposing counsel, judges, coworkers — that you believe in yourself and in what you’re doing. People are more likely to accept that you’re right if you show that you believe you are. I think that self-confidence is difficult to teach, but I do believe that it can be developed and fostered. But I’m more likely to hire you if you walk in the door showing that you have it. Caution: This is not to be confused with arrogance, which will lead you right back out that door.

  10. PassionFinally, you need to show me that you care. I don’t mean that I want you to tell me that you’ve dreamed of being a small-firm attorney since you learned how to read. I mean, I want you to show me that you care about things. It can be almost anything. I respect and appreciate passion, even if it’s for something I couldn’t care less about (like soccer). (Actually, if you have passion for soccer, you have no chance with me. Having a passion for a game that can end in a naught-naught tie just tells me you’re strange. Or European.) If I know that you are passionate about something, then it’s easier for me to believe that you will care about our firm, our clients, and their problems.

  http://abovethelaw.com/2011/05/small-firms-big-lawyers-10-traits-that-will-get-you-hired/

  http://www.emplawyernet.com/rsrc/personality.cfm

  1. Credibility. The first is credibility, the foundation of trust. Building a high level of trust with clients, judges, jurors and even opposing counsel is the cornerstone of effective representation. But it is a trait that is earned, not just learned. When a credible attorney tells a client he must be available on a certain day for a deposition with no exceptions, that client will listen. It’s simple: When you make a promise, you keep a promise. No exceptions. When that same attorney makes a promise to a judge or to opposing counsel, the promise is believed and kept. The time and cost of undoing agreements with any party is not only a time-consuming distraction, but it also diminishes the chances that anyone will believe the trial lawyer, no matter how experienced he is. The most effective trial lawyers I’ve seen protect their credibility at all costs. They understand that every human interaction is a chance to build trust or destroy it.

  2. Civility. Litigation at its core is an argument. But it doesn’t have to be confrontational. Effective litigators understand that in the art of persuasion, civility is not only the high road, but can also be a powerful tool. Using hostile tactics of volume, anger and intimidation may result in a short-term gain, but tends to undermine an attorney’s long-term ability to persuade.  It can pull attention away from key witnesses and facts in favor of emotional reactions that are more difficult to control. And in the case of settlements, uncivil behavior tends to harm an attorney’s ability to negotiate in a reasonable time and manner with the opposition. There will always be a role for celebrity pit bulls, but the most effective trial lawyers fight relentlessly for their clients with respect, intelligence and grace.  

  3. Confidence. During the course of a trial, a lawyer makes literally thousands of decisions and assessments about risk, timing, pace, advantage, leverage and value. She makes most of these without the benefit of absolute certainty, knowledge or a complete assessment of the facts. To be effective in the midst of such a large gray area requires enormous levels of personal and professional confidence.  And don’t confuse confidence with false certainty or hubris. No decision can be certain and no lawyer is always right. But the most effective litigators learn by instinct to translate mountains of structured and unstructured information into clear and decisive action, often in the heat of a trial. It’s a trait that every great military leader, athlete, coach and mentor shares. Confident trial lawyers can be spotted a mile away. You can see it in the way they walk, talk, sit, stand, listen and gesture.  They often radiate  positive energy and a sense of command that puts clients at ease and speeds the course of trials and settlements. While it can’t always be measured, it is a key asset of the most effective of our breed.

  4. Curiosity. The benefit of deep specialization in a narrow field of law or business often comes at the expense of broader perspective. Psychologists call it the curse of knowledge.  I’ve found that the most effective litigators resist the narrow confines of deep specialties and maintain a relentless curiosity about the world they live in. They possess an insatiable curiosity beyond law for a variety of topics and life experiences in science, art, psychology, physics and even pop culture. They have obscure hobbies and eclectic tastes. They know that solutions to courtroom challenges often come from the most unlikely places.  

  Juries and judges are rarely expert specialists. They are, by design, non-expert  representatives of society at large. In general, courtroom communications are most effective if they’re on a fifth-grade level.  This can often frustrate specialists who struggle to relate their language and thinking to lay audiences. Relentless curiosity not only leads to innovative approaches and solutions, but also keeps the job of litigation continually fresh and exciting. 

  5. Competitive Spirit. Choosing the last trait from dozens of remaining possibilities was difficult. In the end, I considered carefully not just traits, but true motivations. What drives an effective trial lawyer? Ultimately I settled on the only true driver: an innate competitive spirit. Effective litigators tend to take on every matter, large or small, as their must-win Super Bowl moment. To this trial lawyer type, there are no routine trials, meetings or even moments.  They thrive on the thrill of the challenge, not just the legal outcome.

  Competitive spirit comes in many flavors. But effective trial lawyers consider beating their opponents as secondary to the relentless pursuit of finding the simple, elegant trial solution. One trial lawyer calls it his “obvious surprise,” an insight that is immediately understood and familiar. Another calls it the “one simple thing” that can sway a jury, change the conversation and produce the right outcome.   

  This type of fire in the belly never goes out. It helps trial lawyers take on the difficult cases with fearlessness, focus and seemingly boundless energy. These types are at their best when a case seems unwinnable. Just try and tell them that something is impossible. They can’t help simmering on your matter 24/7, on the soccer field, driving in traffic or at 4:00 in the morning.  For clients, it’s added value. For opponents, it’s an unfair advantage.  

  Conclusion

  Many factors go into choosing the right trial lawyer, and conflicts and costs can limit your options. Of course experience matters, but it is far from the only measure.  After decades in the trenches, I’ve found that the most effective lawyers don’t just lean on their experience. They use it to enhance their five key traits and continually improve their craft.

  
  
  

  http://www.insidecounsel.com/2012/08/30/litigation-the-5-traits-of-highly-effective-trial?page=2

  The 7 Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs

  Tenacity

  Starting a business is an ultramarathon. You have to be able to live with uncertainty and push through a crucible of obstacles for years on end. Entrepreneurs who can avoid saying uncle have a better chance of finding their market and outlasting their inevitable mistakes. This trait is known by many names--perseverance, persistence, determination, commitment, resilience--but it's really just old-fashioned stick-to-it-iveness.

  "Tenacity is No. 1," says Mike Colwell, who runs Plains Angels, an Iowa angel investor forum, and the accelerator Business Innovation Zone for the Greater Des Moines Partnership. "So much of entrepreneurship is dealing with repeated failure. It happens many times each week."

  When failure happens, you have to start all over again. Jett McCandless was a partner in a fast-growing freight logistics operation. But the rapid expansion triggered mistakes, including an invoicing glitch that left the company without enough cash reserves. The business had to be sold for a fraction of its value. McCandless didn't agree to the terms and was fired. He lost the company house and car and wound up moving into his girlfriend's apartment. "It was a very tough time," he recalls. "I came very close to going bankrupt."

  He went on 25 job interviews and got offers for logistics positions paying $200,000 and up. But McCandless, who grew up in Section 8 public housing, wondered, Should I take a comfortable, secure job, or could I build something better? "I was afraid that failure could define the rest of my life, and I wasn't going to let that happen," he says.

  So rather than accept one of those big offers, he started over, founding a new company, CarrierDirect, in Chicago. Hamstrung by the noncompete contract with his previous firm, he created a wholly new space in the logistics field. Instead of matching shippers with truckers, he switched to consulting, providing marketing and sales for logistics companies. In two years CarrierDirect grew to $35 million in revenue. "I'm glad I didn't take one of those corporate jobs," he says now.

  
  

  Passion

  It's commonly assumed that successful entrepreneurs are driven by money. But most will tell you they are fueled by a passion for their product or service, by the opportunity to solve a problem and make life easier, better, cheaper.

  "Most entrepreneurs I know believe they will change the world," says Jay Friedlander, a professor of sustainable business who works with entrepreneurs at the College of the Atlantic and at Babson College. "There's an excitement and belief in what they're doing that gets them through the hard times."

  Passion based on your company's specific mission is an intrinsic drive that provides the internal reward that can sustain you between paydays. John Roulac is passionate about hemp, which has a host of industrial and food uses and can be grown without herbicide, making it a keystone crop for sustainable agriculture. With a mission of providing a new market for Canadian hemp farmers, Roulac launched his company, Nutiva, in 1999 with a hemp food bar. But he quickly ran into interference from U.S. Customs officials who associated hemp, part of the cannabis family, with marijuana.

  "Initially, they tried to harass us," Roulac recalls. "They would say our products couldn't leave the warehouse; then they could. It was very hard to stay in business." Two years later the Justice Department published a rule that put hemp products in the same illegal category as heroin. "It was either go out of business, keep going or go to jail," he says. "It could be bankruptcy or humiliation."

  Roulac had more than $100,000 invested in the business by this point. A lot of people told him to quit. Instead, he decided to go on the offensive and sued the Drug Enforcement Administration. With support from the natural-products industry, particularly soap company Dr. Bronner's, he won the suit two years later. Roulac's belief in the power of his mission had prevailed.

  "I believed that I was on the side of truth and that there was a government agency trying to prevent something good happening for the country," he explains. "I feel at a core level that this is my destiny to help create a better food system."

  Today Nutiva sells a variety of organic products, from hemp protein shakes to virgin coconut oil. Roulac's advice when things get tough: "Dig deeper."

  Tolerance of ambiguity

  This classic trait is the definition of risk-taking--the ability to withstand the fear of uncertainty and potential failure. "It all boils down to being able to successfully manage fear," notes Michael Sherrod, entrepreneur-in-residence at the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University.

  He sees the ability to control fear as the most important trait of all. "Fear of humiliation, fear of missing payroll, running out of cash, bankruptcy, the list goes on."

  Jill Blashack Strahan knows the fear factor. The founder and CEO of Tastefully Simple, a direct-sales company for gifts and easy-to-make meals, remembers the calls to her bank when she was three months overdue on her mortgage. "That fear that I would lose my house almost controlled me," says Blashack Strahan, who also had to overcome the deaths of her brother and then her husband shortly afterward. "The night after the funeral of my husband, I thought maybe I should give up, get a job and be a mom."

  This is where the ultimate entrepreneurial test takes place, on the mental battlefield. You can go with the fear and quit, or push through it. "I said no; this idea is going to work," Blashack Strahan says. "We have the power to control our thoughts. When we commit mentally, our action follows." She made a conscious decision to push through the fear. Her company had sales in 2012 of $98 million.

  While many would feel powerless in the face of such adversity, "the entrepreneur looks at the situation and knows he has some control over the outcome," says Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist and author of Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days.

  Vision

  One of the defining traits of entrepreneurship is the ability to spot an opportunity and imagine something where others haven't. Entrepreneurs have a curiosity that identifies overlooked niches and puts them at the forefront of innovation and emerging fields. They imagine another world and have the ability to communicate that vision effectively to investors, customers and staff.

  Many people would be satisfied with a couple of successful businesses, but Eldad Matityahu saw beyond his two thriving frozen-yogurt stores. He'd been reading about the fiber-optic space and decided he wanted in on the technology sector that surrounded him in Silicon Valley. So he sold his yogurt shops and his Harley and got into a field he knew nothing about. He took a job with a fiber-optic company to learn the business and discovered his niche there.

  Customers told him they were frustrated that they couldn't have access to see who was on their networks--important for security. "I realized there was no solution on the market addressing this pain point," Matityahu says. "I took the time to figure out why."

  The products Matityahu created made activity on the network easily visible and also protected the system. He bootstrapped his company, Net Optics, with $100,000--the proceeds from his two yogurt stores and Harley (along with a small investment from family members)--turning down venture capitalists along the way. In October 2013 he sold the company for $190 million.

  "Entrepreneurs often face naysayers, because we see the future before the future plays out," Matityahu says. "You have to be several steps ahead of the market."

  Self-belief

  Self-confidence is a key entrepreneurial trait. You have to be crazy-sure your product is something the world needs and that you can deliver it to overcome the naysayers, who will always deride what the majority has yet to validate.

  Researchers define this trait as task-specific confidence. It's a belief that turns the risk proposition around--you've conducted enough research and have enough confidence that you can get the job done that you ameliorate the risk.

  "You have to have a lot of self-confidence. Be willing to take a risk, but be conservative," says Jason Apfel, founder of FragranceNet.com, an e-commerce site for beauty products. Apfel didn't know anything about the beauty world when he started the company, but he believed he could create a solid website to sell such products. "I thought selling a commodity online at the most competitive price would work," he says. His company has outlasted well-funded competitors and sees $145 million in annual sales.

  Flexibility

  Business survival, like that of the species, depends on adaptation. Your final product or service likely won't look anything like what you started with. Flexibility that allows you to respond to changing tastes and market conditions is essential. "You have to have a willingness to be honest with yourself and say, 'This isn't working.' You have to be able to pivot," says Colwell of Plains Angels.

  While still a student at Babson College, Matt Lauzon wanted to digitize the process of designing personalized jewelry. After raising $500,000 from Highland Capital Partners, he launched a custom jewelry design platform for retailers in 2008; however, a year later there was no payoff in sight.

  "In theory, it was a perfect match, but in practice we found that we simply couldn't change the jewelers' focus on selling the expensive inventory they had sitting in their display cases," Lauzon recalls.

  He reached out to his jeweler customers to solicit feedback. "One of them actually said, 'You have built something so amazing, with so much potential, you should let people use it directly,'" he says.

  Lauzon decided to do exactly that, and with additional rounds of financing, relaunched the Boston-based company as Gemvara.com, selling the custom jewelry experience directly to consumers. He won't disclose sales, but he has raised $51 million to date, including additional millions from Highland Capital, which backed his initial concept. He has even hired away executives from the jewelry world's biggest retail force, Tiffany & Co.

  Rule-breaking

  Entrepreneurs exist to defy conventional wisdom. A survey last year by Ross Levine of the University of California, Berkeley, and Yona Rubinstein of the London School of Economics found that among incorporated entrepreneurs, a combination of "smarts" and "aggressive, illicit, risk-taking activities" is a characteristic mix. This often shows up in youth as rebellious behavior, such as pot-smoking. That description would certainly hold true for some of the most famous entrepreneurs of recent years.

  In fact, simply starting a business breaks the rules, as only about 13 percent of Americans are engaged in entrepreneurship, according to a Babson College report. Doing what the majority isn't doing is the nature of entrepreneurship, which is where the supply of inner resources comes in.

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  Successful entrepreneurs, from Henry Ford to Steve Jobs, share similar qualities with one another. To see how you rank against these distinguished entrepreneurs, do you share at least half of these qualities?

  1. Strong leadership qualities
  Leaders are born, not made. Do you find yourself being the go-to person most of the time? Do you find people asking your opinion or to help guide or make decisions for them? Have you been in management roles throughout your career? A leader is someone who values the goal over any unpleasantness the work it takes to get there may bring. But a leader is more than just tenacious. A leader has strong communication skills and the ability to amass a team of people toward a common goal in a way that the entire team is motivated and works effectively to get there as a team. A leader earns the trust and respect of his team by demonstrating postive work qualities and confidence, then fostering an environment that proliferates these values throught the team. A leader who nobody will follow is not a leader of anything at all.

  2. Highly self-motivated
  You probably know from knowing even a little bit about some of the most famous business entrepreneurs in history that leaders are typically pretty intense personalities. Nobody makes progress by sitting back and waiting for it to find them. Successful people go out into the world and invoke change throught their actions. Typically, leaders enjoy challenges and will work tirelessly to solve problems that confront them. They adapt well to changing situations without unraveling and are typically expert of helping their teams change with them by motivating them toward new goals and opportunities. Often you will learn that successful entrepreneurs are driven by a more complete vision or goal than simply the task at hand and able to think on a more universal level in that regard. They are also often very passionate about their ideas that drive toward these ultimate goals and are notoriously difficult to steer off the course.

  3. Strong sense of basic ethics and integrity
  Business is sustainable because there is a common, understood code of ethics universally that underpins the very fabric upon which commerce is conducted. While cheaters and thieves may win in the short term, they invariably lose out in the long run. You will find that successful, sustainable business people maintain the highest standards of integrity becauase, at the end of the day, if you cannot prove yourself a credible business person and nobody will do business with you, you are out of business. With importance in working with clients or leading a team, effective leaders admit to any error made and offer solutions to correct rather than lie about, blame others for, or dwell on the problem itself.

  4. Willingness to fail
  Successful entrepreneurs are risk takers who have all gotten over one very significant hurdle:  they are not afraid of failure.  That's not to say that they rush in with reckless abandon.  In fact, entrepreneurs are often successful because they are calculating and able to make the best decisions in even the worst of cases.  However, they also accept that, even if they make the best decision possible, things don't always go according to plan and may fail anyhow. If you've heard the old adage, "nothing ventured, nothing gained," that's exactly what it's saying: do not be afraid to fail, put it out there and give it your best shot.  Again, there's not one successful entrepreneur out there sitting on his couch asking, "what if?"

  5. Serial innovators
  Entrepreneurs are almost defined by their drive to constantly develop new ideas and improve on existing processes. In fact, that's how most of them got into business in the first place. Successful people welcome change and often depend on it to improve their effectiveness as leaders and ultimately the success of their businesses as many business concepts rely on improving products, services and processes in order to win business.

  6. Know what you don't know
  While successful entrepreneurs are typically strong personalities overall, the best have learned that there's always a lesson to be learned. They are rarely afraid to ask questions when it means the answers will provide them insight they can then leverage to effect. Successful entrepreneurs are confident, but not egotistical to the point that their bull-headedness is a weakness that continually prohibits them from seeing a bigger picture and ultimately making the best decisions for the business.

  7. Competitive spirit
  Entrepreneurs enjoy a challenge and they like to win.  They would have to since starting a business is pretty much one of the biggest challenges a person can take on in their lifetime. In business it's a constant war with competition to win business and grow market share. It's also a personal challenge to use all of this to focus inward and grow a business from nothing into a powerhouse that either makes a lot of money or is so effective that it is sold or acquired for a profit as well.

  8. Understand the value of a strong peer network
  In almost every case, entrepreneurs never get to success alone. The best understand it takes a network of contacts, business partners, financial partners, peers and resources to succeed. Effective people nurture these relationships and surround themselves with people who can help make them more effective. Any good leader is only as good as those who support him.

  http://www.mbda.gov/node/337

  ESSENTIAL TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS

  Clear Vision

  Successful entrepreneurs can visualize how they want their future to unfold. They hold a clear picture of what direction they want their company to take and possess a plan to guide it from conception to realization.

  The late Steve Jobs is widely considered to have been one of the foremost entrepreneurs of our time; what was unique about him was ability to set the trends of the future. A vital step in determining whether you are suitable to an entrepreneurial lifestyle is your ability to clearly communicate the dreams and aspirations you have for your company. 

  2. Determination

  It is absolutely imperative that every entrepreneur demonstrate the determination and resolve to stick with an idea when they believe in it. Undoubtedly, all business ventures will suffer setbacks and, like the team captain, the entrepreneur is expected to push on to victory.

  After writing Chicken Soup for the Soul, the authors were ready to approach publishers. In the first month, 33 publishing houses turned them down and all together they were rejected by 140 publishers. But, they eventually found a publisher who shared their dream, and the Chicken Soup series has become a phenomenon in publishing history, with more than 100 million copies sold to date, in 170 titles and 41 languages. 

  3. Ambition

  The daughter of immigrants, Estee Lauder is the embodiment of the American Dream. She started out selling skin creams created by her uncle, but with persistence and personality, she worked her way into the cosmetics counters of department stores. She developed a personalized selling style that put her brand at the top of the industry, with a 45% share of the cosmetics market in US department stores. 

  4. Self-confidence

  Investors, venture capitalists and business partners require that entrepreneurs be supremely confident about their prospects.

  The best entrepreneurs believe they can define their own future and use this self-assurance to persuade people to tie their fortunes to theirs. Virgin Group's Richard Branson ties together a diverse range of businesses – including airlines, beverage companies and music stores – with a powerful personality. 

  5. Good Health

  A series of interviews were conducted with distinguished entrepreneurs and they were asked what characteristics they felt were essential to success as an entrepreneur. Good health was a characteristic mentioned by every entrepreneur interviewed.

  Entrepreneurs are physically resilient and in good health. They can work for extended periods of time, and while they are in the process of building their business, they refuse to get sick. 

  6. Realistic

  Expectations of a quick buck or rapid ascension to the top of a market are usually misguided. While there is nothing wrong with having grand aspirations for your company (yes. entrepreneurs should be visionaries), a good entrepreneur can distinguish between dreams and reality.

  After all, a marketing forecast based on whims and fantasies does not form the backbone of a strong business plan. Keep a level head because any good banker, venture capitalist or prudent family member will check the rationality of your business plan before handing you their money.

  7. Problem-solver

  Entrepreneurs need to be either very capable people or have the know-how to find the right help (at the right price). They should be ingenious problem solvers, individuals who can resolve issues quickly and efficiently. Unless they have a lot of money to start off with, most entrepreneurs will find themselves a "wearer of many hats." That is, they are likely the secretary, accountant and salesperson all at one time, and they get things done!

  8. Okay with No Pay!

  There is always a degree of ambiguity about how things will unfold for a new business. No level of preparedness or planning can account for the innumerable variables that will define the future of a venture.

  Entrepreneurial opportunities carry more risks than the conventional corporate job. And, for most, there is no regular paycheck (at least not in the early days), and the matter of finding customers and financing are also of concern. If you're not prepared to live with uncertainty, this is probably not the right career choice. 

  9. Unique Skill

  At age 20, Debbi Fields was a housewife with no business experience, but a great chocolate chip cookie recipe and a dream. In mid 1977, Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chippery opened its doors as a single outlet; since then it has grown to 650 retail bakeries in the United States and over 80 in 11 different countries.

  She sold the company in the early 1990s, but remains as the company's spokesperson. Her special recipe and her philosophy of excellence were key to her success. 

  http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/starting-a-business/9-essential-traits-successful-entrepreneurs

  10 Personality Traits Every Successful Entrepreneur Has

  
  

  1. Passionate

  You need to be driven by a clear sense of purpose and passion. Typically, that passion comes from one of two sources: the topic of the business, or the game of business-building itself.

  Why do you need passion? Simply because you’re likely to be working too hard, for too long, for too little pay with no guarantee that it’ll work out… so you need to be motivated by something intrinsic and not money-related.

  2. Resilient

  If you’re going to build a startup, you’ll need a spirit of determination coupled with a high pain tolerance. You’ll need to be willing and able to learn from your mistakes – to get knocked down repeatedly, get up, dust yourself off, and move forward with renewed motivation.

  People will constantly tell you your baby’s ugly, that your business won’t work. Now, you should listen carefully and be open to constructive criticism. But after a while, having the door slammed in your face repeatedly can be withering, and the best entrepreneurs learn to feed off the negativity and actually gain strength from it.

  3. Self-Possessed

  You need a strong sense of self. You can’t be threatened by being surrounded by talented, driven people. To truly succeed, you’ll need the self-confidence to surround yourself with people “who don’t look like you”… that is, people with skills, background and domain knowledge that complement your own. And check your ego at the door: you shouldn’t be too proud to make coffee for the team, empty the waste baskets, or do the bank runs.

  4. Decisive

  You’ll need to develop a comfort-level with uncertainly and ambiguity. Entrepreneurs gather as much information as they can in a short period of time, and then MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!! The attitude is that it’s not going to be perfect… We only have 9% or so of the data from which to base our decision… but if we wait to have all the information, we’ll never get moving… and be mired in indecision. (Big organizations are really good at this – the mired thing – saying, We don’t have enough information, so let’s continue to study… form a committee or a task force)

  5. Fearless

  On the sliding scale from “risk-averse” to “risk-seeking,” it shouldn't surprise anyone that entrepreneurs tend to be closer to the latter. But you don’t need to be a nut-case, the sort who bungee-jumps without a helmet. Smart entrepreneurs develop an intuitive ability to sniff out and mitigate startup business risk. But you know you’re going to fall down, and feel comfortable with that fact and that you’re going to learn from your failures and adjust as you go.

  6. Financially Prepared

  You’ll need the right personal financial profile to make the leap. This doesn’t mean that only the rich can be entrepreneurs. But unless and until you’ve got the personal financial ‘runway’ (ability to go without a steady paycheck and subsidized benefits) of at least 18 to 24 months (ideally longer), you might hold off on quitting your day job.

  Consider launching the startup as a side-business if that’s possible, while continuing to work the 8-to-5 shift to cover the bills. Or approach your boss about going part-time. Then, once your business generating cash flow, you can dial back on your hours, or submit your resignation and go full-time with your startup.

  7. Flexible

  I challenge you to find an entrepreneur running a startup four or more years old where that business doesn’t differ dramatically from the vision sketched out in their original business plan. The point is that the folks who stay on their feet are the ones who stay flexible and adjust to new information and changing circumstances.

  8. Zoom Lens-Equipped

  Can you ‘pan out’ to see a compelling big vision for your business, then ‘zoom in’ and focus on near-term startup goals? Successful entrepreneurs can facilely move back and forth between these two views. They’re able to articulate the big picture, while simultaneously managing and executing to the ‘zoom-in’ picture.

  9. Able to Sell

  Whether you’re a born extrovert or introvert, as a founder/CEO, you’ll find yourself always selling. You’ll be selling your vision to prospective partners and funding sources. You’ll be selling prospective recruits on why they should quit their day jobs and join this startup they’ve never heard of. You’ll be selling your products and services (yes, you’ll probably be personally closing at least the first few sales). You’ll be selling your employees on why they should remain calm and stay with the ship when the seas inevitably get rough.

  You can’t delegate evangelism.

  10. Balanced

  You may not start out with a fool-proof gyroscope, but to survive as an entrepreneur, you’ll need that strong sense of perspective. How to maintain simple, clear focus. How to be at peace with, and learn from, a failure. Understanding that not all battles are worth winning, and when to walk away. Knowing that most in your startup aren’t as entrepreneurial as you – that this may be a very cool job for them, but it’s still a job. Knowing when to go home and give your loved ones a hug. When to go for a run.

  
  

  Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/traits-of-successful-entrepreneurs-2013-2#ixzz2yQZWLP6W

  
  

  It’s hard to know for sure…

  In a recent episode of the TechSmart Podcast one of the things Lee and I talked about was what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.

  That discussion really got me thinking…

  What DOES it take to be a successful entrepreneur?

  Which traits have I most relied on over the past 9 years to get where I am right now?

  Which traits do I need to continue developing to reach new heights of success?

  Most importantly, which traits should you be identifying and nurturing to ensure that you see success?

  Just because the Internet makes entrepreneurship accessible doesn’t mean that there is no barrier to entry. There are still several requirements that each and every one of us must meet before we will see our way to the top of the digital food chain.

  I can tell you right now, though, that a college degree and J-O-B experience are not on this list. In fact, just the opposite… These traits will almost always come easier when left untainted by the collegiate and corporate world.

  Unquenchable Desire

  “The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.”

  Napoleon Hill

  Napoleon Hill – the Godfather of self-development and writer of Think and Grow Rich – realized this simple truth after studying the traits and habits of the wealthiest entrepreneurs of his time. The people who made the biggest impact on the world (and made the most money doing it) were also the people that most fervently DESIRED their goals.

  As human beings, there is one rule that governs our behavior – we do exactly what we want to do. And it doesn’t matter whether our wants help us or hurt us.

  If you want to sit around and be lazy more than you want to create a thriving business, then you will never get anything done.

  If you want to make your own way and carve a new, unexplored path through life, then you will.

  Even though it’s a dark example, you can see this rule played out most clearly through an addiction.

  Whether to alcohol, cigarettes or drugs (or dare I say, procrastination?), an addiction won’t be broken until the pain of continuing that addiction is greater than the pain of stopping. An addict won’t be able to really, truly quit until they WANT to quit more than they want to continue.

  This same rule is why desire is a prerequisite to success. Without desire, you will never be driven to create something of value.

  Guts

  “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” 

  Thomas Stearns Eliot

  I wish I could lie to you.

  I wish that I could boldly proclaim that the entrepreneur’s world is one made of marshmallow mountains and chocolate rivers, with rainbows on every corner.

  But I can’t.

  So I’m telling you this with a heavy heart, like a parent tells their kids that Santa’s not real. You deserve the truth:

  There is no way to guarantee that your business or start up will see success.

  That’s why one of the essential traits of a successful entrepreneur is the guts to take a leap of faith. You need to take risks.

  Many young entrepreneurs aren’t reaching their full potential because they’re afraid to explore unknown territory. They never realize that the best ideas are completely unique, which makes it impossible to determine how your audience will react to your proposition ahead of time.

  Sure, you can use some of the tactics we’ve discussed here on StartupBros to increase the likelihood of your success…

  For example, you can predict an audience’s response to your business’ name by split testing paid traffic. You can make sure your business idea has all 5 crucial ingredients. You can even ask your family and friends for feedback on your idea or product, although the it may not be reliable.

  Despite all this, in the end there is nothing you can do to guarantee your success. All you can do is go as far as you can, just to see how far you can go. So buckle in and enjoy the ride, baby!

  Access to Seed Money

  “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.”

  Ayn Rand

  As we all (hopefully) know, free money doesn’t exist.

  Unfortunately, a sad number of people are rather predictably attracted to the prospect of free or easy money. Just look at the countless MLM schemes out there, or get-rich-quick infomercials. Those things don’t come out of nowhere, and they wouldn’t continue to pop up if somebody isn’t making money.

  That’s why this is something that a lot of “gurus” won’t talk about. One of the hard but true facts of life is that it DOES take money to make money. It doesn’t necessarily take much, but it always takes some.

  If you’re reading this in dismay because you don’t have access to any seed money, don’t be discouraged! There are a few exceptions, but just about every successful person (entrepreneur or otherwise) started from the bottom of the barrel and worked their way up.

  Just look at Bill Simon, Walmart’s current CEO. He started out washing dishes for $2.50 an hour. Now he’s head honcho for one of the largest companies in the world – ever – that makes $34,880 per minute.

  It’s important to understand that “seed money” doesn’t have to mean tens of thousands of dollars.

  If you plan to start an Internet-based business (aka, most of you reading this), then you can reasonably get started on $1,000 or less. Especially if you have enough time and savvy for a DIY approach. Just take a look at our secret weapons; almost all of these tools come in under $100.

  If you’re tight on cash at the moment, get creative. Sell some old stuff on e-bay. Go mow some lawns as the weather gets warmer. Offer to do some freelancing for a local business or through places like Freelancer orElance.

  Or hey, you can hone your marketing skills and earn some start up cash by working part-time as a telemarketer. Recommending any job is normally not something you’ll catch me doing, but this is one of the few that will provide real-world experience relevant to launching a business. In fact, several top copywriters I know have honed their skills in exactly the same way.

  Whatever you choose, the important thing is to put some extra cash in your bank account and move forward with your business.

  Shiny Object Immunity

  “Simple can be harder than complex: you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” 

  Steve Jobs

  I cannot tell you how many potential entrepreneurs I’ve seen waste away because they did not have this crucial trait.

  The Internet is a very fast-paced environment. It seems like every week there is a new fad that gets heralded as “the next big thing” in digital marketing.

  Even worse, there are a surplus of marketers out there that know exactly what buttons to push. They’ll make you honestly believe that you NEED to capitalize on each and every one of these “shiny objects”.

  In order to succeed online, you need to be able to recognize “shiny objects” when you see them. But, you also need to recognize legitimate trends (such as social media) so that you don’t get left in the dust. This is where a knack for objective evaluation and awareness of your target market become important.

  If you ever deviate from your business plan in any way shape or form, make sure you’re actually improving and not just succumbing to the latest trend.

  Whatever happens, don’t let some slimy marketer forge your opinion for you… That’s a quick way to lose a lot of money and a lot of time.

  Patience and Persistence

  “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”

  Napoleon Hill

  Yeah, yeah, I know that I already used a quote from Napoleon Hill. I can’t help it; the guy’s a stud! Really knows his stuff. And he hit this one right on the head.

  Successful entrepreneurs don’t magically gain business-prowess overnight. It takes time in the real world to develop the skills you’ll need to become successful. It can be a tedious process.

  Actually, scratch that; it WILL be a tedious process.

  You have to put your nose to the grindstone every day just to get a little further on your journey to success.

  And the days that you don’t work hard? Well, you’ll just stay put.

  If you get discouraged? The only person to cheer you up is yourself, unless you’re part of a great community like the one here at StartupBros (have you joined our Rewards program yet?!).

  Nobody said being an entrepreneur would be easy. This is where that first trait becomes relevant; if you’ve got an unquenchable desire, then you won’t be satisfied with anything less than your full potential. Even if you have to push yourself beyond your limits to get to it.

  Self-Awareness

  “People of the world don’t look at themselves, and so they blame one another.”

  Mevlana Rumi

  Self-awareness is a trait that you will never fully master. Let’s get that out of the way up front.

  It’s easy to slip into this autopilot state where you let your your mind go numb and fall into a box of routine, but that is a very unproductive place to be.

  One of the best ways to move forward is through self-examination. Give your self an objective analysis:

  • How do you see yourself?
  • How do others see you?
  • Who is the person that you actually are?
  • What needs to improve about your habits, or how you spend your time?
  • What are you doing well?
  • Are you moving towards your goals, or are you staying stagnant?

  Now, start asking yourself those questions every day. Get used to it.

  This isn’t an exercise to make you doubt yourself – You and I both know that you have what it takes to see success. Rather, this exercise is designed to develop an objective mental mirror to check that you’re going where you want to go as an entrepreneur. Learn to check it regularly.

  Humble Time

  I will finish by trying to salvage some semblance of modesty.

  Just because these traits make up my prerequisites for a successful Internet entrepreneur does not mean that I have mastered each and every one of them. However, I see at least a glimmer of each in myself, and I’ve seen them in other successful entrepreneurs, too. I’m sharing them with you to give you a jump start on your own personal entrepreneurial journey.

  Still, keep in mind that it’s possible there are a few essential traits that I missed. Can you think of any?

  I’d love it if you’d chime in below with any other important entrepreneurial traits you see in yourself or others around you. Share with the community, help us all be better!

  If not, you definitely should. It’s free and eye-opening, although should be taken with a grain of salt since it’s 75 years old… You can download it here if you’re interested

  
  

  http://www.startupbros.com/6-traits-youll-find-in-every-successful-entrepreneur/

  
  

  1. They are self-motivated
  Successful entrepreneurs do not need someone who holds them accountable or forces them to be efficient and productive. Unfortunately, without a manager, many people can not take their business past the planning stages. It takes hard work to create your own business; most people need someone who forces them to keep working. Moreover, when people do not have someone to hold them accountable, they may let their work’s quality suffer. For example, many freelance writers set their own hours and choose their workload. However, for this same reason, many freelance writers do not work how they ought to work.
  2. They are creative
  When creating a business idea, many entrepreneurs have to be very creative. There is a good chance that someone else has already established himself as the authority for the niche that a new entrepreneur chooses. However, with a little creative twist, new entrepreneurs can take old ideas or business models and revolutionize them, making them attractive to potential clients or customers.
  3. They are intuitive
  Entrepreneurs do not become successful due to luck. Every successful entrepreneur created his own path with his intelligence, creativity and intuition. Business models are constantly changing. Consequently, the way business owners market and grow their business constantly changes. The most successful entrepreneurs understand how fast current trends change. More importantly, however, they know how to keep up with the changes.
  4. They are authoritative
  If you were to open your own business, you would learn very quickly that there are many people with whom you need to network. However, not everyone has your best interest in mind. You may encounter naysayers, manipulators and scammers. Therefore, you must not allow yourself to be easily influenced; you must be authoritative. Though there is nothing wrong with taking advice or opinions, in the end, you must make decisions that you strongly believe will better your company.
  5. They are strong-willed
  Successful entrepreneurs started their business with a vision - a dream. They acted on their dream by taking small steps towards accomplishing their goals. With every step, entrepreneurs get closer to attaining their ultimate goal or vision. However, not all steps are easy to take. Unfortunately, nothing worth fighting for is easy to attain. Successful entrepreneurs only made it past the difficult times by being strong-willed. They never let pessimism, difficulty or any other problems stand in their way.
  If you think you have these five qualities, you may have the mindset of an entrepreneur. Everyone has the ability to follow their dreams. However, only some people actually try.
  

  
  

  Math Skills

  All engineers need math skills. Not all engineering jobs require you to perform complex derivative equations as a part of your everyday routine, but you do need to be well-versed in trigonometry and calculus so you can use the software that has become an integral part of the practice of modern engineering.

  Mechanical Skills

  Many engineers develop their mechanical skills at an early age. Understanding mechanical systems and the relationships between parts is a good foundation for future engineers, as it helps them to visualize basic engineering concepts and mechanical processes. Mechanical skills help engineers make rational simplified assumptions, which is the basic theoretical framework for solving engineering problems.

  Listening and Problem-Solving Skills

  The relationship between being a good listener and effective problem-solver is more direct than you may think. Really listening and fully comprehending what your interlocutors are saying is truly an art. But the more you know about a problem, the more likely you are to be able to solve the problem, and most top-notch engineers have developed strong listening skills to learn as much as they can from the "owner" of the problem.

  Interpersonal and Leadership Skills

  Engineers also need good interpersonal skills as they typically spend a lot of time working on teams as part of a project. Engineers need to be able to get along with colleagues and work together to effectively participate in meetings as well as iron out schedules and the like. Senior engineers -- especially in civil and architectural engineering -- need to develop leadership skills to serve in project-management capacities.

  
  

  http://work.chron.com/traits-necessary-engineer-11081.html

  Top 10 Qualities of a Great Engineer

  
  

   To be successful in the field of engineering, one must have certain qualities. Some of those top qualities include:

  1. Possesses a Strong Analytical Aptitude: A great engineer has excellent analytical skills and is continually examining things and thinking of ways to help things work better. They are naturally inquisitive.
  2. Shows an Attention to Detail: A great engineer pays meticulous attention to detail. The slightest error can cause an entire structure to fail, so every detail must be reviewed thoroughly during the course of completing a project.
  3. Has Excellent Communication Skills: A great engineer has great communication skills. They can translate complex technical lingo into plain English and also communicate verbally with clients and other engineers working together on a project.
  4. Takes Part in Continuing Education: A great engineer stays on top of developments in the industry. Changes in technology happen rapidly, and the most successful engineers keep abreast of new research and ideas.
  5. Is Creative: A great engineer is creative and can think of new and innovative ways to develop new systems and make existing things work more efficiently.
  6. Shows an Ability to Think Logically: A great engineer has top-notch logical skills. They are able to make sense of complex systems and understand how things work and how problems arise.
  7. Is Mathematically Inclined: A great engineer has excellent math skills. Engineering is an intricate science that involves complex calculations of varying difficulty.
  8. Has Good Problem Solving Skills: A great engineer has sharp problem solving skills. An engineer is frequently called upon solely to address problems, and they must be able to figure out where the problem stems from and quickly develop a solution.
  9. Is a Team Player: A great engineer understands that they are part of a larger team working together to make one project come together successfully, and therefore, must work well as part of that team.
  10. Has Excellent Technical Knowledge: A great engineer has a vast amount of technical knowledge. They understand a variety of computer programs and other systems that are commonly used during an engineering project

  
  

  Curiosity

  Ex-Apprentice candidate and electronics engineer Glenn Wardcrafts audio mixing desks for Cadac Sound. He needs to know how things work:

  “Curiosity is what makes you want to get up in the morning and work on the projects that you do. As a child, I enjoyed knowing how things worked and was interested in taking things apart, to the annoyance of my parents. The video player came apart a few times. I took apart a computer when I was younger and put it all back together again. At that age you don’t really realise how that will turn into a career!”

  
  

  Understanding

  Angela Malynn is a building services engineer from Arup. She needs to understand how people will use the buildings she works on:

  “You need to be able to understand the user. I worked on a London hotel and the swimming pool needed a higher temperature than normal so people would be comfortable in swimming costumes. Moisture in the air also makes people feel warmer. Up in the gym there were different requirements and we need a lot of air flowing through the space because people will be very warm when they’re working out. Fresh air also keeps the smells at bay!”

  
  

  Team player

  Pete Winslow is a structural engineer at Expedition Engineering, who helped create the roof for the iconic Velodrome during the Olympics:

  “The first thing is the ability and desire to work in a team. Technical skills are not enough on their own. When we were designing the Velodrome roof we had to make it simple to build, well insulated, waterproof and able to cope with any movement and the architects across London were part of our team.

  “We were also working with Chris Hoy and the British cyclists, who said it was important to have a crowd all the way around the track for constant cheering and support. As a cyclist, you don’t want to get to the end of the track, bank round and find it all goes quiet. Different characters and different skills are part of the industry.”

  
  

  Creativity

  Hilary Davies is a process engineer, solving problems at international food producer, Cargill:

  “Learning to think ‘outside the box’, so you can see a problem or solution, is important. It might be something really obvious in front of you or it might be something unrelated that you’ve not even considered. You learn thinking skills on an engineering degree course but it comes more naturally to some people than others.”

  

  Determination

  Steve Large is technology director at POD Point and is a pioneer in the field of electric car charging point manufacturing:

  “You need to be tenacious. Sometimes people will tell you that what you want to do isn’t possible, or that you ‘can’t do it like that’. You shouldn’t let other people’s opinions stop you. Engineers over the last 200 years have been looking for new ways of doing things with new materials and new pieces of technology.”