So while I'm hesitant to think that I've already reached a stage of my life where I can dispense pearls of wisdom based on my own experiences, there is perhaps some merit in sharing what I've observed from 7 years of working at some really great places.
I've had the chance to work along side some truly smart people, but I have to say, in many companies today, intellectual capacity as a currency is so widely available. It is who you are as a person that differentiates you from the long line of Harvard/Stanford/Wharton/INSEAD/name your fancy school MBAs. There are a couple of things I've observed consistently in people whom I would classify as some of the best I've worked with. These are also qualities I've tried to cultivate, and if asked by younger friends, would encourage them to nurture as well.
1. Grit
Develop it at a young age. When you have the luxury of youth, develop a wide range of interests.
Develop the capacity to practice and be dedicated to something
Learn to cope with failure. To paraphrase J.K. Rowling: The caprices of life will hit you somehow, somewhere down the life. And if it doesn't, you have lived so cautiously as to fail by default.
2. Empathy
Having had the opportunity to work along side some of the very brightest minds, my repeated conclusion is that there is a long line of very smart and intelligent people out in the world. But those who stand head and shoulders above the crowd are people who are able to deeply put themselves in the shoes of others. This manifests in many ways - being a better communicator because you can identify with and relate to your audience; being a better problem solver because you can understand other people's issues more deeply; being a better project manager because you can better align everyone along a common goal.
3. Be Humble
There is an old saying that having humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. This can mean many things.
Intellectual humility - propels you to always be hungry in your curiosity, it helps you open to listening to other people's ideas and feedback.
Humility also helps you to be a better team player, since you're not always thinking of things in a self-serving manner, but more focused on the collective success of the team. I would say I've worked with a few people who were very sharp and quick, but because they lacked humility, they were never great to work with.
So that's it, the Top 3 characteristics that I think are needed to succeed not only at work, but life in general. Do you have your own list? Email me with your thoughts!
