Being a good leader takes work. It is not hard at all to 32 ______ the difference between a good and a bad boss. Exceptional leaders – those who are respected and 33 ______ by their team – have a lot of secret skills that they put to use every day.

Firstly, building relationships – both with your team and your partners – is crucial in leading a team. That means your success depends greatly 34 ______ interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our emotions, as well as understand the emotions of others. It’s a part of how we navigate social situations and then make decisions to 35 ______ goals. Several studies have found that a strong emotional intelligence is a top factor for a leader’s success. 36 ______ to the research, managers with the strongest emotional intelligence were much more likely to succeed.

Exceptional leaders are ones who regularly 37 ______ employees of the main goal. A team needs to know what they’re marching toward. With a larger vision in mind, their day-to-day work has more purpose.

Great leaders 38 ______ sure their daily behavior is a model for their team. They’re reliable (meaning they always follow through on what they’ve promised), they respect people’s time (meaning they don’t make others wait unnecessarily), and they retain a thoughtful, objective approach to problems or issues.