What behavioral traits make people more likely to succeed in life? originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.

There is no shortage of thought around the behavioral traits that allow people to be successful in life. To me, there are some very basic behaviors (value system, work ethic, positivity, grit, kindness, generosity, gratitude for ourselves and others) that I believe are fundamentals. But, the real answer lies in the definition of success. And, each of us has our own unique definition.

One of the most powerful moments in my leadership was when my largest client toured our office and the new Clarity Institute. He was blown away by the creativity, detail, and meaning in every element. However, he was visibly disturbed by a wall that displayed the message: “The only line we care about is our client’s growing bottom line.” I was shocked at his response because of the multimillion-dollar turnaround we helped him to spearhead. But when asked, he replied, “how about the number of moms and dads you ensure go home at night because of our safe practices, how about the decrease in suicides, how about the increase in happy employees?” Lesson learned – his priorities and definition were clear. Once I was able to understand his definition, then the behavioral traits become clearer too.

When we help people work through transitions in their lives and work, we employ a set of 13 behavioral traits or competencies that we believe leaders (leaders of their own lives or as leaders of their companies) must work to evaluate, understand and improve.

1. Inspiring others

2. Thinking strategically

3. Leading change

4. Learning from experience

5. Navigating ambiguity

6. Demonstrating courage and grit

7. Displaying interpersonal savvy

8. Being mindful

9. Displaying creativity

10. Building relationships

11. Recognizing potential

12. Communicating effectively

And, finally, the 13th behavioral competency is positivity.

While there are robust definitions and behavioral examples that help leaders understand each competency, I want to briefly focus on number 13 – positivity. To many, it appears soft and fuzzy. But positivity is one of the most important catalysts for profitability, it is a key driver for health and well-being of a leader or company, and it is the glue that binds us to our desired future state. We measure positivity in leaders and companies through the Positivity Quotient, which is a key indicator of a leader’s or an organization’s ability to achieve their goals in a timely manner.

Just like anything that is worth having in life, these behaviors are things that must be understood, constantly evaluated and worked on. In our Deutser Clarity Institute, we bring each of these to life through wildly imaginative exercises and creative spaces so that an individual, leader or team has the freedom and safety to explore the boundaries of each. Whether at the Institute, at the office or at home, take time to think about these and the behavioral competencies that define and drive you!

This question originally appeared on Quora. More questions on Quora:

* Organizational Culture: What are the most common things that hold people back from organizational clarity?

* Companies: What are exercises that can foster positive attitudes and increased motivation within companies?

* Employees: How does design impact performance?

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