"It may seem counterintuitive, but the way to achieve success is to make the people around you successful, says Fred Halstead, author of Leadership Skills that Inspire Incredible Results. “It’s not particularly intuitive; in our society we believe in ‘me first,'” he says."

"To help others succeed you have to become good at listening. Listening is more than simply hearing what someone has to say. You also need to be thinking how you can help the other person achieve the best results by carefully considering their words and asking thoughtful questions, says Halstead [photo, left].

“'If you just hear the words without hearing what the person actually intends to say, you will miss the opportunity to gain the essential clarity and results you seek,' he says."