What is leadership? According to J. Richard Hackman, the best way to understand leadership is to view leadership, not as a direct impact on success, but first focus on the definition of success. This article describes a variety of leadership traits that may fit different circumstances differently. What do you believe are the key essential characteristics of a leader? Does a leader get things done ("cause and effect"), does she motivate or does he steer the organization toward bottom-up solutions and answers? Share your perspective after having read, "What is this thing called leadership from an article called Burts Bees: balancing growth and sustainability.