What is the single most important leadership quality

What is the single most important leadership qualityWhat is the single most important leadership qualityWhen people talk about leadership qualities, they often mention self-awareness, empathy, and social skills - traits associated with emotional intelligence.But does the data really support that? Throughout your life, how many of the leaders youve worked for actually had those qualities?There are just as many power-seeking, narcissistic, political-maneuvering experts who rise through the ranks.So, do leaders need to be an introvert, an extrovert, or something else entirely? It really boils down to one thing.The most important quality is convictionNot the blind, zealous conviction of an ideologue, but conviction born out of analysis and examination. Everyone wants a leader who can analyze a situation, pick a direction, and communicate it.Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.There ar e a few reasons for thatPeople are really just looking for a point of viewMost people are analysts. They can examine a situation, develop a list of the pros and cons, and explain it to you carefully.But they wont tell you what to do next.I used to be this way as well. Im a very analytical person, and I always thought my best skill was analyzing and presenting information. I could tell you all the nuances and details of every situation. I knew the ins and outs of many different disciplines, and I could explain them well. I took pride in being faster with Excel than anyone else around by knowing 50 different Excel keyboard shortcuts- without having to andeutung a mouse even once.Thats not what people need, though.People dont necessarily need all the details. After a while, they trust youve done the background work thats required to make a decision. The question they need answered briefly is, What do we do, and why?Being able to present information clearly is a good skill to have. But having a point of view and conviction about the next steps is much mora valuable. The future is volatile and uncertain. Those who can point out a direction have a rare and valuable skill.People avoid having a point of view because its riskyWhen you take a stance on an issue, there are really only two outcomes youre right or youre wrong. There are shades of grey between the two, but people will always remember one extreme.I know, because Ive been wrong before. After I got my MBA, I was working in business development for a pharma company. I wasnt a discovery scientist, but I started a drug discovery project. It was something I believed in, and I convinced people there was an opportunity there.It didnt work out.Its tough when something you push for ends in failure. This fail didnt feel great, but I tried not to beat myself up for too long. The project actually turned out to be valuable later on, and it had an indirect flosse in helping another project move forward.The truth is, theres inherent risk in conviction. If you do turn out to be wrong, there may be consequences. And once you develop a point of view, people will attack it. Some people will vigorously dispute your stance, and youll be forced to defend yourself and your position.Consistently taking a point of view means youre going to be wrong at some point. The thing is, youre going to be right in a big way sometimes.You have to subject yourself to criticism if you want to accomplish anythingWhen we take risks, failure is possible. But so is success. Its not the number of times youre wrong that matters- its the magnitude of the upside that matters. Maybe the company develops a new drug. Maybe you get promoted. Or perhaps you just feel good about accomplishing something you pushed for.Whatever the case, you cant succeed if you never put yourself out there.Theres nothing inherently wrong with being an analyst, but leaders have to take a stance at some point. And as you start to do it more often, youll begin to hone your decision-making skills. After you fail, youll adjust. Youll be a little sharper the next time around.Yes, youll still fail from time to time, but you may also have some spectacular successes.So, try to worry less about your personal strengths and limitations, and get in the habit of taking a stance on issues. Being able to communicate your conviction advances what youre trying to do just as much as- if not more than- your personal characteristics.This post was originally published on Quora.