Being a CEO of any business is not a walk in the park. Leadership is more than just sitting behind a desk all day,  preparing action plans for employee misdemeanors and clocking out at 6. Tenured employees may know all about business operations but tenure is just one of the factors to be considered for a managerial position.

While it takes time to make any one person a leader, there are some born with the qualities inherent in being an effective business leader. Aside from leadership styles, it is the leadership qualities of a CEO, a manager, a supervisor even, which sets a mediocre operation apart from a thriving, successful business.

Let’s take a look at some of the lessons we can learn from the CEO’s of corporate giants who created their own mold of greatness instead of trying to fit into traditional methods in the business industry.

Lesson #1: Practice Prudence

Warren Buffet has received several honors and awards from the public. In fact, just this year, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Aside from his philanthropy and wise investing, he is also known to be prudent in that he cycles to work and only has a single telephone at home. While it isn’t a crime to spend on gadgets, luxury cars and other things that any self-respecting CEO worked hard for, Warren Buffet is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to being humble which shows on how he chooses to spend his well-earned fortune. Humility is a virtue which can easily be taken for granted once you have reached the summit of success.

Lesson #2: Harness the power of innovation

Everybody knows who Steve Jobs is and how Apple Computers rose to where it is now thanks in large part to his dedication and perseverance as its CEO. Companies looking for leadership qualities among its employees should also know that apart from being dedicated and motivated, CEOs should be able to constantly come up with new ideas and new initiatives. These are but two of the lessons we can learn from Steve Jobs. To be top honcho in a consistently changing industry, one has to be competitive and move ahead with new projects, new products and new services that are aligned with the company’s motto and objectives.

Lesson #3: Have the tenacity to keep going

Setbacks are, unfortunately, a fact of life and business leaders aren’t immune to them. One minute, your company may be the best in the field but nobody really knows what happens next. Whether minor or major, setbacks can unmotivate even the best leaders anywhere in the world. However, it should never be an impediment to growth. Walt Disney has suffered many setbacks throughout his long career but that didn’t stop him from moving forward. Persistence amidst trials and obstacles is one of the defining traits of great business leaders.

There are many leadership traits which companies look for as they consider which person is best suited to be a CEO. In my opinion, not all leaders are born. Great leaders are the way they are because they are not afraid to take risks and they do not lose sight of what is important: a strong sense of ethics and integrity.