Examining Traits Consistently Linked to Leadership Effectiveness It's impossible to admire, appreciate, or approve of leadership effective if we cannot assimilate what makes a leader effective. For this reason, understanding what effective leadership is must be viewed through the characteristics of a successful leader. As stated by Gary Yuki (2012), leadership is a topic that has long attracted societal interest. The word leader refers to the phantasmagorias of powerful, driven individuals who lead triumphant armies, direct corporate empires, or influence the direction of nations (Yukl, 2012). One such leader this author believes exhibits such traits is Sir Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin. Sir Richard Branson is the founder and chairman of the Virgin Group. Sir Branson owns various businesses, totaling over four hundred (Martin, 2012). His net worth in 2012 was $4.2 billion. Sir Branson's business activities range from airlines, telecommunications, cosmetics, space exploration and other ventures (Martin, 2012). Sir Branson's success is based on several unique qualities such as his concept of customer service; in which he declares “Saying yes is fun” (Martin, 2012). Sir Branson believed that success could not be achieved by saying "no" to new projects; he believed that one should be bold when embarking on new projects and respond to the desires of clients (Martin, 2012). Additionally, Sir Branson frequently challenges the conventional perception and finds a way to say yes when other companies say no (Martin, 2012). Branson believes that customer service should not be a gatekeeper, but rather a concierge for customers, helping and taking care of their needs, which indicates his lead...... middle of paper ......ttp ://dx. doi.org/10.2478/orga-2013-0020Hoffman, BJ, Bynum, BH, Piccolo, RF, & Sutton, AW (2011). PERSON-ORGANIZATION VALUES CONGRUENCE: HOW TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS INFLUENCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF WORK GROUPS. Journal of the Academy of Management, 54(4), 779-796. doi:10.5465/AMJ.2011.64870139Hughes, R., Ginnett, R., & Curphy, G. (2012). Leadership: valuing the lessons of experience (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Martins, F. (2012). 7 Customer Service Rules from Virgin CEO Richard Branson. Retrieved from http://www.business2community.comTaylor, D. (2009). The man behind the brand: When the brand personality is defined by a person. Central Penn Business Journal, 25(25), 11. Yukl, G. (2012). Effective leadership behavior: What we know and what issues need more attention. Academy of Management Perspectives, 26(4), 66-85. doi:10.5465/amp.2012.0088