What does it take to be a successful leader?

What is it that makes a good boss stand out from the crowd? In this article, management expert Steve Bourne asks today's successful chief executives what advice they would give to would-be bosses.

For Indian property developer, Anit Kumar, employing staff who are motivated is important, while Goldroom Hotels CEO Albert Court says having a clear business idea is key.

Meanwhile, Hiroyuki Moto of energy supplier Upgen says executives should make sure that they learn from their competition and do it better.

Paula Murdock, CEO of the publishing company Polar, believes the most successful companies begin with a great leader who regularly asks herself, "Why?"

I asked Matt Jenkins of the multinational gaming company Avensis how his company trains so many clever minds. His response was that they encourage their employees to use their creative skills.

The traditional way of thinking about a good leader would be that they deliver profits and keep people who work for them happy. However, for the people I interviewed, the job of chief executive is much more complicated than that. The clearest answer I got on what makes a good leader came from Sharon Cartwright, CEO of Global Bank in Singapore. She said it's all about knowing your industry but having the ability to lead people who know more than you.