During my 21 years in corporate America, I spent thousands of hours observing others. Now, as a coach and consultant, I often get asked what attributes I value most in people — and these five stand out. If you're looking to achieve new levels of happiness of success this year, consider how well you embody the following five attributes. Not only do they drive success in leadership, but they drive success in life.

If you've ever had the privilege to work for a good leader, you've probably noticed that they have their people's best interests in mind. In other words, they genuinely care about the success of their people -- including their career goals and aspirations. It is counterintuitive for most bosses to naturally gravitate toward caring and serving the needs of others due to competing demands, including pressures to meet their own performance expectations.