Common sense—This is the most prevalent quality possessed by our respondents. Seventy-nine percent award themselves a top score in this category. And 61 percent say that common sense was very important in contributing to their success.
To most, common sense means the ability to render sound, practical judgments on everyday affairs. To do this, one has to sweep aside extraneous ideas and get right to the core of what matters. A Texas oil and gas magnate puts it this way: "The key ability for success is simplifying. In conducting meetings and dealing with industry regulators, reducing a complex problem to the simplest terms is highly important."