Dec 22, 2016 10:26 AM EST By Audri Taylors, UniversityHerald Reporter

Most of the business leaders would say that personality is what sets great employees apart from the average ones. There are really traits that are not recognized as definite skill sets during performance appraisals but contribute largely to the overall success and performance of the company.

Leaders and managers also play an important role when it comes to harnessing their employees' personality characteristics to make them exceptional. Here are the tips in spotting workers that are exceptional in their workplace.

They do beyond their role and are proactive

Exceptional employees do not wait to be asked. If something needs to be done even if it's not part of their job description, they just jump right in especially when they know how to resolve a problem.

They know how balance fun and work

Exceptional employees know exactly when to be serious about work and when to inject some fun. It's a bit difficult to strike that balance but they know how to do it so well. They also know how to express their individuality and when to blend in work with the team.

They don't hold compliments back

Compliments, praises and appreciations feel good. You feel good when your boss recognize your hard work and exceptional employees do the same for their peers. They acknowledge their contributions and let them know how they are appreciated.

They're not afraid of asking questions

Exceptional employees do not feel hesitant to speak up when they need to. They are confident to raise questions and issues in meetings so long as their concerns are relevant.

They know how to keep their focus

Exceptional employees know how to keep their eye on the goal. No matter the problem, they don't easily get distracted and maintain their focus on what they need to achieve. They can isolate the problem from the background noise and just focus on what matters.

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