My Dear  friend Mariam

First of all,  thank you for nice and delicate question, 

in my opinion many factors , but I only mention some of them: 

• virtues: 

Honesty, Flexibility, 

Integrity, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE IN HUMAN RESOURCES, 

Courageousness, have proper  communication skills, TRUSTWORTHY, 

Intelligence, Education and Common Sense, 

Emotionally Open, IMPARTIAL AND OBJECTIVE, 

Kindness., Work Ethic, 

Self-Confidence., 

Discipline, have spiritual teachers,  mentors or even partners,.........

Best regards, parisa

Just be a pure person.

Hi dear 

I think that just to be reconciled with him/herself .

Liqaa 

I think he or she should be truthful and transparent to his or heart. He or she should work based on what his or her heart speaks.

What makes a great man/woman?

A person that can thrive in a relational environment with others which includes: love others as himself / herself, think win-win, capable to contribute benefits to others cognitively, emotionally & physically etc.

I think struggle in life also plays important role in making great man/woman.

To be willing to listen.

Ethics

The GREATNESS  of  his/her  FRIENDS

The diversity of the opinions of the colleagues has a lot of merit. To me, first of all, respect.

Dear Aristidis Matsoukis

What a nice reply, You are very wise and thank you for the fantastic answer!

Best regards

Dear Han Ping Fung

many thanks for your main points : 

A person that can thrive in a relational environment with others which includes: love others as himself / herself, think win-win, capable to contribute benefits to others cognitively, emotionally & physically

 Best regards

Science and ethics

My Dear Friend Parisa,

The pleasure is mine, sincerely.  Thank you for starting this Q & A with a highly informative and comprehensive feedback.

One of the successful factor that makes a person great agreeably as you mention is virtue. But before that, allow me to rearrange your input (IN BOLD) to simplify my reply and expand your points (IN ITALICS).

Virtue alone comes in many form and places - implicit and explicit

a. THE PERSON - He / She has to minimally developed, already acquired or innately attained these quality traits 

- Honesty - a yes-yes character to start with

- Integrity -  the soundness of moral character (Dictionary.com, 2017)

- TRUSTWORTHY - someone who could be relied upon in time of need or otherwise

- IMPARTIAL - not easily swayed by gossips or street-talking

- OBJECTIVE - S.M.A.R.T. approach goal-oriented to achieve success and greatness

- Flexibility - able to "follow the flow of time", not rigid in judgment or decisions

- Self-Confidence - the start point before embarking onto great mission and vision

- Emotionally Open - transparent in time of anger or compliment

- Kindness - when errors are made, to correct and to continue with the S.M.A.R.T. goal

- Courageousness - the will to carry on with the objective and thrive

b. HIS / HER WORK OR EXPERTISE - Success is an effort not a given

- KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE IN HUMAN RESOURCES - useful to have

- Work Ethic - a belief in work as a moral good (Merriam-Webster, 2017).

- Discipline - the will to follow the code of conduct and work ethic strictly

- Proper  communication skills - to limit error(s) when passing messages

c. HIS / HER INTUITION - innate or acquired, a medium deem necessary to attain such greatness though subject to omission by some people, they are important ... still

- Intelligence - either through nature or nurture

- Education - could be formal or hands-on

- Common Sense - the instinct or gut feeling to make the right decision

- Have spiritual teachers - to guide and appease your physical and mental strains

- Mentors - to facilitate your journey and correct any errors to being a great person

- Partners - could be in business, leisure, institutions, organizations; understanding, caring and sharing of work / life burdens, wealth and happiness

With such display of great virtue, few people could fully achieve such greatness in his/her life. Yet, it is not impossible to be one too. Fret not what you become, JUST DO YOUR BEST. You may not be the great person to the world. The least you could be is the best in your trade or profession even within your small circle of friends, partners and colleagues.

Thank you once again Parisa for an embellished information that take me awhile to respond. Nevertheless it is useful enough thus paving a way for us to be better person(s), if not great (of course it's great to be GREAT).

I do appreciate your kind contributions.

Thank you and best regards from Singapore.

Mariam

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/integrity

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/work%20ethic

Dear Emad,

A pure person or what makes a person truly genuine (Hall, 2014)? That is one way of being a great person.

As Hall puts it, there are 6 signs of being pure or genuine.

They are 1) High self-esteem 2) Embrace vulnerability 3) Share your true thoughts, beliefs and opinions with the world 4) Openly give and receive compliments 5) Really listen — and prefer deep conversations 6) Driven by an inner voice rather than your surroundings (Hall, 2014).

All the signs make up the purest of your heart and makes you a great person in your own way.

Thank you for your kind feedback.

Best regards.

Mariam

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/29/genuine-people-traits-authenticity_n_5614238.html

Wide approach and sensitivity towards common issues, makes a person great.

Dear friend Mariam

How great you analyze all points of my functions, many thanks and appreciate it, I admire your last words: of course it's great to be GREAT!

Please accept my warmest regard from Iran to you Mariam the great friend in Singapore>

Best regards

Parisa 

Dear Liqaa,

Thank you for your kind feedback.

I do agree with you that self-reconciliation is a way to being great. It releases us of any bogging burdens that we may have thus making us lighter to move about, literally, not worrying the least about the regrettable past we leave behind. Neither would we be bothered about what we could not undone suffice to refrain from doing the same mistakes repeatedly in the future. The present, at the moment matters though the future is part of the planning. But a self-enlightenment is the way to move forward to a new great life.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Anirbid,

Like Emad suggested, this is another extra way of attaining such greatness. Be truthful, transparent and follow your heart. Nicely put and the way to go.

Thank you and best regards.

Mariam

Dear Ping Fung,

I do agree with Parisa on these different perspectives that you gave.

That it is more on our relational environment with others that could also elevate us into being a great person of our time.

Love, winning thoughts, cognitive contributions, all form of supports are indeed a great concoction of being great.

Thank you for you great feedback, Sir.

Best regards.

Mariam

His/her virtues in the facts.

Dear Arvind,

Thank you for your kind feedback.

Indeed struggle in life is crucial too.

Looking back at Sundar Pichai, Google CEO Inc. Though coming from middle-class society, the family is not rich (Roberts, 2015). They did not own a phone until he was 12 (The Famous People, 2017). Not because they were poor ironically but they have even to scrimp humbly even for computer (Roberts, 2015).

Now he is not only a rich and famous person but a great man to exemplify or role-modeled.

Best regards.

Mariam

http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/sundar-pichai-6439.php

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3195384/Pictured-painfully-shy-nerdy-Indian-schoolboy-spectacular-rise-150million-king-Google.html

Dear Tammy,

Richard Branson is a great person then and now owing to his father's advice on the willingness to listen more than talking (Branson, 2017). It has been proven that this attribute does make one a great person. Your feedback is aptly proven here.

Thank you for your intuitive feedback.

Best regards.

Mariam

https://twitter.com/richardbranson

Dear Daud,

Ethics does play a part in being a great man/woman. Actually it is a recipe of an upright successful person. By whose standard? By the great person himself, if not others.

Thank you and best regards.

Mariam

Dear Leonid,

The greatness of his/her friends come in handy too. It is such relationship that motivates one to rise together with the great person. A positive approach to being great, actually.

Thank you for your pointer and best regards.

Mariam

Dear Aristidis,

True indeed, the colleagues opinions are relevant and deserve such merit and mention.

Respect is utmost especially so because one cannot be great if he has no self-respect excluding disrespectful Trump (Hatton, 2017).

Thank you for your kind feedback.

Best regards.

Mariam

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/1/22/1623604/-CIA-officers-Trump-speech-was-disrespectful

Be true to yourself and to the Lord almighty.

Are you asking for a published materiel perspective or an individual's perception? 

Greatness is not the same a being publicly acclaimed. Greatness, to me, arises from dealing with the situtaion life gives us and caring about others.  So someone born with multiple disabilities eg. Helen Keller is great because s/he dealt with them and created a meaningful life, aware and open to others.  Someone who has been raped or tortured or born into grinding poverty is great if despite these difficulties they choose to live ... try to create a positive existence and do for others [be that other persons or animals or even plants.]. Eg. Jane Goodall is great for what she has done for/with chimps, someone with PTD is great if they create a meaningful life despite their limiitations.  

All those who do not do to others what they do not like others to do to them are great.

I share the answers of all colleagues with the addition that a great man / woman has no prejudices of any kind.

Many others have extolled virtues that seem common to Great men or women. I would like to suggest that the defining virtue for greatness is not common at all. It is a vision that others cannot or do not have, in context to a situation and a commitment to an action knowing the risks and personal costs. Greatness can present itself in spite of personal flaws based on the will of the individual.

Dear Hasanain,

It is good to know science. But to apply it successfully can make one a great person.

Ethics at all touch-point is the essence of being great.

Thank you for your kind feedback.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Prabhat,

Thank you for your kind feedback.

Wide approach and sensitivity towards common issues are not easily tolerable. To be able to apply them is the mark of a great person.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Tariq,

With reference to your feedback -

ETHICS

- this is a necessary component paving way towards making one, a great person

CULTURE

- while the approach(es) may be different but all culture do propagate success as a

PERSONALITY

- good personality is a must-must to make one great but not all great person(s) has/have good personality(ies)

CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDE

- the ability to attune constructive attitude is one of the quality necessary of a great person.

Thank you for your kind feedback.

Best regards.

Mariam

Mahatma Gandhi was a great man.  His early ideas became the core for his philosophy. He was early committed to truthfulness, temperance, chastity, and vegetarianism. According to the Bible being great means serving others. Is it cool to be known?

Greatness is measured by one attaining a well fulfilled life full of accomplishments that brings relief and improves the state of life of the person and more importantly others. A great person whether man or woman is responsible in attending to his/her duties whether family, work etc. In a cluster of his/her achievements, s/he is humble, affable and down-to-earth. S/he is not boastful of his/her achievements and doesn't lodge his/her views over others. A great person is not selfish but assists others to reach his/her attained heights and a great motivator. S/he is patient and understands the limitations of others while gently tapping them through setting short and easily attainable goals till they finally improve the wellbeing of themselves and others through the products of their hardwork.

S/he is said to be great not by himself/herself, as if s/he is blowing his/her own horn but rather the drums of his/her achievements that has and continues to improve the state of life of people is being played in his/her society and/or globally. Thanks

                                       Dickson Adom

Dear Dr. Leonardo cannizzaro

How great  is your additional word, it means a lot!

Best regards

Parisa Ziarati

Dear Sheela,

Indeed be true to yourself and the Lord AlMighty are other approaches towards making one a great person.

The inner soul and the ascension to greatness through our attachment to our Lord are some factors that could steer us towards being great.

Thank you and best regards.

Mariam

Dear Arshad,

I am seeking individual's perception and nothing on published material perspective at all.

It is just a plain daily question as to inspire others on achieving greatness in all possible ways.

Thank you for your kind concern.

Best regards.

Mariam

Honesty (integrity), humility, discipline, selflessness, being considerate, godliness, etc. make a great man/woman.

Dear Mohammad,

"Positivity and honesty for the human" are examples of great qualities that make a great man/woman.

The power of positivity is pervasive if we start to imbue it within ourselves and share it with others.

Honesty is another example why the innate and instilling for other human do make the giver and receiver great people.

Thank you for your great answer.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Kate,

True indeed, greatness is subjective.

Your examples of great people overcoming disabilities or adversities are commendable. And the sharing far more exceeds the true meaning of greatness.

Thank you for your kind feedback.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Najib,

Thank you for your kind feedback.

A popular but simple adage that we could not remove if we want to achieve such greatness in life.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Leonardo and Friend Parisa,

Prejudice or rather the removal of prejudices is the mark of a great man/woman.

Thank you for stating an important quality of being a great person.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear James,

Others share a simple qualities, characters, situational or relational points to make one a great man/woman, 

In your case, including and achieving rare vision with own will at personal costs and flaws are also the characters that one needs to achieve greatness.

Both are not wrong, it is a matter of perspectives and sightings that complement one to the other.

Yours are one aspect of such complementary solution to being a great person.

Thank you for an insightful information.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Beatrice,

Mahatma is indeed one great person. The Bible and most religion do ameliorate greatness by serving others. It is cool to be known to others for being great for as long as it is withing the premise of being a good and exemplary role model. Conversely, it is not cool if such pursuit is for self-aggrandizement and bloated ego thus damaging the concept of greatness totally.

Thank you for another differential view on being a great man/woman.

Best regards.

Mariam

A good man can feel the pain of others. A great man isn't afraid to do what is right, no matter what. WOMAN is happy with herself and her own abilities. She appreciates who she is as an individual, embraces her femininity and is proud to be a woman. A real woman is honest .

Dear Dickson,

Thank you for offering other perspectives on the concept of greatness.

Uplifting own and others life are indeed remarkable. As aforementioned, It comes in the form of humility, dutiful, motivational and being patient towards others shortcomings. Improving others quality of life are all the qualities of being a great man/woman.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Christelle,

The emotional intelligence attribute has not been broached before. It is one of the qualities that could manifest itself as per Roger's condition in making one a great person.

Thank you for suggesting another perspective on being a great person.

Best regards.

Mariam.

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

Please, see....

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

Please, see....

To say in simple HONESTY, HELPING OTHERS WHEN THEY ARE IN NEED.

A man in need is a man indeed (many answers did not check, whether someone answered this kind of quote).

Unique, brave, those who are getting even stronger after bad life experience (situation) etc.

Thank you very much for the unique question as well as unique answers!:-)

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

Please, see....

Dear Hazim,

Thank you for the great quotes from the great men.

They are good references as the foundation of greatness in all great time.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Emeka,

Indeed, good qualities, tolerance and religious piety are more features in becoming great men/women.

Thank you for your insightul feedback.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Mariam

Beside of all excellent ideas from our friends I should add one point:

PURITY!

Dear Ahmed,

Thank you for bringing up different aspects of greatness for different gender.

They are succulent points as reference into transforming a normal person to becoming a great man/woman.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

"The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones."

                                                           ----  Brandon Sanderson

There are many aspects, let us say, to make a good man or woman. To me, most important are: having good manners and ethics, being real human, humble,and cooperative.

Anyone who is caring and helping hand is a true trait of humanity.

Dear Jetty,

Someone has mentioned honesty but not of those helping in need.

This is also another great attribute to being a great person.

Thank you for an added feedback.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Emira,

Thank you for your great feedback.

Being unique and brave in overcoming adversities are traits belonging to those of great people.

They are hard to come by but essential qualities to brand them with such greatness.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Friend Parisa,

Yes - PURITY -  the state of not being mixed with anything else alias racial / ethnic prejudice (Cambridge Dictionary, 2017).

The removal of any labelling, biases, prejudices etc. This is a great element in acquiring greatness that could ascend one onto being a great person.

Thank you for contributing to this question.

Best regards.

Mariam 

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/purity

Dear Hazim,

Thank you for the great quote.

The importance of life priorities is the mark of a great man.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

Please, see....

Woman or man, the great one rules her/his own temper. 

32 Celui qui est tardif à colère, vaut mieux que l'homme fort; et celui qui est le maître de son cœur, vaut mieux que celui qui prend des villes. La Bible David Martin 1744

We have Peter the Great, the TSAR of Russia and later the Russian Empire and Catherine the Great, TSARINE - all the best

Peter the great had many co-rulers and an unhappy wife, who was forced to become a nun. He was over 2 m tall.  After having read about the two Greats' personal lives they do not seem to have been happy people.

32  He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

King James Bible

32 Долготерпеливый лучше храброго, и владеющий собою [лучше] завоевателя города.

Dear Beatrice,

One's temper could create global tempest disaster if left unchecked but on the flip side, it is the one of the mark of a great person.

How aptly so as translated hereunder -

**** Translated ****

32 He who is late in anger is better than a strong man; And he who is master of his heart is better than he who takes cities. The Bible David Martin 1744

**** End of Translation ****

A person who could control / late in his anger is indeed much stronger. And those who could appease his heart could take on any life challengers including but not limiting to that of conquering cities or even countries.

It is one of the quality of a great person and not anybody can reach this level easily.

Thank you for  another view on my question.

Best regards.

Mariam

https://translate.google.com/#auto/en/32%20Celui%20qui%20est%20tardif%20%C3%A0%20col%C3%A8re%2C%20vaut%20mieux%20que%20l'homme%20fort%3B%20et%20celui%20qui%20est%20le%20ma%C3%AEtre%20de%20son%20c%C5%93ur%2C%20vaut%20mieux%20que%20celui%20qui%20prend%20des%20villes.%20La%20Bible%20David%20Martin%201744%20%0A%0AWhat%20makes%20a%20great%20man%2Fwoman%3F.%20Available%20from%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fpost%2FWhat_makes_a_great_man_woman%20%5Baccessed%20Jul%203%2C%202017%5D.

Dear Naeem,

Caring and helping others are great humanity traits indeed.

Thank you for your concise yet useful reply.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Hazim,

A great leader shares his success and your quotation shows it all.

A great leader is one that is willing to share through thick and thin and uplift others' spirit to contribute to any success(es).

Thank you for the word of wisdom.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Marpha,

Thank you for offering great examples of great man(Tsar) and woman(Tsarine) of Russia and the Russian Empire.

They are great people of their own rights.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Beatrice,

Thank you for your kind references and quote.

The sad thing about being great, like other normal people is the joy of being happy. And greatness is not totally about being able to conquer any city (cities) but to conquer his and his significant others emotion and his adversities with all his relations.

**** Translate ****

32 The long-suffering one is better than the brave, and owns the [conqueror] of the conqueror of the city

**** End of Translation ****

Being great is not only about being famous, successful people. The beauty lies herein the fact that one is the master of his.her own destiny and overcoming any implicit or explicit conflicts are indeed a great feat.

Best regards.

Mariam

https://translate.google.com/#auto/en/32%20%D0%94%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%B9%20%D0%BB%D1%83%D1%87%D1%88%D0%B5%20%D1%85%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE%2C%20%D0%B8%20%D0%B2%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B5%D1%8E%D1%89%D0%B8%D0%B9%20%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%8E%20%5B%D0%BB%D1%83%D1%87%D1%88%D0%B5%5D%20%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8F%20%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

Please, see....

A real man/women spends time with his/her family. 

"Because a men who doesn't spends time with his family can never be a real man" - D.V. Coleone, The Godfather

Dear Hazim,

There can never be wrong in being humble. That is already half a battle won. Your quotation says it all about being great.

Thank you and best regards.

Mariam

Dear Arwa,

Yes - there are many ways to make a good man or woman great. 

Being ethical, humble, real and co-operative as you mentioned are the path to such greatness.

Thank you for sharing great insight into becoming great people.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Zijad,

One good aspect of being a great man you bring up, here. Quality family times brings out the best in men and women. This in turn bring up the great quality of being a great person.

Thank you for your insightful feedback.

Best regards.

Mariam

Beside of all my respected colleagues answer I would like to add one thing: 

Doing work which is useful to mankind or making people happy can make you a great person too.

Dear Parisa,

These are the things we miss upon - to do things useful and beneficial to all mankind. Also to make others happy too. All are great aspects that make a person - great.

Thank you for reminding me.

Best regards.

Mariam

What makes the greatness of a man or woman rests on virtuous values

Dear Colleagues,

Good Day,

Please, see....

Hi dear 

Many factors as I think. The main of these is to reconciled with him or herself, humble, has a good intention to all people, be honest. 

Liqaa 

Dear Dr Mariam

Thank you for  for reminding me and all my friends that try to be great person in our life!

Best regards, Parisa

Greetings to all my dear friends

There are many personalities in all countries of the world, we cherish them all regardless of their countries or religions, because they imposed themselves with their great personalities and many proverbs. In our Islamic world, the Prophet Muhammad is the greatest human being and he has all the good morals and the high qualities of the great personality and the Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib Muhammad in his ethics such as humility, honesty and honesty. Imam Hussein sacrificed himself and everything for the sake of a decent life for others, as well as the work of Gandhi made sacrifices for his people. And many others

Dear Fadel,

Being virtuous is one of the greatest asset to being a great person. This has been firstly pointed in details by our dear friend Parissa from Iran.

Thank you all the same and best regards.

Mariam 

Dear Hazim,

Thank you for always citing inspiring quotes about being great.

Best regards, my great colleague.

Mariam.

Dear Liqaa,

Self-awareness, self-respect and being good to one another, humble among all things are greatness in themselves.

Thank you for offering human goodness that makes him/her great.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Dr Parisa,

It is not so much on reminding all about being great but we are already great people in our own way. Sustaining good qualities, characters and good way of life are never easy but the rewards are self-fulfiling apart from achieving social greatness.

Thank you for being with me on this great topic.

Best regards.

Mariam

Dear Sosa,

Greetings to you too.

Indeed there are great religious figures that propounded greatness in their own way. It is good to note that not one but all good religions share the same concept of greatness regardless as to whom quoted first just like Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him), Imam Ali and even Mahatma included.

Thank you for bringing in the spiritual leaders and the aspect of religion to achieve greatness.

Best regards.

Mariam 

Yes Marc,

All man being equal in the eyes of God. No human is superior left those who maintain greatness as his way of life and treat one another as human and not employer/employee, master/servant, King/subjects most of the time. Designation is created to allow those with higher intellectual plane to share with the lesser ones and it is this creation that makes him/her great in the eyes of mankind.

Thank you for your kind feedback on humanity aspect of being great.

Best regards.

Mariam

It is your patience and deep understanding to cope with different personalities and situations makes you a great person (man/woman).

Dickson Adom

Dear Dickson,

Yes - that patience and deep understanding nature go very far towards making one great.

Thank you for your great feedback and best regards.

Mariam