Attributes
of
SuperAttainers
It is said that creative geniuses are at their most creative when
writing their own biographies. Great leaders are a
particularly creative group in this regard because, in addition to
ample self-pride, they usually have the resources to pay for
self-flattery and lots of adoring fans to carry it
out.
An
entire industry of "leadership experts" has evolved to
provide this well-heeled market with what it wants to hear.
Common attributes of great leadership described by such sources virtually always include
such boy-scout pledges as: Put Duty Before Self, Maintain Absolute Integrity,
Lead From the Front, Take Care of Your People, and so on.
Such
pronouncements are stated by (and for) great leaders mainly because this
is the behaviour they desire from their followers. It is not
always because they follow it themselves. Research into the backgrounds and histories
of great leaders clearly displays this fact.
Real
leaders can often be more like Winston Churchill, a former leader
of Great Britain during the Second World War. In the
heat of battle and while average British people suffered great
hardships for their gallant nation, Winston bellowed, "I
have nothing to offer but
blood, toil and sweat," and, "This
is no time for ease and comfort. It is the time to dare and
endure."
All the
while, he continued his
devotion to the high-life, consuming vast quantities of the
world's most expensive alcohol and tobacco products. He was
literally without booze from the moment he woke
until he went to sleep -- typically in a drunken stupor.
In
front of the microphone, the valiant Churchill roared, "Never...Never...Never...Never
Give Up!"
As for himself, he had detailed plans of running away to Canada if the Germans
ever got the upper hand.
That
is not to say that all supposed great leaders are blowhards.
But, in assessing people for superior ability, it is clear that attributes
need to be based on proven research into detailed
biographies rather than descriptions by the
leaders themselves or their pliable followers.
The
8 attributes of SuperAttainers listed below are the
most common and easiest to identify when accompanied by other
aspects of career success.
LEADING
INDICATORS OF SUPERATTAINERS
1. Early Success
The Early Bird Gets the Worm…and Everything Else
SuperAttainers usually begin doing amazing things early in their life.
In fields like music and sport, it has long been known that for people to develop greatness,
they need to begin around age 3 and then work at
it for many years. In business and politics, unusual ability is also
recognized early in a SuperAttainer’s career and is followed with many
years of continued achievement. In the greatness game, it is the rabbit
who wins the race -- as long as he also persists like the tortoise.
2. Contrarian
When in Rome, Don’t Do As the Romans
SuperAttainers generally think of themselves as different and apart
from other people. They can often be described as rebellious and
disobedient by those who try to rule over them and are never willing
crowd followers. Tremendous success seems to require doing things
tremendously different from others. It seems that doing things a little
better will yield results that are only a little better than others and
this is not what SuperAttainers are interested in.
3. Conceited
The Pride Before The Rise
In order for someone to be thought of as great in the minds of others,
he must first be thought of as great in his own mind. The tremendous
achievements of SuperAttainers seem to be merely a realization in the
outer world of what is already in their inner world. Predictably, it is
uncommon for such people to be overly shy about describing their
abundant abilities. Many SuperAttainers have come to recognize that
being known as arrogant does not help their purpose and they do a good
job of appearing modest. However, a bit of digging into their
personality should uncover a deep feeling of self-significance.
4. Hard-Knocked
Nothing Succeeds Like Suffering
SuperAttainers have often experienced traumatic periods when their
careers or even their lives were in great peril. It is during these
times that they gain a deep seated feeling of personal vulnerability
that can stay with them for the rest of their lives. The advantage to
the future SuperAttainer is that they become consumed by the
realization that they must accomplish all they can while they have the
chance because it can all come crashing down at any time. It is a
psychological condition that will drive them forward for much of
their lives.
5. Loner
One is Company, Two is a Crowd
SuperAttainers are often described by others as dreamers, outsiders,
cold-hearted and similar labels often given to loners. They are
comfortable spending long periods in the company of themselves to
ponder, learn and envisage the future. Many develop a love of solitary
activities such as book-reading early in their life. They are not
usually enthusiastic participants in team activities except when they
are leading the group.
6. Mentored
& Motivated
Behind Every Great Man are His Parents
Parents often play
the key role in the cultivation and realization of SuperAttainers;
spending immense amounts of time and money to give their offspring
the skills, experiences and relationships required for immense
amounts of success. They tutor baby SuperAttainers from the crib,
send them to the best schools and put them in touch with the best
mentors. It has been shown that mothers, in particular, can play a
strong role if they are supremely confident in their sons' innate
abilities and then take devoted and continuing action to develop
them.
7. Discontent
Patience is No Virtue
SuperAttainers have an abnormally intense need for continuous
accomplishment. Success does not bring these people a sense of inner
peace. There is always someone else to overtake or a higher target to
aspire to. They are impatient, dissatisfied and edgy when not engaged
in activities that lead to the fulfilment of their personal goals.
They seem psychologically unstable in this regard compared with most
people.
8. Promoted
Self-Flattery Gets You Everywhere
There have been many great people who have lived and died in the
history of our species but nobody knows most of them because their
achievements were inadequately documented. In order to be thought of as
a great success by large numbers of people, someone needs to be a great
success at publicizing the SuperAttainer. In most instances, it is the
SuperAttainer himself who is a great self-promoter. In other cases,
another talented person takes on the critically important
role.
TWO
TYPES OF SUPERATTAINERS
1. Aristocratic SuperAttainers
Pampered and pompous, these people excel despite having been given it
all. They grow up with all the best things, attend the best schools and
hobnob with the best minds. Because they are so deeply bonded to a
powerful and privileged elite, they are often conservative and elitist.
Real change seldom happens with these people in charge. On the plus
side, they are less likely to lead themselves and their followers down
paths of mutual destruction. Examples of Aristocratic SuperAttainers
include: Winston Churchill, Peter the Great, Louis XIV and Frederick
the Great.
2. Come-From-Nothing
SuperAttainers
Rags to riches, these people pull themselves up to greatness through
tremendous obstacles. Luck plays a role but most of their success is
due to relentless force of character. Since they come from outside the
establishment, they can be great agents of change. Unfortunately, they
are prone to crash and burning when they inevitably overstretch
themselves and their supporters. Examples of Come-From-Nothing
SuperAttainers include: Napoleon Bonaparte, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini
and Ferdinand Marcos.
Hiring
Leaders
Download
this e-book to learn all you need to know to
get the best people on your bus
and drive it to greatness.
A global manager's failsafe
guide to dominating any industry
by employing its dominant
people.
DOWNLOAD Hiring
Leaders now!
New sections are being added so
check back regularly.
Send your comments and
suggestions to
hiringleaders@chalre.com
Executive Search
& Management Consulting:
Chalre
Associates provides its Executive Search and Recruiting services throughout the emerging countries of the Asia Pacific
region with specific focus on Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos.
We are
proactive and well known in our sectors of focus. Regional
Managers use us to help bridge the gap between local environments and
the world-class requirements of multinational corporations.
C
o n t a c t U s
+ 632 822 4129
leaders@chalre.com
Asia
CEO Forum
Asia
CEO Forum presented by PLDT ALPHA Enterprise is the largest
regular business event in Philippines and considered one of the
most important in the Southeast Asia region. The forum serves as a
hub for the spreading of ideas that help executive managers
overseeing enterprises across the Asia Pacific region.
Attendees are both expatriate and Asian management personnel
overseeing multinational and regional organizations. Held in
Philippines, presenters are leaders in their industries and
engaged in momentous pursuits of significance to the entire
region.
Asia
CEO Forum is operated as a CSR (Corporate Social
Responsibility) activity of Chalre Associates, one of Southeast
Asia's most prominent senior management executive search firms, to
promote Philippines as a premier business destination in the Asia
region.
Click
Here to go to Asia
CEO Forum now!
Asia
CEO Awards
Asia
CEO Awards presented by Aseana City represents the
grandest alliance of local and international business people ever
created to promote Philippines on the world stage. As one of the
largest events of its kind in the Asia Pacific region, it is
considered a must-attend occasion for business leaders active in
Southeast Asia.
The star-studded Board of Judges of Asia CEO Awards give
away 10 awards to many of the most accomplished leadership teams
and individuals currently operating in Philippines and the region.
The awards recognize extraordinary leaders who have demonstrated
outstanding achievement for their organizations and contributions
to others.
As one of the fastest growing nations on the planet, the world's
business leaders have their eyes on Philippines like never before.
The annual gala was established as a natural outgrowth of Asia
CEO Forum, the largest regular networking event for the
business community in Philippines.
Click
Here
to go to Asia
CEO Awards now!
SPECIAL DOWNLOADS:
Media organizations
throughout the world call upon the Principals of Chalre Associates for thought leadership.
Below are some examples of published material written by our
consultants or international journalists who refer to them. For a complete list of published work,
Click Here.
Getting Ready For The
Deluge: Outsourcing in Philippines
by
Chalre Associates senior staff
Download
[PDF
file, 62KB]
The
Economist Intelligence Unit of the Economist magazine
asked Chalre Associates' Chairman, Richard Mills,
to write a chapter about the Philippine outsourcing sector
in its annual Business Guide Book. The material
provides a Executive Briefing on the progress and major
issues facing this industry that is certainly one of most
significant growth stories in the world.
more
Asia Pacific Mining
Conference 2007 - Report
by
Chalre Associates senior staff
Download
[PDF
file, 28KB]
The 7th Asia Pacific Mining Conference put on by the Asean
Federation of Mining Associations was perhaps the largest
such event in the region. Richard Mills, Chairman of Chalre Associates
gave this report on what was said by the prominent mining
people who presented.
more
The
State of BPO in Philippines: Dan Reyes Speaks
by
Chalre Associates senior staff
Download
[PDF
file, 31KB]
Richard
Mills, Chairman of Chalre Associates,
interviewed Dan Reyes of Sitel for ComputerWorld (US) recently to get
his views on the state of the BPO industry in Philippines. Dan
presented US readers with compelling information to support his view
that Philippines is currently seen as the "Number 1" option by global
companies sending BPO work to offshore destinations.
Dan Reyes is easily one of most experienced Business Process
Outsourcing (BPO) managers in the Asia Pacific region and the world. He
is head of the extremely successful Philippine operations of Sitel, the
world's largest call center organization. Among other things, he is a
founder and former president of the Business Processing Association of
the Philippines. more
