Identifying
SuperAttainers
The
SuperAttainment Research Center is funding a multi-year study of high achieving individuals across a great variety of fields and geographies. The purpose is to determine key attributes indicating an propensity toward superior achievement that can be recognized by most people with experience managing other people.
The work is ongoing and is being expanded continuously.
The
SuperAttainment Research Center is an initiative to help people
in management positions identify high potential leaders and channel
them toward meaningful contributions to their organizations and to
society at large.
The
8 attributes of SuperAttainers listed below are considered some of
the
most common and easiest to identify when accompanied by other
aspects of career success.
8
Attributes 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
understood that for a child to have a chance at greatness, he needs 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 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.
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 to greatness for
the rest 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 son's 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 fulfillment 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 SuperAttainers
themselves who are great self-promoters. 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: Joseph Stalin,
Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Mao Zedong.
Rules
for Managers
Rules
for Self-Help
Rules
for Parents
Men
Vs. Women
The
SuperAttainment Research Center is operated as a CSR
(Corporate Social Responsibility) activity of Chalre
Associates Executive Search to help business people identify and
develop future leaders for their organizations and society at
large.
Chalre
Associates is a regional provider of Executive Search services
in the emerging countries of the Asia Pacific region.
Multinational companies use them to bridge the gap between the local
environment and their world-class requirements in countries like
Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
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Leader of Byzantine Empire:
Basil
II
Main
Life Accomplishments:
He
led the Byzantine Empire to its greatest heights in nearly five centuries.
However, he left no worthy heir and most of his achievements were undone
by a long line of weak successors.
Basics:
Born: 958
Died: 15 December 1025
Nationality: Roman
Religion:
Fields: Politics, Military
Main Accomplishments: The reign of Basil II, widely
acknowledged to be one of the outstanding Byzantine emperors, admirably
illustrates the strength of the Byzantine system of government. His
forceful personality made enemies and friends to acknowledge him as sole
ruler.
Chronology
of Life Events:
958
Born
976
Basil
II becomes Eastern Roman Emperor, see Byzantine Emperors.
988
Vladimir
I, Prince of Kiev marries Anna, sister of Byzantine
emperor Basil II and converts to Christianity . Baptism of
Kievan Rus'.
995
Basil
II lift the siege of Aleppo by mounting his entire army and
transferring it across Anatollah in sixteen days.
1002
All-out
war breaks out between Byzantine Emperor Basil II and
Bulgarian Tsar Samuil.
1014
Battle
of Kleidion: Basil II inflicts not only a decisive defeat on the Bulgarian
army, but his subsequent savage treatment of 15,000 prisoners reportedly
causes Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria to die of shock, and earns Basil II the
title 'Voulgaroktonos' (Bulgar-slayer).
1025
Died
Early
Life:
Basil
was the son of Emperor Romanos II by Theophano, whose family was of
Armenian descent. In 960, he was associated on the throne by his father,
but the latter died in 963, when Basil was only five years old. Because he
and his brother, the future Emperor Constantine VIII (ruled 1025–1028),
were too young to reign in their own right, Basil's mother Theophano
married one of Romanos' leading generals, who took the throne as the
Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas several months later in 963. Nikephoros was
murdered in 969, only to be succeeded by another general, who became
Emperor John I Tzimisces and reigned for seven years. Finally, when John
died on January 10, 976, Basil II took the throne as senior emperor.
Father
Background:
Romanos
II was a son of Emperor Constantine VII and Helena Lekapene, the daughter
of Emperor Romanos I and his wife Theodora. Named after his maternal
grandfather, Romanos was married, as a child, to Bertha, the illegitimate
daughter of Hugh of Arles, King of Italy. On April 6, 945, after the fall
of the Lekapenoi, Constantine VII associated his son Romanos on the
throne. With Hugh out of power in Italy and dead by 947, and Bertha
herself dead in 949, Romanos secured the promise from his father that he
would be allowed to select his own bride. Romanos' choice fell on an
innkeeper's daughter named Anastaso, whom he married in 956 and renamed
Theophano.
In November 959 Romanos II succeeded his father on the throne, among
rumors that he or his wife had sped up the end of Constantine VII by
poison. Romanos carried out a virtual purge of his father's courtiers and
replaced them with his own friends and those of his wife. Among the
persons removed from court were the Empress Mother, Helena, and her
daughters, all of them being relegated to a monastery. Nevertheless, many
of Romanos' appointees were able men, including his chief adviser, the
eunuch Joseph Bringas.
The pleasure-loving sovereign could also leave military matters in the
adept hands of his generals, in particular the brothers Leo and Nikephoros
Phokas. In 960 Nikephoros Phokas was sent with a fleet of 1,000 dromons,
2,000 chelandia, and 308 transports (entire fleet was manned by 27,000
oarsmen and marines) carrying 50,000 men to recover Crete from the
Muslims. After a difficult campaign and the 9-month siege of Chandax,
Nikephoros successfully re-established Byzantine control over the entire
island in 961. Following a triumph celebrated at Constantinople,
Nikephoros was sent to the eastern frontier, where the Emir of Aleppo Sayf
al-Daula was engaged in annual raids into Byzantine Anatolia. Nikephoros
conquered Cilicia and even Aleppo in 962, sacking the palace of the Emir
and taking possession of 390,000 silver dinars, 2,000 camels, and 1,400
mules. In the meantime Leo Phokas and Marianos Argyros had countered
Magyar incursions into the Byzantine Balkans.
After a lengthy hunting expedition Romanos II took ill and died on March
15, 963. Rumor attributed his death to poison administered by his wife
Theophano. Romanos II's reliance on his wife and on bureaucrats like
Joseph Bringas had resulted in a relatively capable administration, but
built up resentment among the nobility, which was associated with the
military.
Mother
Background:
She
was a Byzantine empress. She was the daughter-in-law of Constantine VII;
wife of Romanos II; wife of Nikephoros II Phokas; lover of John I
Tzimiskes; the mother of Basil II, Constantine VIII and the princess Anna
Porphyrogenita, who later married the Russian prince Vladimir.
This beautiful but considerably amoral woman played an important role in
10th century Byzantine history. An innkeeper's daughter by the name of
Anastaso, the crown-prince Romanos fell in love with her around the year
956 and married her. After their marriage, she was renamed Theophano,
after Theophano, a sainted Empress of the Macedonian dynasty.
She is rumoured to have poisoned her father-in-law, the emperor
Constantine VII (in complicity with her husband Romanos).
SuperAttainer
ANALYSIS SECTION:
1. Early Success
When did the SuperAttainer first display ability
that was greatly above average and what were his accomplishments?
REFERENCES:
1.
2. Contrarian
What actions did the SuperAttainer take that demonstrated a mindset that was very different from those around him?
REFERENCES:
1.
3. Conceited
What are the actions and documented statements that exhibit an elevated sense of self importance of the
SuperAttainer?
REFERENCES:
1.
4. Hard-Knocked
During what events did the SuperAttainer experience personal misery and severe anxiety?
REFERENCES:
1.
5. Loner
Is there evidence of the SuperAttainer being comfortable spending time apart from others?
REFERENCES:
1.
6. Mentored & Motivated
Who was vital to developing the SuperAttainer and guiding his career and what significant actions were taken?
REFERENCES:
1.
7. Discontent
What evidence is there that the SuperAttainer was unsatisfied with even great personal accomplishment?
REFERENCES:
1.
8. Promoted
What actions or events were responsible for
publicizing the tremendous achievements and abilities of the SuperAttainer?
REFERENCES:
1.
Overall
Score:
x
out of 8 = xx%
PASS
SuperAttainer
Type:
Describe the factors in the SuperAttainer’s background to indicate
whether he is a Come-From-Nothing or Aristocratic type..
Conclusion:
Executive Search
& Management Consulting:
Chalre
Associates provides its Executive Search & Management
Consulting services throughout the emerging countries of the Asia Pacific
region with specific focus on Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam
and Singapore.
Regional
Managers use us to help bridge the gap between local environments and
the world-class requirements of multinational corporations.
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