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.
 +632 892 6703
 +63 908 880 4178
 leaders@chalre.com
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SuperAttainer:
Muhammad the
Prophet
Prophet
of Islam:
Muhammad
the Prophet
Main
Life Accomplishments:
He
is the central human figure of the religion of Islam and is regarded by Muslims as the messenger and prophet of God, the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of prophets of Islam. Muslims consider him the restorer of the uncorrupted original monotheistic faith (islām) of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Noah, Christ (Issa) and other prophets of
Islam. He was also active as a diplomat, merchant, philosopher, orator, legislator, reformer, military general, and, for Muslims and followers of several other religions, an agent of divine
action.
Basics:
Born: c. 570 AD Mecca
Died: 8-Jun-632 AD Medina
Nationality:
Religion: Muslim
Fields: Religion
Main Accomplishments:
Chronology
of Life Events:
570 CE
Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa
sallam, born.
610 CE
Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, receives first revelation at Mount
Hira.
615 CE
Persecution of the Muslims by the
Quraish. A party of Muslims leaves for Abyssinia. (First Hijrah to Abysinnia).
616 CE
Hamza and Umar accept Islam. Second Hijrah to
Abysinnia.
619 CE
Sayyidna
Khadija, Radi-Allahu anha, and Abu Talib die. Visit to Taif. Isra and Miraj.
621 CE
First pledge at
Aqaba.
622 CE
Second pledge at Aqaba. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, migrates to
Madinah.
624 CE, 2 A.H
Battle of
Badr.
625 CE, 3 A.H
Battle of
Uhud.
627 CE, 5 A.H
Battle of Trench.
628 CE, 6 A.H
Hudaybiyah Treaty.
629 CE, 7 A.H
Battle of
Khaybar.
630 CE, 8 A.H
Conquest of
Makkah. Battle of Hunain.
631 CE, 9 A.H
Battle of
Tabuk. Year of Deputations.
632 CE, 10 A.H
Farewell Pilgrimage. Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa
sallam, dies. Election of Sayyidna Abu Bakr, Radi-Allahu anhu, as the
Khalifah. Usamah leads expedition to Syria. Campaigns against Bani Tamim and
Musailima, the Liar.
Early
Life:
Muhammad was born in the month of
Rabi' al-awwal in 570. He belonged to the Banu Hashim, one of the prominent families of Mecca, although it seems not to have been prosperous during Muhammad's early
lifetime. Tradition places the year of Muhammad's birth as corresponding with the Year of the Elephant, which is named after the failed destruction of Mecca that year by the Aksumite king Abraha who had in his army a number of elephants. Recent scholarship has suggested alternative dates for this event, such as 568 or
569.
Muhammad's father, Abdullah, died almost six months before he was born. According to the tradition, soon after Muhammad's birth he was sent to live with a Bedouin family in the desert, as the desert-life was considered healthier for infants. Muhammad stayed with his foster-mother, Halimah bint Abi
Dhuayb, and her husband until he was two years old. Some western scholars of Islam have rejected the historicity of this
tradition. At the age of six Muhammad lost his mother Amina to illness and he became fully
orphaned. He was subsequently brought up for two years under the guardianship of his paternal grandfather Abd
al-Muttalib, of the Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe. When he was eight years of age his grandfather also died. Muhammad now came under the care of his uncle Abu
Talib, the new leader of Banu Hashim. According to Watt, because of the general disregard of the guardians in taking care of the weak members of the tribes in Mecca in sixth century, "Muhammad's guardians saw that he did not starve to death, but it was hard for them to do more for him, especially as the fortunes of the clan of Hashim seem to have been declining at that
time."
While still in his teens, Muhammad began accompanying his uncle on trading journeys to Syria gaining some experience in commercial career; the only career open to Muhammad as an
orphan. According to the tradition, when Muhammad was either nine or twelve while accompanying the
Meccans' caravan to Syria, he met a Christian Monk or hermit named Bahira who is said to have foreseen the career of Muhammed as a prophet of
God.
Little is known of Muhammad during his later youth, and from the fragmentary information that is available, it is hard to separate history from
legend. It is known that he became a merchant and "was involved in trade between the Indian ocean and the Mediterranean
Sea." Due to his upright character he acquired the nickname "Al-Amin"
(Arabic: الامين), meaning "faithful, trustworthy" and was sought out as an impartial
arbitrator. His reputation attracted a proposal from Khadijah, a forty-year-old widow in 595. Muhammad consented to the marriage, which by all accounts was a happy one.
Wife
Background:
Muhammad's wives were the eleven or thirteen women married to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Muslims refer to them as "Mother of the Believers"
List of wives:
Wife: Khadija bint khawilad (m. circa 595)
Wife: Sauda Bint Zama
Wife: Aisha bint Abu Bakr (age 9 at time of marriage)
Wife: Hafsa Bint Umar bin Khattab
Wife: Zainab bint Khuzaima
Wife: Umm-I-Salma bint Abu Umayia
Wife: Zainab Bint Jahash
Wife: Juwaeria Bint Harith
Wife: Umm-I-Habiba bint Abu Sufyan
Wife: Marya Qibtiya bint Shamun
Wife: Safia bint Hayi bin Akhtab
Wife: Raihana bint Umru bin Hanafa
Wife: Maimuna bint Harith
Father
Background:
Abd Allah ibn Abd
al-Muṭṭalib (545-570) was the father of Muhammad, a prophet of Islam. He was the son of Shaiba ibn Hashim (`Abd al-Muttalib), and was married to Aminah bint Wahab, who became pregnant with his child shortly after. He died on a caravan trip between Medina and Mecca from an illness, at the age of twenty-five.
His full name includes the name "‘Abdullah". Allah is the word for "God" in Arabic and Aramaic. Abd Allah means "servant of God".
Mother
Background:
His mother was Amina. She was nown as the most noble woman of the most noble tribe in Mecca, at the time. She married Abdullah, the most noble man, and they immediately, as in that day, conceived Muhammad. Abdullah died before the birth of Muhammad. Amina used to say that when she was pregnant a voice use to come to her and tell her that she is pregnant with a prophet and that she must name him Muhammad. She also claimed that when she gave birth to him a great light came out of her.
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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