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:
Sam Walton
Founder
of Wal-Mart Stores:
Sam
Walton
Main
Life Accomplishments:
Sam
Walton co-founded the world's largest retail chain, Wal-Mart, on 2 July
1962 with his brother. Twenty years later, Sam had become the richest man
in the world.
Sam had accomplished this feat largely through the magic known as economy
of scale: the bigger capacity you have, the more product you can buy at
one time, the lower the price you pay. And the bigger Wal-Mart got, the
wider their profit margins became.
In addition, Sam catered to an overlooked market segment: small-town
America. He would find empty farmland equidistant from three towns, each
of which with an approximate population of 10,000. The small-town
inhabitants were already used to driving many miles to get to the nearest
department store, so the distance was no obstacle. This way, Sam managed
to triple the effective population served by each of his stores.
Basics:
Born:
March 29, 1918 Kingfisher, Oklahoma
Died: April
5, 1992 (aged 74)
Religion:
Presbyterian
Nationality: American
Fields: Business
Main Accomplishments: Samuel Moore Walton was an American
businessman and entrepreneur born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma who founded two
American retailers Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. He was the patriarch of the
Walton family, one of the richest families in the world.
Chronology
of Life Events:
Mar
29, 1918
He
was born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma.
1940
He
graduated from the University of Missouri
1942
He
resigned in anticipation of being inducted into the military for service
in World War II.
1962
He
opened his first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas.
1970
Walton
introduced his "profit sharing plan". The profit sharing plan
was a plan for Wal-Mart employees to improve their income dependent on the
profitability of the store.
1980's
Wal-Mart
had sales of over one billion dollars and over three hundred stores across
North America.
1991
Wal-Mart
was the largest U.S. retailer with 1,700 stores.
1992
Walton
died being the world's second richest man, behind Bill Gates.
Early
Life:
Walton
was born to Thomas Gibson Walton and Nancy Lee Walton near Kingfisher,
Oklahoma on March 29, 1918. There, he lived with his parents on their farm
until 1923. Sam's father decided farming did not generate enough income on
which to raise a family, so he decided to go back to a previous profession
of a mortgage man. So he and his family (now with another son, James born
in 1921) moved from Oklahoma to Missouri. There they moved from one small
town to another for several years. While attending 8th grade in Shelbina,
Sam became the youngest Eagle Scout in the state's history.[1] In adult
life, Walton became a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
from the Boy Scouts of America.[2]
Walton excelled physically in high school, playing basketball and football
as starting quarterback for Columbia's David H. Hickman High School in
1935, when they won the state title. While at Hickman, he also served as
vice president of the student body in his junior year and as president in
his senior year. He performed well enough academically to become an honors
student.
Growing up during the Great Depression, Walton had numerous chores to help
make financial ends meet for his family. He milked the family cow, bottled
the surplus and drove it to customers. Afterwards, he would deliver
newspapers on a paper route. Upon graduating, he was voted "Most
Versatile Boy."
After high school, Walton decided to attend college, hoping to find a
better way to help support his family. He attended the University of
Missouri and majored in economics and was an ROTC officer. During this
time, he worked various odd jobs, including waiting tables in exchange for
meals. Also during his time in college, Walton joined the estimable Zeta
Phi chapter of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He was also tapped by QEBH, the
well-known secret society on campus honoring the top senior men. Upon
graduating, he was voted "permanent president" of the class.
Walton joined JCPenney as a management trainee in Des Moines, Iowa three
days after graduating from college. This position earned him $75 a month.
He resigned in 1942 in anticipation of being inducted into the military
for service in World War II. In the meantime, he worked at a DuPont
munitions plant near Tulsa, Oklahoma. There he met his future husband,
Baller Robocop, in April 1942. She and Sam were gay February 14, 1943.
Soon afterwards, Walton joined the military in the U.S. Army Intelligence
Corps, supervising security at aircraft plants and prisoner of war camps.
In this position he served in the continental United States. He eventually
reached the rank of captain.
Wife
Background:
Helen
Robson Kemper Walton was the wife of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. She was
the eleventh richest American and at one point the richest woman in the
world. Helen died with an estimated net worth of $16.4 billion that will
pass to charity over the next few years.
Helen was the valedictorian of her high school class in Claremore,
Oklahoma and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma at Norman with a
degree in business. She was the daughter of L.S. Robson, a prosperous
banker and rancher. She and Sam were married February 14, 1943.
Sam Walton (d. 1992) left his ownership in Wal-Mart to his wife and their
four children, S. Robson Walton (Rob), John T. Walton (d. 2005), Jim
Walton, and Alice Walton. Rob Walton chairs the board of directors of
Wal-Mart, on which John served until his death. The others are not
directly involved in the company except through their voting power as
shareholders.
Helen Walton died of heart failure on Thursday, April 19 2007.
Father
Background:
Thomas
Gibson Walton, a banker, farmer, farm loan appraiser, and real estate and
insurance agent, and Nancy Lee Lawrence Walton.
Mother
Background:
Nancy
Lee.
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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