10 behaviors of the hyper-successful

Image courtesy of Flickr user hypo.physe

(MoneyWatch) COMMENTARY Money and its material manifestations are the most typical measures of a person's professional success, but they're not always telling or even accurate: We all know it's possible to buy nice things without being financially successful (debt is an unfortunately common substitute for net worth). So I rarely make assumptions about a person's business or other financial accomplishments based on clothes, cars, boats or houses.

Knowing and dealing with many highly successful people, I've found that there are behaviors and characteristics that are much less superficial and more telling than just acquiring status symbols. In my observation of ultra-high achievers, the more professionally successful they are:

- The less stuff they carry: The most successful people I know never carry laptops, briefcases or much of anything else, other than (usually two) phones.

- The fewer calls they answer or return: Even with those two phones, top dogs rarely return calls that aren't critical to their own business or personal needs.

- The harder they are to reach by anyone or any means.

- The less time they spend at a computer.

- The shorter their e-mails. You might say that Alphas use less alphabet.

- The less social media they use (except for celebrities).

- The less they know, stay current, or care about pop culture (again, except for celebrities).

- The less TV they watch (except sports, especially anything involving their alma maters).

- The more non-leisure stuff they do that's not directly related to their business (charities, boards, outside investments).

- The more newspapers they take off the flight attendant's cart in First Class (unless they're on their own plane, which makes all the other points moot).

Some of these behaviors are obvious, some may seem ironic, and of course none are meant to suggest that business and money are the only measures of a successful life. Some of the observations are made with a little ribbing intended, and none are scientific, though I'll bet they could be: I don't know a single mega-successful business person who doesn't exhibit at least half of these traits.

Truth be told, much of the list doesn't bode well for me, much less my shot at that sweet Gulfstream 650 I've had my eye on. I carry a laptop (I sort of have to, since I make bags for them), I return more calls and messages than I ignore, I only have one phone, and I'm not well-known for brevity in my e-mails. And for the most part, I don't care -- I don't like some of these characteristics in others, and there are parts of my life, personality and business behavior that I'm not interested in changing. If that keeps me out of the most rarified air, so be it.

But there is an important central theme that's valuable to all of us, regardless of where we are on the ladder, whether we admire these behaviors or are put off by them, or whether the list accurately reflects our own style or aspirations. No matter what combination of these characteristics the Masters of the Universe might possess, the bottom line is the same: Without exception, the people at the very top of the business ladder don't waste time.

Image courtesy of Flickr user hypo.physe

[audreygeddes]

You make some excellent points here - time is a valuable resource that you can never get back! Thanks for the great article. Added to success is innovation, as pointed out by author Joseph N. Stein in his books, Bottom-up and Top-Down Innovation: Innovate Your Way to Success! Create an Innovative Company! The author writes about how employees have the power to change a company's culture and strategy, but most do not and how to effectively foster innovation within your company. His books are packed with action steps that are easy to follow and I highly recommend them. You can learn more at the author's website: http://www.simplyinnovate.net/

[SERGroup]

The less money some people earn the more money they pretend to have. They put themselves and their families in major debt buying luxury cars, homes and jewelry they can't realistically afford. They become addicted to what their peers' have to say about them. They waste precious time pretending when could've applied that same time to actually acquiring the lifestyle they so desperately want to live.

http://www.searchengineroyalty.com

[Gorghast]

Social class is determined, not by what you EARN, but by what your SPEND. That is an awesome insight, and useful tool! I've dealt with so many people who I know are wearing and driving their balance sheets, its a great 'tell' revealing their exact financial hand. Anfd that knowledge is important to know when trust is under suspicion or doubt excists. If say, his (incl. her) current car is a top end Mercedes, yet he enthuses say about a Porsche, you'll know exactly his worth - it's a screaming "I can't get THAT MUCH finance..." but he'll still wants you to 'do me a favour, my friend' and invest in his operation ... Please!

[JMSTAR100]

Not bad. And I think you got it right in the last point: Highly Successful People Don't Waste Time.

What you didn't say (and some accuse you of denying) is that -- although the specific behaviors may be different -- that point may be the very definition of "success". If some people feel they're successful while being beach bums, then they probably AREN'T wasting time when they're loafing... they're spending their time wisely.

FWIW, answering some of these posts about "wealth vs. success": Warren Buffett qualifies on most of these items, and on your last point. But he is very clear: He ENJOYS working with the people around him, both his immediate staff and the CEOs of his subsidiaries. This is not some dreary, empty existence that he has forced himself to live.

[relmasian]

The question is do those 10 behaviors cause success. Correlation is not causation. Indeed, it is quite likely that extreme success might cause most of the behaviors, not the other way around.

[k_lowen]

And for that matter, let's define "success". Is it simply about acquiring power and money, while remaining morally bankrupt, or worse, a narcissist and sociopath? And BTW, what sort of people are we attracting, who would allow themselves to be treated like dirt at the hands of a "successful" individual?

[relmasian]

The question is do those 10 behaviors cause success. Correlation is not causation. Indeed, it is quite likely that extreme success might cause most of the behaviors, not the other way around.

[giabarb100]

Michael,

Unlike some in this thread, I enjoyed your article. I took your comments in the spirit that I believe, were intended. These are your thoughts and observations as a business person. You rightly pointed out that there was no study done that surfaced empiracle evidence. Why some folks feel the need to make this personal, I will never understand. I guess it's easy to attack and hide when you can be anonymous.

As for the comments about Bill Gates...well, I worked for Microsoft for 8 years in the hey day. I know Gates personally and he is a good man. One commenter suggested that he didn't have the brain power typically associated with other luminaries in the tech field. Really? Are you ready to go head to head with this Mensa dude? Gates put PC's on the map and that revoluntionized business as we know it. This is something that a few folks in this thread have forgotten. His contributions changed our lives and business foreve.. And, seriously, just because software crashed doesn't mean the guy isn't brilliant or hasn't made a significant contribution to the world. It means that software crashes, especially in early phases. iPods and iPhones are not perfect out of the gate, by the way. Did Gates spend a heck of a lot of time in front of his computer? Heck ya, he was one of the original coders. But, for me, the bigger point is that Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda are striving to give EVERYONE a leg up through education and they want to eradicate diseases that in the US are trivial, but elsewhere kill. They put huge amounts of their own personal money behind the quest. Who else is doing that?

What I find most intriguing is the many comments that suggest that money is bad.. Or the resistance that equating money to success is somehow awful. Maybe that's because, like me, they were programmed to believe that "money is the root of all evil". And, guess what, it isn't. When you have money, you can help others. A little bit tougher when you don't.

I'll close by saying that I loved your final point. Successful people focus on what's most important to them and they do not allow their time to be wasted. It is a lesson that I strive constantly to learn. My life and my priorities should always come first and often they don't! If everyone else sought to take care of themselves first, I wonder how much less frustration and violence we'd see in our world. Frankly, I think that successful people get it!

[hessmj]

Many thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed and thoughtful reply. I appreciate that you took the article in the manner it was intended, but I also understand that not everyone will, and that is the nature of doing this kind of thing. I respect any opinion that's informed and well-presented.

At any rate, your comments -- especially with the first-hand background of having worked at Microsoft and with Bill Gates -- brought some unique perspective and important reminders ("money isn't evil") to what has been a "lively" (to say the least) conversation. Thanks again.

[JeffP7]

Wow, never seen so many people with their panties in a bundle over a list.

What part of "Some of these behaviors are obvious, some may seem ironic, and of course none are meant to suggest that business and money are the only measures of a successful life." did you people miss?

I see these same traits in "professionally successful" people. Big deal. I didn't take it that these were ideal traits. Far from it. Just happens to be true. For those bashing Gates, he probably has several of these traits. Is that a good thing, and something you should strive to mimic? Maybe, maybe not (except for the watching less TV thing).

Yes, all rich people are evil, and poor people deserve more handouts. There. Is everyone happy?

Sheesh.

[HandyAndy5]

I once knew someone who retired early and spent his time watching the stock market to the exclusion of all else. In his mid-50s he found out he had terminal cancer (which might have been treatable had he visited the doctor earlier) and only then did he decide to use his money and time wisely. He spent his final months establishing a relationship, taking a cruise, having fun and regretting he didn't do it much sooner.

[hessmj]

You said it all... so many people discover too late that their priorities and achievements weren't necessarily the "right" ones. Great contribution, thank you.

[2cranes]

These 'highly successful' people are only successful because of the highly competent staff they hire to do the heavy lifting for them. Many directors of organizations model the behavior of highly successful people (as the author outlines)to mask their own incompetency. It just makes the impostors feel important. Acting like a highly successful person won't fool anyone for long.

[hessmj]

That's a very good point. I'd go further with it and suggest there are two different sides of that coin: On one side are genuinely good, competent and deservedly successful people whose success has fundamentally included being surrounded by other great people. On the other are people like those to whom you refer. Thanks for contributing to the discussion.