winning attitudesmind and attitude and our research has identified 10 internal forces or winning...
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Copyright © 2016 Zircon Management Consulting Limited. All rights reserved.
Winning Attitudes
What does it take to be successful?
The 10 Attributes of a Winning Attitude
August 2016
Winning Attitudes
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Foreword
Most of us in business and life at one time or another, have been either fascinated or at least
curious about what separates a true leader and a Winner from the rest of us. What separates the
‘Bransons’ from the ‘Brents’!
Is it that there is some magical elixir or a secret ingredient? Exactly what
is it that creates a Winning Attitude?
In this study, Dr Amanda Potter lifts the lid on this endlessly fascinating topic. The difference I see
in Amanda’s work in comparison to so much that has been previously written is that she asks the
all-important questions: what is it and why do only 1 in 100,000 people demonstrate the Winning
characteristics necessary to get to the Olympic podium, Broadway or the lofty ranks of CEO?
Through her work, she shares the personal stories of Winners from all walks of life and
backgrounds: from business savvy corporate CEOs and edgy entrepreneurs, committed Olympic
and sporting stars through to charismatic media personalities.
This study is probing, insightful and a compelling read for anyone who has an interest in getting
inside the mind of a true Winner.
Russell Amerasekera,
Executive Brand and Image Coach & Entrepreneur
Winning Attitudes
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Contents
THE AIM 6
THE QUESTIONS 6
THE CONTRIBUTORS 6
THE METHOD 6
PUBLISHED RESEARCH 7
WHAT IS A WINNING ATTITUDE? 7
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A WINNING ATTITUDE 7
OUR FINDINGS 9
PART 1: THE EXTERNAL FORCES 9
PART 2: THE INTERNAL FORCES 11
PART 3: THE CORE STRENGTHS OF WINNERS 17
CONCLUSION 20
ABOUT THE AUTHORS 21
CONTRIBUTORS 23
REFERENCES 28
Winning Attitudes
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Introduction by the Author
Research suggests that there are many characteristics that contribute to an individual making it
to the top of their sport or industry. Less information exists however about the critical elements
that make the real difference and catapult people to the dizzy heights of the Olympics, Global
Business or West End success. Here, success means a person being at the top of their game,
achieving significant results and being championed by others as a Winner; a success that others
only aspire to achieve. As a result, in this research we have worked to understand the ingredients
that make up a ‘Winning Attitude’. Our 20 years of working in the talent arena have shown all of
us at Zircon that while many of us are talented and have Strengths that help us to succeed, real
success requires more than just talent.
Our research interviewing 42 Winners has shown us that both internal and external forces are
required for Winners to grow, persist and succeed. The internal forces are an individual’s state of
mind and attitude and our research has identified 10 internal forces or Winning Attitudes that are
key to unlocking an individual’s ability to reach their full potential. By contrast, the external forces
are circumstance and experience; our research found only a few external forces identified as
being triggers for success. Winning and success is therefore down to a few key ingredients, such
as having a Burning Ambition or an Unwavering Belief. The Winners do not need to demonstrate
all 10 attributes of a Winning Attitude in order to succeed, but they do tend to have at least more
than a couple of them.
All of the Winners have a huge amount of passion, determination, focus and belief. Although all
of the interviewed Winners at times questioned their ability to succeed or win, they all persisted,
picking themselves up after adversity and never wavering from their goal. Their single-minded
determination meant that it impacted on every part of their lives; their family, work and friends.
In addition to this, they also each have clear Strengths and use these Strengths to both motivate
and energise themselves and others. Combining the ingredients of Strengths and Winning
Attributes with the right external forces or triggers, is the recipe for success.
I have found this research to be the most humbling and inspirational of all of my work as a
Chartered Psychologist. Over the past 20 years I have met, interviewed and worked with hundreds
of interesting and successful “high potential” individuals and leaders from around the world. Each
of them has given me an insight into how their Strengths contribute to their success.
However, the interviews with the carefully selected 42 Winners have been another thing
altogether and the stories they shared were raw, honest and unguarded. The interviewees have
brought me to tears and laughter in moments of anguish and delight. The openness and candour
of the interviewees in describing how they have strived, struggled, sacrificed, lost and indeed won
has been a privilege to witness. They have each described enormous sacrifice, commitment and
hard work. Each interview encouraged me and my colleagues to want to achieve more, to be
stronger, more focussed, more aspirational and more giving as leaders, colleagues and human
beings.
As Mark Foster Olympic Gold medallist stated, “When you do something you love, and it becomes
your job, then it becomes your life and your passion.”
Dr Amanda Potter, CEO, Zircon Management Consulting
Winning Attitudes
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The Winning Contributors
Thank you to the following…
17 Sport and Media Personalities: NAME FIELD
MARK FOSTER Olympian (Swimming) ADAM FREEMAN-PASK Olympian (Rowing) BRIAN JACKS Olympian (Judo) JON ELEY Olympian (Short Track Speed Skater) GOLDIE SAYERS Olympian (Javelin) LUCY MACGREGOR Olympian (Sailing) ZOE JAMES Olympian (Synchronised Swimming) HANNAH JAMES Olympian (Synchronised Swimming) LEON TAYLOR Olympian (Synchronised Diving) and TV Personality MARTIN HEWITT Paralympian (Skiing) RICKY BALSHAW Para-Equestrian (Dressage) SIR CLIVE WOODWARD OBE 2003 Rugby World Cup Manager WAYNE OTTO OBE 9 times World Karate Champion PETER WINTERBOTTOM England Rugby Player GARY REES International Rugby Player RUTHIE HENSHALL Actress, Singer and Writer - West End/Broadway MAYOR HARRY RILLING Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut
15 CEOs who were the Founder Entrepreneurs: NAME ORGANISATIONS
DENYS SHORTT OBE DCS Group, DealTrack Ltd, Enable ID, Enliven, Natural Elements JUSTIN GORMAN Man Alive Entertainment DANIEL SACHS Proventus AB SIR WILLIAM GOODENOUGH BT Design Bridge JEREMY SNAPE Sporting Edge DAN GERMAIN Innocent Drinks PROFESSOR PETER SAVILLE SHL & Saville Consulting SINCLAIR SELLARS Sinclair Sellars RUSSELL AMERASEKERA Pearls & Poison REX KURZIUS Asset Panda, Timberhorn NICOLA MURPHY The River Group JOHN TIMPSON Timpson CLIVE JACOBS Holiday Autos, Jacobs Media Group, The Caterer MIKE CLARE Dreams, Clarenco LLP, The Clare Foundation KATIE PIPER Katie Piper Foundation
And 10 CEOs and Presidents: NAME ORGANISATIONS
LAURENT LE MOAL PayU ROBIN BOWIE Dexion Capital CHRIS DAVIES Global Payments MARTIN SPURLING HSBC (Latin America) NICK WINSOR HSBC (Offshore) DOUGLAS LAMONT Innocent Drinks MARY KENNY Eversholt Rail JACQUELINE GOLD CBE Ann Summers PETER ALDIS Holland & Barrett PROFESSOR GERAINT JONES Dean of Education, University of Buckingham
Winning Attitudes
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The Aim
The Questions The aim of this research was to gain an
understanding of what ingredients make up
a ‘Winning Attitude’. We purport that
individual achievement can often be due to
being talented, having certain Strengths and
showing a good fit with teams, divisions and
an organisation’s future requirements.
However, real success requires more than
just talent and this research aims to identify
the core differentiators for this success.
During our interviews, we explored the
extent to which an individual’s state of mind
and attitude is the key to unlocking their
ability to reach their full potential. The
questions explored the interviewee’s prior
successes, ambitions, passions, critical life
experiences in order to understand the
critical elements of success in order to
explore what it takes to have a Winning
Attitude.
We conducted:
An in-depth interview with our 42
identified Winners comprising of
open ended questions
The Unique Strengths® Questionnaire
The Contributors We interviewed 42 Chief Executive Officers
(CEOs), Presidents, Founder-Entrepreneurs,
Sports Stars, Olympians and Media
personalities. 24% of contributors were
female, 76% were Male.
The Method Each of the contributors were identified as
Winners and were invited to participate in an
interview with our Psychologists. Each
interview was between 45 and 90 minutes in
length.
The interviewees were then invited to
complete the Unique Strengths®
Questionnaire. The questionnaire explores
an individual’s motives, preferences and
Strengths. The individual is presented with a
series of 133 statements (E.g. “I enjoy solving
challenging problems”) and asked to indicate
the extent to which they feel the statements
best describe them.
The interviewees who completed the online
Unique Strengths® Questionnaire were then
given feedback and coaching, articulated in
the Strengths report, to validate their top 7
Strengths.
Winning Attitudes
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Published Research
What is a Winning Attitude?
Success stems from having the drive and passion for something, whether it be a product, sport,
idea or otherwise. Individually we are more likely to achieve goals that we are more interested in
pursuing, find energising and where we can use our Strengths.
Real success however requires more than this. An individual’s state of mind, their attitude, is the
key to unlocking their ability to reach their full potential. We sought to explore the extent to which
attitude plays a role in this and in doing so we attempt to disentangle success from circumstance.
How do we explain the successes of individuals for whom intelligence cannot be the sole
explanation? For example, Muhammad Ali, a World champion boxer, had an IQ of 78 and stated:
“I said I was the greatest, not the smartest.” (Ingle, 2016).
The Characteristics of a Winning Attitude
Anecdotal evidence suggests that a Winning Attitude or mind-set does exist. Jessica Ennis-Hill’s
mother said that the British track and field star “wanted to do everything… [Jess] wanted to win
everything” (Moreton, 2012). Michael Jordan, the renowned American basketball player, also had
a similar mind-set with the drive to work hard to succeed, despite setbacks. The mind-set
demonstrated in these examples has been termed a Growth Mind-set (Dweck, 2010). Individuals
with such mental make-up overcome adversity time and time again, becoming a stronger force as
a result. This resilience is aptly summarised by Arnold Schwarzenegger:
“Strength does not come from Winning. Your struggles develop your Strengths.
When you go through hardship and decide not to surrender, that is the true
Strength.”
Such evidence of resilience, motivation and
drive supporting the notion of a Growth
Mind-set is a common theme amongst the
most successful Winners. Dweck’s research
claims an individual with a Growth Mind-set
welcomes challenges; seeks out obstacles;
embraces criticism, failure and learning; and
finds inspiration and lessons in the successes
of others (Dweck, 2010, 2011). Providing an
individual has a Growth Mind-set, their talent
and attitude can be developed over time,
with intelligence not being the fundamental
predictor of success.
Contributing to this debate, Duckworth
(2013) suggests that grit and self-control are
the key attributes that predict success, with
intelligence playing a supporting role
(Duckworth et al., 2005, 2007). This was
reiterated by former government adviser and
author Alastair Campbell (2015) who found
grit, specifically the ability to sustain the
Winning mind-set, was the tipping point from
being technically gifted to attaining a
legendary status.
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Being able to cope with pressures and
setbacks acts as an opportunity to excel
(Campbell, 2015). Success stems from
pressure (McCann, 2015) and complacency or
lack of pressure can result in failure. McCann
(2015) suggests that individuals who have
reached the top of their field have one of two
mind-sets: a go-to mind-set, where your
central motivation is the desire to win; and a
move from mind-set, where your big driver is
a fear of failure. A go-to mind-set and
unwavering determination to win is what
Rugby World Cup-Winning coach Sir Clive
Woodward deems the most integral and
differentiating quality leading to his success.
Meanwhile, displaying a move from mind-set,
world-renowned entrepreneur Richard
Branson, founder of Virgin Atlantic,
reportedly loathes British Airways; likely
using that as one of the driving forces for his
persistence to achieve on a greater scale.
Likewise, Charles Dunstone from TalkTalk
has openly shared a distain for competitor
BT.
One striking theme from the research is that
more often than not, the ‘success factors’
(drive, determination, resilience, pressure,
competitiveness) stem from a position of
adversity. Many of the world’s most
successful men and women have made
reference to an event, environment or time
of hardship that has spurred them on and
acted as a key driving factor (Campbell, 2015).
We have all heard the saying “if at first you
don’t succeed, try again”. On the face of it,
this would appear as no more than a hollow
expression, however this mind-set in the
presence of adversity seems to be the key
ingredient for unparalleled success. Such
examples of this can be seen from Bill Gates,
founder of Microsoft, whose first business
was deemed a failure; Jim Carrey, one of the
best comedic actors of our era who had a
difficult start; Ben Ainslie, a world renowned
sailing champion who was bullied at school;
and Steven Spielberg, one of the most
prolific filmmakers of all time who was
rejected from the University of Southern
California twice.
Considering all of the aforementioned
findings, we concur that a growth mind-set
and an attitude to win are critical for success,
perhaps even more so than talent and skill.
Developing this anecdotal research to the
next scientific level, our research seeks to
identify the distinct attitudinal facets that
lead to success, as evidenced by today’s most
successful role models. We want to identify
the key factors that enable individuals to
reach their full potential and, in the words of
Muhammad Ali, “live the rest of their lives as
champions”.
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Our Findings
Part 1: The External Forces
Throughout our research, a few key experiences or external forces propelled the interviewees to
harness the situation and change their attitude or mind-set. These external forces were shown to
trigger a new way of thinking, acting and behaving. They were the triggers for a heightened drive
for success and the need to win, and often prove to themselves and others that they could
succeed.
While many of these triggers and experiences were positive and the interviewees talked about
being inspired, challenged, encouraged and supported, many of the interviewees also described
significant difficulty, loss, pain and rejection, thus supporting research by Campbell (2015). These
moments of loss were described by most as being the core and most pivotal moment that
changed the way they viewed themselves and the world around them. It helped to create the
hunger and drive they needed to succeed. Like McCann (2015), we found the positive and the
negative experiences triggered either a go-to or a move-from mind-set. The two external forces
for our Winners were as follows:
Negative Force
Many of the interviewees have experienced
significant adversity, failure or loss in their
lives. This loss has been the catalyst for our
Winners to persist and work even harder to
prove themselves. These setbacks often
occurred during childhood, resulting in
tenacity and the drive to succeed for both
themselves and their families. The
interviewees identified one key turning-point
in particular that shaped their lives and
meant that they wanted to move away from
their current situation.
“When I had set backs and wasn’t selected for England,
I never thought I wouldn’t get back. I knew that once I
got my focus I would win.” Peter Winterbottom,
England Rugby Player
“The loss created the drive.” Clive Jacobs,
Entrepreneur, Holiday Autos, Travel Weekly (UK) and
The Caterer
“Dancing saved me. It was somewhere to put the fear
and the lack of feeling safe. My career helped me to
find my voice and believe in myself” Ruthie Henshall,
Star of the West End and Broadway
“The setbacks were a motivating factor. If not
selected, I would always want to show them. I never
took being selected for a side for granted. There is a
fine margin between being selected and not, and
winning or not.” Peter Winterbottom, England Rugby
Player
“My father used to put me down, that drove me to
prove myself. It gave me determination and focus.”
Clive Jacobs, Entrepreneur, Holiday Autos, Travel
Weekly (UK) and The Caterer
Winning Attitudes
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Positive Force
Individuals with a Winning Attitude seek and
identify those who can provide them with a
strong motivational force. They have a highly
supportive network of teammates, family
and friends who are equally as dedicated to
making the individual a success as the
individual. This support network is
understanding of the drive and passion that
the individual has for their field, and they will
selflessly be there every step of the way to
help make the individual’s dreams a success.
As a result, the individual with a Winning
Attitude is able to rely on those within their
support network to have their best interests
at heart. Some of the athletes’ Winning
Attitudes were also triggered by the
introduction to an inspiring figure who had
been highly successful in their sport.
“It was my very talented coach; they did an amazing job of managing us throughout the event.” Lucy MacGregor, Olympian, Sailing
“At 11 Duncan Goodhew came to the swimming club - swimming along with Goodhew, I saw his Olympic medal. How wonderful it looked and easy. I thought - I want be like that.” Mark Foster, Olympian, Swimming
“Having a father like mine was a great inspiration, he believed that I could do it. Every time he was proud, it would push me on more.” Brian, Jacks, Olympian, Judo “My greatest achievement is having an understanding family that knows what I want to achieve.” Wayne Otto, 9 Times World Karate Champion
“Everything felt like a team effort, especially with those not involved in the sport. That’s very special.” Jon Eley, Olympian, Short Track Speed Skater
As a family, we are very close knit; you know they have your best interests at heart and they will support you.” Sinclair Sellars, Entrepreneur, Sinclair Sellars
“I never underestimated the impact my wife had on it all, she set the company's social conscience and supported me with a constant supply of common sense.” John Timpson, Chairman, Timpson
“My mum was the driving force.” Mark Foster, Olympian, Swimming
Winning Attitudes
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Our Findings
Part 2: The Internal Forces
Throughout the published research, the
themes around a Winning Attitude suggest
that grit, self-control, adversity, pressure, and
having a growth mind-set, go-to mind-set, or
move-from mind-set are linked to success.
We sought to define these elements more
clearly to understand the fundamental
ingredients that make up a Winning Attitude.
Our research identified that there are 10 key
and distinct internal elements that are
fundamental in building a Winning Attitude.
As Sports Psychologist Bill Cole (2016) stated
as a result of his interview with British
5,000m and 10,000m Olympic champion Mo
Farah: “Champions reach the heights and
succeed because they have inner qualities
others do not possess. Their behaviour is also
different. They are willing to do things lesser
achieving athletes may not be willing to do”.
While individuals do not need to possess all
10 characteristics in order to succeed, our
research suggests that they each have at
least more than a couple of these
characteristics, and that they have a different
combination of attributes depending on their
Strengths, engagement and experience.
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Burning Ambition Winners aim and aspire for the stars. They focus on the future and create
stretching goals and challenging targets in order to help them achieve this.
Having the drive, motivation and dedication to continuously focus on the
task at hand was the most frequently used description of a Winning Attitude
in our research. An individual with Burning Ambition fights for what they
want to achieve, has a hunger for success and a desire to strive for
achievement. Their aspirations and sustained motivation mean that they have the drive to persist.
They willingly go beyond the brief putting in discretionary effort to achieve and succeed. They
seek to win and give 100% in every activity. As Olympic Sports Psychologist Cole (2016) states “they
sacrifice more, work harder, control their mind and emotions and have a deeper desire for success
than those who only come close to winning”.
“You need a vivid of view of where you are heading, be ambitious, and have a clear goal.” Jeremy Snape, Founder, Sporting Edge
“True entrepreneurs make incredible self-sacrifice.” Clive Jacobs, Entrepreneur, Holiday Autos, Travel Weekly (UK) and The Caterer
“I was very driven; I wanted to be someone. I never took no for an answer. I knew what I wanted.” Ruthie Henshaw, Star of the West End and Broadway
“I was never content with mediocrity. I’m not about running from failure, even when I got it wrong. I did not compete
with others to win, I competed to be the best I could be.” Mark Foster, Olympian, Swimming
Dogged Determination Having unwavering determination and picking yourself up when things do
not go to plan are core to having a Winning Attitude. Winners work hard, try
even harder and have another go even if they see themselves as an
underdog or behind the curve. Their mental resilience through adversity is a
key element to a Winning Attitude, dealing with uncertainty and thriving
under pressure. They are determined to succeed and focus every part of
their life to the pursuit of the goals and targets they set themselves and others.
“You need to have survival mentality.” Adam Freeman-Pask, Olympian, Rowing
“You have to have the ‘hard work gene’.” Sir Clive Woodward, 2003 Rugby World Cup Manager
“The terrain to success is not a motorway, it is a swamp with ups and downs.” Jeremy Snape, Founder, Sporting Edge
“You need to keep going in one direction and strive. If there is a bump in the road, go around it.” Nicola Murphy, CEO, The River Group
“I was determined not to be dependent or reliant on anyone.” Clive Jacobs, Entrepreneur, Holiday Autos, Travel Weekly (UK) and The Caterer
“You need to push yourself to deliver at all times. You choose to work; it’s about the determination to succeed.” Martin Hewitt, Paralympian, Skiing
“I was deemed too tall to be a diver at 5ft 11, as a result many others had more potential than me. However, I would still be in the pool practicing long after everyone else had gone home; it was my tenacity and determination that served me rather than an abundance of potential and talent.” Leon Taylor, TV Personality/Olympian, Synchronised Diving
Winning Attitudes
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Realistic Optimism Being a realistic optimist and turning a negative into a positive is critical to
success. Our Winners are optimistic about the future, always finding a way
to turn the most negative situations into a positive. This does however need
to be combined with a dose of reality. They are realistic in their pursuit of
their dreams and do not allow negative comments to affect them, working
past setbacks in a positive way. These individuals are also comfortable with
risk and are willing to take calculated risk in order to survive, achieve and succeed.
“Having a positive energy, even if I feel down, I can click out of that and put a smile on my face.” Mike Clare, Entrepreneur,
Dreams
“You need to be a realist but an optimist.” Martin Hewitt, Paralympian, Skiing
“We hired radiators who exude positive energy and we removed the drains, who suck the life out of you.” Mike Clare,
Entrepreneur, Dreams
“The greatest Winners conquer their fears, they move away from a fear of doing the wrong thing to focusing on the right
thing and taking calculated risks that will help to make a difference in the world.” Russell Amerasekera, Entrepreneur,
Pearls & Poison
Unwavering Belief Our Winners didn’t necessarily start their journey with unwavering belief,
nonetheless by the time they get there they have a “high degree of self
confidence and believe they truly belong” (Cole, 2016). Winners measure
their success in their achievements and have an intrinsic need to prove
themselves. The success and achievement of goals and targets help to
reinforce and confirm their self-belief. They demonstrate the belief through
bringing energy, passion and enthusiasm to all tasks. “They believe they deserve to be a winner,
and their high self-image reflects this deep conviction” (Cole, 2016). Our Winners are also self-
aware: they know their limits and accept their imperfections, choosing to build on their personal
Strengths and self-improve in order to achieve their successes. As a result, they have a clear
understanding of what they can and cannot control, and they are not afraid of not winning or
succeeding; this only makes them stronger.
“I wasn’t afraid of failure, I did what I could to succeed.” Mark Foster, Olympian, Swimming
“The power is to believe that you are right, even when others tell you are not.” Dan Germain, Entrepreneur, Innocent Drinks
“You have to have belief in what you are doing, even if it is different to what other people are doing.” Adam-Freeman Pask, Olympian, Rowing
“We really wanted it, so put lots of energy into thinking we ARE going to win, not we WANT to win.” Hannah James, Olympian, Synchronised Swimming
“If I didn’t get picked, I worked harder to strengthen my perceived weaknesses. I always had a view – selection is only an opinion and the selectors may have got it wrong. Find out what they are looking for and prove to them that you are good enough.” Gary Rees, International Rugby Player
“You have got to believe in what you are doing, find it in you to want to fight for it.” Martin Hewitt, Paralympian, Skiing
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Intrinsic Generosity
A striking and surprising finding was the extent to which our Winners are
generous and put others first. They spend time and money to care for
colleagues, family members and teammates; wanting to help them to
achieve and succeed. They trust these people implicitly, they look to them
for support and advice and are happy to ask for feedback and decision
making support. Our Winners recognise the importance of this and enjoy
helping others, giving back as much as possible.
“My greatest success is having created 350 jobs and looking after 350 families.” Denys Shortt OBE, CEO, DCS, DealTrack Ltd, EnableID
“I changed people’s lives, it meant more than everything.” Clive Jacobs, Entrepreneur, Holiday Autos, Travel Weekly (UK) and The Caterer
“You don't make the money, your team does it for you; your role is to give them support and clear the obstacles out of their way.” John Timpson, Chairman, Timpson
“I am most proud that I was able to help people and that people still write to me and ask me to be their mentor.” Martin Spurling, Group General Manager, HSBC Latin America
“People think Entrepreneurs are money driven. It is not about the money at all: it is about the people, about the society, the community and sustainability.” Denys Shortt OBE, CEO, DCS, DealTrack Ltd, EnableID
Mutual Respect Persuasiveness, empathy and tolerance are the elements that make up this
characteristic of a Winning Attitude. This relates to an individual’s ability to
be a strong leader within a team and bring people along with them on the
journey. Our Winners in this research respect their colleagues, fellow
competitors and team, they build strong relationships and consider other
people’s perspectives. They work within their moral compass and show an
interest in understanding the motivations of others in order to build effective teams. They gain
buy-in and support through having credibility and honouring promises. They realise the
importance of being one ‘cog‘ in the team machine and value collaborating with others to create
a strong team ethic.
“Compassionate. It’s about trying to be considerate to customers and your team which makes us work hard.” Mary Kenny, CEO, Eversholt Rail “Belief comes from the leader. You need to lead by example; people look to you for direction.” Jacqueline Gold CBE, CEO, Ann Summers
“Successful people do it with and through other people: they inspire and motivate, stimulate and challenge you and drive you to keep doing it every day.” Laurent Le Moal, CEO, PayU
“I implicitly trust the people around me, they are a fantastic group of people.” Nicola Murphy, CEO, The River Group
“You need everyone on your side and to motivate others to play well. Anything is possible if you are willing to try together.” Peter Winterbottom, England Rugby Player
“The rocking chair test: when I look back at what I was proud of, it is the emotions of the team, the pride and warmth.”
Douglas Lamont, CEO, Innocent Drinks
Winning Attitudes
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Maximising Opportunities Taking full advantage of every opportunity was frequently mentioned as
being key to success. The Winners see an opportunity and grasp it with both
hands and make full use of the situation or task. They do not take their
situation for granted and are grateful for the opportunities that have come
about, seeking to make the most of their situation. Our Winners were
effective at identifying a gap in the market and working to identify a
solution to fill the gap.
“Sometimes I can be a little bit pig headed. I convince myself it can be done and eventually we find a way to deliver.” Chris Davies, President, Global Payments
“Luck got me into Eversholt Rail but it was ‘tenacity and hard work’ that got me to my position.” Mary Kenny, CEO,
Eversholt Rail
“As an entrepreneur, timing is fundamental. It is the alignment of the stars, the right product, time, people combined
with good fortune and the recognition that you have struck on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Clive Jacobs,
Entrepreneur, Holiday Autos, Travel Weekly (UK) and The Caterer
Disruptive Thought As change agents, Winners challenge themselves and others to think and
operate differently. They embrace change, questioning the status quo in
order to better themselves and others. They are innovative in solving critical
problems and remain open minded when assessing and analysing a
situation. These individuals are always thinking a couple of moves ahead as
they have a holistic or big picture view of the situation. They are problem
solvers, testing theories in order to achieve continuous long term success. They are able to
balance instinct and logic to take a proactive approach to removing boundaries.
“Every time you step outside your comfort zone, you have the opportunity to change your life.” Jacqueline Gold CBE,
CEO, Ann Summers
“I would describe myself as a change agent; I don't simply accept the status quo and will always look to improve things.” Nick Winsor, CEO, HSBC (Offshore)
“In order to win, you need to embrace the unexpected. My greatest successes have come from having an eclectic view of the world.” Russell Amerasekera, Entrepreneur, Pearls & Poison
“It is so easy to play it safe, it is much harder to make the leap when you are unsure about the outcome. It is like making the leap off the titanic when it is going down.” Robin Bowie, CEO, Dexion Capital
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Constant Curiosity Having the ability to learn from past mistakes and others is key. Individuals
with this characteristic absorb huge amounts of information, learn from
each challenge and take any opportunity to develop their skills. They are
both curious and inquisitive and have an intrinsic need to continually grow.
They are agile learners who conduct large amounts of research into
competition, the market and their own performance, looking for new
opportunities to learn and grow.
“I would say and accept if I was wrong. I will put my hand up and listen and get it right.” Professor Peter Saville, Entrepreneur, SHL & Saville Consulting
“You need to really understand the business, be constantly curious and use the data to think and look at the external market.” Peter Aldis, CEO, Holland & Barrett
“An ability to absorb all information and learn. That is it! We are on a continuous learning journey. Use all opportunities to learn from the market and experts; learn from the trends.” Laurent Le Moal, CEO, PayU
“I learnt more from people out of my sport rather than in the sport, such as Colin Jackson, so that I removed the tunnel vision and would take a different approach. I was never afraid of change and trying something different.” Mark Foster, Olympian, Swimming
Single Minded Focus Having a high attention to detail is critical for success as Winners regularly
monitor and refine practices. Winning individuals take a methodical
approach and focus on perfecting on the small, daily tasks so that the larger
tasks take care of themselves. Individuals who are single minded plan for
both success and failure and prioritise tasks to try and ensure the best
outcome possible. They break down the task or problem into smaller parts
in order to create simplicity and clarity in everyday tasks, before putting the pieces back together
to create a holistic solution. They are also vigilant and willing to dig into the details to work out
how to deliver results.
“Medals aren’t won in the arena, they are won when training at home.” Ricky Balshaw, Para-Equestrian, Dressage
“Focus in all training sessions and competitions. Distraction means you’re not working hard enough.” Zoe James, Olympian, Synchronised Swimming
“Don’t consider failure. You need to be focused on the detail and determined get the basics right, monitor and be vigilant.” Peter Aldis, CEO, Holland & Barrett
“If you have a choice of two things and you do not know which one to pick, the first thing you do is you clarify by picking them to pieces.” Brian Jacks, Olympian, Judo
“The process you go through to be successful needs to be focussed. You have got to be aware of all the little things and make sure they are dealt with.” Sir William Goodenough, Director, Design Bridge
“You get leaders that stand on their ship and talk romantically but they don't want to talk about the boiler room, the hard stuff, to look inward and get their hands dirty.” Geraint Jones, Dean of Education, University of Buckingham
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Our Findings
Part 3: The Core Strengths of Winners
The 10 identified Winning Attributes form a
Winning mind-set, which drives the individual
forwards. These attributes are maximised
when an individual is given the chance to
identify and use their Strengths. Strengths or
energisers are the things we find motivating
and enjoy doing and therefore become
proficient in.
Individuals who identify and use their
Strengths are six times more engaged, have
six times more positive psychological
wellbeing, and are three times more
productive (Rath and Conchie, 2008). An
individual’s Strengths moderate and
maximise their Winning Attitude and the
relative outcome. In other words, Strengths
help to enhance and heighten the impact of
the Winning Attitude on success and
winning.
The Top 7 Unique Strengths that were
present within our Winners include being
Responsible, Competitive, Methodical,
Composed, Positive and Innovative. They
were also energised by Networking and
engaging with others.
The Winning Strengths are:
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Responsible People who are responsible are energised by being held accountable for their actions and the actions of the teams that they work within. They are reliable and amenable, accepting responsibility for their work.
“You are responsible for your own destiny. You need to have in your head the clarity for your ambitions.” Justin Gorman, CEO, Man Alive Entertainment
Composed People who are composed are energised by being able to withstand and recover
quickly from difficult conditions. They are determined to achieve and are
accepting of challenges with a view to creating an opportunity. As Sports
Psychologist Cole (2016) states “champions focus on what they can directly
control. They have a “laser-like, deep and unwavering degree of concentration
in the biggest moments”.
“Belief, resilience; where you are made of rubber, reform, shape and bounce back.” Dan Germain, Entrepreneur, Innocent Drinks
“Although failure is not an option, it happens and you learn from it.” Harry Rilling, Mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut
Positive People who are positive are energised by being upbeat in the face of adversity,
always remaining optimistic even in difficult circumstances. They readily focus
upon achievements and positive outcomes.
“Even if negative, we have to take every opportunity and turn it into a positive. We have to
use the negative experiences to be better.” Clive Jacobs, Entrepreneur, Holiday Autos, Travel
Weekly (UK) and The Caterer
“Failure is practicing for success.” Katie Piper, Presenter/Entrepreneur, Katie Piper Foundation
Competitive People who are competitive are energised by their desire to be successful and achieve more than others. They benchmark themselves and gain energy from improving their position; ultimately striving to win. As stated by Olympic Sports Psychologist Bill Cole (2016), “Olympic champions have a big vision and set huge goals for themselves”.
“I am personally very addicted to being the best I possibly can be in every aspect of my sport. I do not accept average effort.” Goldie Sayers, Olympian, Javelin
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Networker People who network are energised by building relationships and extending their professional network. They gain energy from meeting new people and act as a channel for new relationships to develop. “I try to support the people around me, without people there is nothing.” Justin Gorman, CEO, Man Alive Entertainment
“You need to pick and choose the people around you to be successful.” Martin Hewitt, Paralympian, Skiing
“I am able to put things into their language and able to communicate with them.” Professor Peter Saville,
Entrepreneur, SHL & Saville Consulting
Innovative People who are innovative are energised by scanning their environment for new ways of working and generate improvements to enhance working practices. They are conceptual thinkers, considering new ways of working.
“When I look back at my career, my greatest success is the ‘standout’. It is the innovation beyond innovation.” Leon Taylor, TV Personality/Olympian, Synchronised Diving
Methodical People who are methodical are energised by taking a systematic and deliberate approach to tasks. They are well organised and logical; planning, preparing and thinking ahead. “Have a set of guiding principles which is the roadmap for short and longer term decision making.” Rex Kurzius, Entrepreneur, Asset Panda “In decision making I try to blend instinct with a robust logical assessment. The key to success is to make sure the
more structured thinking happens quickly: fast decision making is so critical in today’s competitive landscape, so
don’t wait for all the information; if you're 70% sure then go for it. Building a really organised delivery plan and
bespoke delivery team in parallel gives you confidence in your ability to execute your decisions effectively.” Douglas
Lamont, CEO, Innocent Drinks
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Conclusion
Our research has identified six main conclusions:
Each Winner is Different
Our research has identified that the Winners have a high preference for a number of the Winning
Attributes. It is the arrangement of how these elements interact in combination with their personal
Strengths that enables them to be successful and reach their full potential. Each of the groups of Winners
demonstrated different combinations of Strengths and Attributes. For example, the sports stars focused
on the details, were determined and passionate about success. The entrepreneurs looked for
opportunities and identified ways to challenge the status quo. The media and entertainment stars were
passionate and had a burning ambition to perform and succeed. The CEOs were methodical, work oriented
and structured; they collaborated and built two-way respect and understanding.
Strengths Elevate Success
Although the 42 contributors all had significant external factors that triggered their desire, determination
and passion for success, the research suggests that this alone is not sufficient for these Winners to
succeed. It requires energy and focus in a combination with Winning Attitudes and Strengths in order to
succeed and win. It requires them to be “spiky” leaders and to use their Strengths.
The Environment Matters
A common theme within the Winners’ dialogue was an early age independence and unconventional
childhood experiences. Such independence includes living away from parents or not having present male
role models during childhood. Other unconventional experiences include moving countries and changing
schools multiple times or suffering adversity as a child. These events are likely to have been life-defining,
with our Winners seizing the opportunity to use their setbacks to their advantage and develop an inner
confidence and winning drive.
Real Winners are Never Complacent
“Champions have a strong will to win and possess a competitive nature; they hate to lose,” claims Cole
(2016). Winners are never complacent or take their success for granted. In contrast, they are more likely to
overuse their Strengths and push too hard in the pursuit of their goals, dreams and desires.
Winners have an Internal Locus of Control
We all have difficult losses and moments, some of us becoming victims of circumstances and blaming the
situation, team or organisation. The Winners among us never give up. They persist, are determined and are
unwavering in their pursuit of their goals and their dreams.
Winners are Created, not Born
It is Cole’s belief that “Olympic champions are first born, and then made” (Cole, 2016) as there are some
“mandatory requirements that cannot be manufactured out of thin air, no matter how much time and
effort is put in”. We do not however concur with this as our research suggests that everyone has talent
and the potential to be Winners in some way. Look for example at Leon Taylor, the Olympic Medallist, who
“was deemed too tall to be a diver at 5ft 11”. The key is to understand what you are passionate about and
what your Winning Attributes and core Strengths are. This awareness, combined with the clarity, focus
and determination to succeed, creates a winning formula. The formula is different for all of us depending
on our aspirations, motivations and Strengths.
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About the Authors
Dr Amanda Potter BSc (Hons) MSc (Dist.) CSci CPsychol
Amanda founded Zircon in 2000 and Be Talent Ltd in 2016. Amanda has
worked in the Psychology and talent arena since 1995 and has significant
experience in the areas of leadership assessment, development, executive
coaching, change management, high performing teams, organisational
culture, Strengths and learning. Amanda is a Chartered Occupational
Psychologist, has an Undergraduate and Postgraduate Degree in Psychology
and a PhD in Occupational Psychology from the University of London. She is
an Associate Fellow of the division of Occupational Psychology and a founder
member of the Association of Business Psychologists. Amanda’s interests are
talent management, talent assessment, high performing teams, inspiring
leaders, Winning Attitudes, talent and potential. Amanda has led the research
and published four white papers looking at talent and potential.
Lauren Albrecht BSc (Hons) MSc (Dist.) MBPsS
Lauren is a Consultant Business Psychologist at Zircon Management
Consulting and Be Talent Ltd. She has extensive experience in leading the
design and delivery of projects around Talent Management, Employee
Engagement and Executive Recruitment within a range of sectors
internationally. She has a strong interest in the identification and
development of High Potential across all levels of an organisation and the
impact that aspirations, engagement and motivation can play in an
individual’s success. Lauren achieved a First Class Degree with Honours in
Psychology and a Masters in Occupational Psychology with Distinction.
Lauren conducted the analysis for this research and has previously been a
Research Associate within academia and a research-led Selection and
Assessment Consultancy.
Beatrice Redfern BSc (Hons) MSc (Dist.) MBPsS
Beatrice’s expertise lies in Employee Wellbeing, Engagement and Talent
Management, which she draws on in her work with both public and private
sector clients. Beatrice achieved a First Class Degree with Honours in
Psychology and a Masters in Occupational Psychology with Distinction. Since
she has been with Zircon, Beatrice has contributed to the research and
development of the Be Talent suite of tools.
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Catherine Jane Sinclair BSc (Hons) MSc (Dist.) MBPsS
Catherine is a Business Psychologist with experience of working in a number
of financial services and executive recruitment organisations. Catherine
studied for her BSc in Psychology at the University of Manchester and an MSc
with Distinction, placing in the top 2% of her class. Catherine has experience
within Talent Management, recruitment, project coordination, competency
based interviewing, client engagement and business development, working
with FTSE 100 clients as well as entrepreneurs and SMEs.
Sarah Linton BA (Hons)
Sarah has been a Director of Zircon since 2006 and co-founded Be Talent Ltd
in 2016. Sarah has worked in the psychology and talent arena since 2002 and
has significant experience in the areas of leadership assessment,
development, executive coaching, change management, high performing
teams, organisational culture, Strengths and learning. Her expertise is talent
assessment and development and she has 10 years’ experience in FTSE 100
companies. Sarah’s interests are talent management, succession, high
performing teams, inspiring leaders, Winning Attitudes, talent and potential.
Sarah has supported Amanda and the team to research and deliver four white
papers looking at talent and potential.
We would like to thank the Winners who contributed to this research, who have inspired us with
their phenomenal stories of hardship, hard work and success. It has been a privilege to hear and
understand your stories.
Thank you also to Andrea Conti, John McKenna, Sarah Green, Syrie Bibby and to our guiding light
Russell Amerasekera, without whom all of this would not have been possible.
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Contributors
Laurent Le Moal: Former Vice
President of PayPal. Currently CEO of PayU with responsibility for operations across 16 countries, leading multiple teams across
diverse global markets.
Douglas Lamont: CEO of Innocent from joining the company as Head of New Opportunities in 2006 - a testament to his sharp business
acumen and his critical role in the doubling of sales in recent years.
Robin Bowie: Founded Dexion Capital in 2000. Robin developed
the company into a specialist alternatives business, with net
assets of over £450 million. Dexion was acquired by Fidante Partners in
2015.
Mary Kenny: CEO of Eversholt Rail
Group. Began her career in Forward Trust Group and worked with Eversholt Leasing in 1997 until
2007. Returned to Eversholt as CFO in 2007 before becoming CEO.
Chris Davies: President of Global Payments. Prior to this, Chris spent
35 years with HSBC and Midland Bank. Known throughout the
finance world for his extensive knowledge and business acumen.
Jacqueline Gold CBE: Successful entrepreneur and CEO of Ann Summers and Knickerbox. Has
received accolades including Retail Week’s Most Powerful Woman in Business. Awarded CBE in 2015.
Martin Spurling: Group General
Manager and Chief Remediation Officer of HSBC Bank, Latin
America. Previously CEO and Deputy Chairman for HSBC Turkey.
Peter Aldis: Joined Holland &
Barrett in 1990. In 2008 he was appointed as CEO after several years working within Holland & Barrett's parent company NBTY
Europe.
Nick Winsor: Commercial banker with over 30 years’ international
experience within HSBC. Has lived and worked internationally and is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors.
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Professor Geraint Jones: Dean of
Education at the University of Buckingham. Previously Director for Europe’s largest International School
Provider. Founder of ‘Wake and Shake’, a PE programme.
Mike Clare: Entrepreneur, best known as
the founder of Dreams. Started with 1 store in 1987, growing to over 200
superstores. Mike sold most of his shares in 2008 and formed Clarenco LLP in
2009.
Katie Piper: A philanthropist and
television presenter. Katie now runs her own charitable organisation, ‘The Katie Piper Foundation’ raising awareness for
burn victims.
Denys Shortt OBE: Founder, Chairman
and CEO of several successful organisations including: DCS Group UK,
DealTrack Ltd, Natural Elements and Enable Software.
Professor Peter Saville: Founded SHL in 1977, sold in 2004. Founded Saville
Consulting in 2004. A leading authority in the field of Organisational Psychology,
often referred to as the ‘assessment guru’.
Justin Gorman: Former Head of
Entertainment at Channel 4. Justin is now the Creative Director and CEO of
Man Alive Entertainment, with investment from world-renowned
FremantleMedia.
Sinclair Sellars: Former high-flying
Lawyer and now co-founder (with her sister India) of Maids to Measure, a
dedicated bridesmaid’s dress company based in Fulham.
Daniel Sachs: Successful entrepreneur and CEO of Proventus AB since 2003,
where he also serves as a board member. Nominated Young Global
Leader by The World Economic Forum in 2007.
Russell Amerasekera: Entrepreneur and
specialist coach in personal brand, image, presentation skills and leadership
communications. Previously Communications Director for TUI Travel
plc and presenter of Wish You Were Here.
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Sir William Goodenough: Group
Executive Chairman of Design Bridge. Ascended Mount Blanc in 1997 to raise money for The Richard Langhorn Trust
for disabled and underprivileged children.
Rex Kurzius: Serial entrepreneur and
founder of Asset Panda and Timberhorn. Investor in LRK Partners, sought after speaker and mentor to entrepreneurs
and rising stars.
Jeremy Snape: Former English Cricketer. Founded Sporting Edge and joined the
LMA as a Non-Executive Director to their leadership and management
programmes.
Nicola Murphy: CEO and founder of The
River Group, one of the UK's top 10 content marketing agencies. Trustee of
The Good Rock Foundation and director/trustee of The Katie Piper
Foundation.
John Timpson: Managing Director of William Timpson, a family run business. Awarded a CBE in 2004 for Services to the Retail Sector. Author and regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph.
Clive Jacobs: Entrepreneur, co-founded
Holiday Autos, sold to Lastminute.com in 2003. Chairman of Travel Weekly and The
Caterer. Accolades include Honorary fellowship to Tourism Society (2014).
Dan Germain: The first employed co-
founder of Innocent. Currently Group Head of Brand and Creative, responsible
for building the brand from scratch. Named UK Designer of the Year in 2014.
Leon Taylor: Former Synchronised
Olympic diver, securing Britain’s first medal in the sport for 44 years in the
Athens 2004 Olympics. Renowned speaker, Coach, Mentor, Ambassador
and ITV Splash! Judge.
Mark Foster: Former International
Swimmer. Represented GB for 23 years, won 47 international medals, competed
in 5 Olympics, is a 6 times World Champion and has broken 8 World
Record times.
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Martin Hewitt: Former Army Captain.
Formed Disabled Ski Team and represented GB in Paralympic World Championships. In 2011, he walked
unsupported to the North Pole with Prince Harry.
Adam Freeman-Pask: Elite International rower. Represented GB in the London 2012 Olympics. Winner of several Gold
World Cup Medals, as well as a European Silver Medal.
Ricky Balshaw: Para-Equestrian rider.
Represented Great Britain in the Beijing Paralympics, winning silver. Holds two world-championships and a European
Award.
Brian Jacks: British Judo champion.
Won Britain’s first medal at the World Championship in Salt Lake City (1967),
taking Bronze. Gained second Bronze at the Munich Olympics in 1972.
Sir Clive Woodward OBE: Former English rugby union player and coach. Coached
the England team 1997-2004, helping them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World
Cup.
Jon Eley: Short Track Speed Skater.
Competed in the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. Member of the British relay team who broke the world record
in February 2011. Flagbearer for GB in 2014 Winter Olympics.
Wayne Otto OBE: 5th Dan black belt in
Karate and the winner of 5 World Championship gold medals and 7
European Championship gold medals. Awarded OBE to show outstanding
commitment and achievement.
Goldie Sayers: British Javelin thrower. British Javelin record holder, Olympic
medallist and 11 times British Champion.
Peter Winterbottom: Former England rugby union player, 1982-1993. Now
heavily involved in ‘Ride of the Lions’, cycling across the UK to raise money for
charities such as Help for Heroes.
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Lucy MacGregor: At only 29 years old,
Lucy is an international sailing champion. She won gold at the ISAF
World Championship and achieved 7th place in the London 2012 Olympics.
Gary Rees: A former England rugby player from 1984-1991, 23 caps for
England and 2 tries. He is now a sought-after Rugby Speaker and is often asked to attend business events and evening
events.
Hannah James: Is a member of the GB
Synchronised Swimming team alongside her sister Zoe and has been selected for the European Championships in Croatia.
Zoe James: Is a member of the GB
Synchronised Swimming team. Zoe competed with the team in the French
Open 2016, winning bronze.
Ruthie Henshall: An international
performer on Broadway and in the West End, Ruthie is a five time Olivier Award nominee. She has also been voted the
‘Most Popular Musical Actress’.
Mayor Harry Rilling: Elected in 2013,
Harry is the current mayor of Norwalk, Connecticut USA. Previously Harry
served as Norwalk’s Chief of Police for 17 years.
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References
Ali, M. [Muhammad Ali]. (2013, February 15). I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion”. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/muhammadali/status/3024 Campbell, A. (2015). Winners: And how they succeed. London, UK: Random House.
Cole B. (2016). Are Olympics Champions born or made? BBC I Wonder. http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zw7jk7h
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Rath, T., Conchie, B (2008). Strengths based leadership. Gallup Press.
Winning Attitudes
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Notes