Thomas Wolfe’s book, The Right Stuff, speaks of the “right stuff'” in almost ancient and primordial terms to use his words. His writings suggest that a person either has “it” or doesn’t have “it.” He writes: “There are no accidents and no fatal flaws in machines…. There are only pilots with the wrong stuff.”
Studies tell us that blood lines, social class, education and, in more primitive settings, physical characteristics, are not the stuff’ of leadership. The right stuff is more than a catalogue of natural gifts. Rather it is talent honed by experience over a long period of time. Chuck Yeager, an ace pilot, conqueror of the sound barrier and a personification of the right stuff, says in his autobiography:
“I am the sum-total of the life I have lived…. There is no such thing as a natural-born pilot. Whatever my aptitudes or talents, becoming a proficient pilot was hard work, really a lifetime’s learning experience. For the best pilots, flying is an obsession, the one thing in life they must continually do. The best pilots fly more than the others; that’s why they are the best.”
What is the “right stuff” of great entrepreneur leaders? Elaine Pofeldt, in an article in Forbes/Entrepreneurs, Gallup: The 10 Qualities of Highly Successful Entrepreneurs, shares Gallup’s findings of a study of 1,000 entrepreneur with the following list of top ten qualities of the highly successful ones:
1. Business Focus: They base decisions on the potential to turn a profit.
2. Confidence: They know themselves well and can read others.
3. Creative Thinker: They know how to turn an existing product or idea into something even better.
4. Delegator: They don’t try to do it all.
5. Determination: They battle their way through difficult obstacles.
6. Independent: They will do whatever it takes to succeed in the business.
7. Knowledge-Seeker: They constantly hunt down information that will help them keep the business growing.
8. Promoter: They do the best job as spokesperson for the business.
9. Relationship-Builder: They have high social intelligence and an ability to build relationships that aid their firm’s growth.
10. Risk-Taker: They have good instincts when it comes to managing high-risk situations.
Pofeldt also shared the results of a study of 111 entrepreneurs in which Gallup deduced why successful entrepreneurs outdistanced their others by 22%
Gallup found that the stars were more likely to do things like (1) clearly explain the competitive advantage of their offerings to their clients, (2) keep customers in mind when making decisions about pricing and product or service development, (3) spend more time planning for growth and linking employees’ responsibilities with company goals, and (4) to fit employees into roles that suit their strengths and the company’s plans.
She cites other Gallup research indicating that “entrepreneurship is between 37% and 48% genetic” with the conclusion that“entrepreneurs with a natural gift for things like opportunity spotting will find it easiest to succeed, but that others can compensate somewhat for a lack of inborn talent through efforts like working with coaches and getting technical assistance.”
The “right stuff” can be learned. “Give me a lever and a place to stand and I will move the earth” Archimedes wrote. Learning is the leader’s greatest lever which teaches them how to focus the smallest amount of time and resources on an effort to achieve maximum gains.
Take your “right stuff” and change the world. Let your passion, determination and creativity to take you to successes undreamed. Continue to be more than you ever dreamed you could be… and more… so much more.
