Tag Sustainers

More about Achievers

andrewong2024 1 Comment

Zooming in on Achievers, Dr Adele Scheele further explained that they have three qualities that set them apart from the Sustainers.

These are:

1. Self-Presentation

Success breeds success. Employers want proven winners. But Achievers are also able to demonstrate how their past knowledge and experience can be useful in their new assignment.

They are able to do this by translating skills and aptitudes- even when the past experience is not directly related to their present opportunity.

While Sustainers wait for opportunity to knock on doors- and it does not happen; Achievers have perfected the art of catching fireflies of opportunity- before the brief life of a firefly comes to an end.

2. Positioning

Achievers have the “knack of being at the right place at the right time”. Others may attribute this to luck, but it is not as simple as that.

They have a goal or goals. They know where they are going. They have a plan- sometimes unconsciously. Therefore, when an opportunity arises they are able to grab it and make great use of it.

Sustainers believe in a fair system- and they remain timid, on their best behaviour, waiting to be rewarded. And it does not happen.

3. Networking

Achievers have good people management skills that enable them to motivate, inspire and to lead people.

They understand the art of good human relations which depends on two important requirements- the ability to use empathy and the ability to communicate.

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in the other person’s shoes and see the problem from his perspective. And the ability to communicate ensures good relations.

Our World of Sustainers and Achievers

andrewong2024 1 Comment

If we truly resolute to live a life that is full and making it count, I believe we (especially Christ-followers) need to move towards being Achievers.

In a book written by Dr. Adele Scheele, our world of working people divides into two distinct groups of Sustainers and Achievers.

As Achievers, we display a life of value-add and success (in stature and competence) as the head and not the tail; above and not beneath; victorious and not defeated.

Below is a brief description of the two:

About Sustainers

  • The consist of the majority in our world
  • They spend 70 per cent of their work life doing their job well- and 30 per cent unconsciously waiting for recognition for what they have done
  • They have the “school student mindset”- we work hard; we wait for compliments from our teacher; we get high marks as a result of our hard work; we get promoted to the next class; we win awards for our proficiency. There is a smooth flow; a direct resultant output from the input
  • Sustainers have ‘tunnel vision’

About Achievers

  • They are fewer in our world and they are more successful
  • They might be working as hard or even harder but better and differently from Sustainers
  • They do not fall inito the deadly trap of watching others move up (the corporate ladder)- and watching them with both envy and contempt
  • Achievers create a climate of what is now called ‘constructive disobedience’. They don’t just work harder- but look for innovative ways of doing the job better or easier or faster
  • They have ‘helicopter vision’