Six Common Strengths of Elite Performers

by Dr. Ray Metcalfe  (reprinted with permission of the author)

Between 1987 and 1996 my team conducted an analysis of over 15,000 elite performers throughout North America.  Over 200 professional groups and vocations were analyzed. (Elite performers were defined as those in the top 5% of their group.)

As our research data came in, and we did the proverbial “number crunching”, a distinct pattern began to develop. No matter where we tested our elite performers, no matter what industry they were in, or what profession they represented, there was a consistent, and common cluster of 6 common performance strengths that emerged. Of the 15,000 elite performers that we assessed, we did not find one exception!

Furthermore, there was a specific and predictable range of strength possessed in each area. For instance, one area was Self-Control. All elite performers, on a scale of 1-10, fell within a predictable range of 6-8.