Posted on 09/22/2011 8:14:13 AM PDT by Kaslin
Do you ever have doubts about your ability to deliver? Do you never give up until you reach your goal? Do you always say exactly what you think? Do you hate being asked dumb questions by a wimpy columnist you could crush between your fingers like a milk-soaked Fig Newton?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, you're an alpha. You thrive on adrenaline. You search for conflict. You must dominate every person you meet in every meeting you ever attend. You're successful. You're feared. And, if the recent studies by leading scientists prove to be correct, you're also a stressed-out nutcase who is probably due for a heart attack.
Or so I learned in an article by Melinda Beck in The Wall Street Journal. Titled "Are Alpha Males Healthy?" reporter Beck talks about recent studies conducted on wild baboons in Kenya's Amboseli basin. (Granted, some people would question the relevance of wild baboon behavior. These people have obviously never met your company's management team.)
As for the apes, "researchers from Princeton and Duke studied 125 males in five groups over nine years and found that while the alpha males get the best food and the most mates, they experienced far more stress than the beta males just beneath them in the hierarchy, based on levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in fecal samples."
The same results are seen in the studies of alphas in industry, and you don't need to analyze fecal samples to confirm it. Human alphas thrive on adrenaline, the hormone that gave cave men and cave women the power to run away from wooly mammoths and other predators. It also provides middle managers the pep to run away from clipboard totting representatives from the human resources department.
But constant doses of adrenaline are not good for the body and can "eventually weaken the immune system, raise blood-pressure, block arteries and spread inflammation." This is why alphas flame out, or die out. And if your friendly neighborhood alpha is also a type-A type, you might as well start composing their eulogy right now.
A study of 1,750 Canadians reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that type-A alphas are so aggressive, impatient and just plain hostile that they had "twice the risk of cardiovascular problems" as the Canadians who were only intermittently hostile. "Not all alpha males are type A, " a New York psychiatrist tells Beck, "but the combination can be deadly from a health standpoint."
(If you are thinking that African baboons are more similar to our domestic workforce than any bunch of mild-mannered Dudley Do-Rights from up north, I don't disagree. I guess their vast reserves of oil and their free health care have made our Canadian neighbors a little jumpy. I'm not saying an invasion is in the works, but I'd much rather ride into Toronto than Kabul.)
If you're a woman and you are asking yourself -- how come the word "alpha" is invariably followed by the word "male," I don't blame you for being -- well -- hostile. Of course, alpha women deserve to be just as driven, intolerant and unhealthy as their male counterparts. Hey, why should the men get all the heart attacks?
Unfortunately for the ladies, scientists "theorize females may experience a 'tend-and-befriend' response, pumping out extra oxytocin and prolactin, hormones that enhance nurturing." As reporter Becker says, "The oxytocin surge has been documented in animal studies, but is unproven in humans."
Well, not exactly. I did a little experiment of my own, lacing the chief financial officer's Ovaltine with oxytocin and she still recommended firing two-thirds of the staff and moving the jobs to Outer Slovenia. If this is nurturing, you can have it.
If you're an alpha, you may want to focus some of your intensity towards making friends. You may think that you're not one of the people who need people, but when an even more driven alpha enters your part of the jungle and insists you pick the bugs out of his hair, you'll wish that you had someone to commiserate with you.
On the other hand, if you value your health, and your sanity, you may decide to remain a beta, a gamma, a delta, or even an omega. Omega is the last Greek letter and omega workers are last to get promoted, the last to get raises and the last to get respect. But we're the first to get invited to the alphas' funerals.
LOL I was thinking the same thing.
I have trouble believing the Alpha thing in humans. Or even Alpha struggles in intelligent creatures. I am “Alpha” in my group, and I will bend when I’m wrong, listen to others, and look up others as heros - Even when they reciprocate.
It’s called “Reasoning”. The simple humans ignore reason and go with strength. Strength in either brawn or brains.
I call B.S.
There are no such Canadians.
My idea of the intelligent, American, Alpha :
“I won’t be wronged, I won’t be insulted, and I won’t be laid a hand on. I don’t do these things to other people and I expect the same from them.”
John Wayne, The Shootist. John Wayne didn’t bully people. He didn’t intimidate, he didn’t flash his skills, brawn, or position around town. This sort of thing goes beyond Alpha. Ronald Reagan was this sort of man.
We have no more John Waynes. We have no more Ronald Reagans. We now have Alpha struggles.
A) You can be powerful, have every woman want you, and accomplish everything you want to accomplish, but you will be dead by 45; orWhich would you pick?B) You will live to 90, but you will fail in your career, be disdained by your peers, and no woman will be interested in you.
I would pick A.
A propaganda effort to further pussify American males for easier governance.
Unless you run five miles everyday. Then you just get tougher and tougher and better and better.
And while on the subject...how is that beta-type leadership working out for the White House? Leading from behind? That used to be called following.
Your right and sadly those who express these traits aren’t “team players” and “don’t understand” or “won’t sacrifice for the team”.
If your wronging me, then fess up and just say it... either way i’ll be the one to decide if I’m going to let it happen... The first way is just going to tick me off because your beating around the bush and trying to make it look like my fault.
The only time I ever found any Canadians to be aggressive, impatient and just plain hostile, was when I asked them to keep a dataroom on an M&A deal open so we could work during a 3-day holiday weekend in Calgary. Holidays and weekends are sacrosanct up there.
However, the owner of my company says Canadians are workaholics compared to Norwegians.
I think there are two types of ALPHAS.
The one they are talking about is the DOMINANT type.
The other is the LEADERSHIP type.
Your assumption that there are only two choices is incorrect, and therefore living your life by picking from only those two is irrational and a waste of time.
Allow me to counter your offer:
If you could be happy the rest of your life, knowing that you would have to kill other people to have it that way
OR, you would not kill other people and would be stuck with some unhappiness throughout your life,
WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
I have tested over a thousand people mostly in managerial or technical positions both in the public and private sector.
I could write a book about this, but if you forgive me here is a quick summary: There are 6 basic elements that make us who we are and how we act. Drive (accomplishment) Influence (control over others) Compliance (following the rules) Security (action taken to prevent the unexpected), Energy level and IQ (least important).
The relationship of those attributes makes us who we are. I believe it is determined 70% genetic and 30% cultural.
In High School are egos, are much more sensitive and still evolving. There are actually 9 basic groups of personality styles, but four basic ones:
Results Oreinted - These people are driven by accomplishing tasks - they tend to be a bit gruff, and focused on getting things done. Good delegators, but expect results from their subordinates. About 17% of the population (my guess) Business owners, managers, etc
Influencers - these folks are motivated by their control over others. They are personable, look good, and tend to be popular - They tend to be poor delegators, and micro manages their subordinates. Also about 17 %. Politicians (why we’re doomed), Lawyers, Journalists, Academics Marketing & Sales
Compliant - Detail oriented creative, and steady. Can be counted on - this is about 33% of the population. Engineers, Doctors, Scientists, researchers, teachers
Security Detail oriented also, tends to be conservative, protects status by following direction, steady good friend, and helper. Also about 32% of population, Artisans, carpenters, steel workers, also many engineers, Doctors and professionals.
Now, those 6 characteristics vary from high to low in all individuals so we humans are individually unique. Also some people are able to move from one style to another.
Throw in physical attributes, and it gets even more complex.
A study done where they sent around two people to interview for a high level job at NY investment firms: One was a tall athletic, good looking guy who was not too bright (acted that way), and the other was over weight, short, and brilliant - knew the business. Guess who got the job offers.
Good observation - But I’ve the latter type (The Leaders) refuse leadership roles in favor of a different path. Norman Schwarzkopf comes to mind. He could certainly take charge as a leader, but has chosen not too. I do regard him as a wise man, a John Wayne type - But since he is so “Out of the limelight” I don’t ‘have the ability to confirm that.
Anyone who thinks Alpha Females are rare has never been victim to the cattiness that some women display if they think you do something better than them. “Mean Girls” could have been a documentary.
It would depend on who the "other people" were. If they were innocents, then I would not be happy regardless. If they were al-Queda, then that would be fun.
Now we Betas will unite too! Er... if it’s ok with you Alphas.
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