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Chapter 1

by Rick Baker
On May 15, 2012

Drop what you're doing and take a time out

During your time out, think about how work fits into your life. Forget, for the moment, the past and how you got to where you are. And, set aside thoughts about the future. 'Get present' about your work-situation. Think about the role you do at work. Think about your work-tasks, your work-place, the people you provide service to, and other aspects of your work. 

When you are sure you are focused on your present work, answer this question: "How do I feel about my present work-situation?

Think about your feelings. Decide how to measure them. Be clear. And use a measuring tool so you can pinpoint exactly how you feel. The tool you use to measure your feelings must be simple, easy to understand, and easy to use.

The Minus10-to-Plus10 Scale meets those requirements.

 

 

Here's how it works.

When people use this scale to measure feelings, there are two extremes - one most-positive and the other most-negative. When answering the question "How do I feel about my present work-situation?":

  • If you answer Plus10 then you are telling yourself your work-situation could not possibly be better. Every aspect of your work-situation is sheer bliss
  • If you answer Zero then you are telling yourself your work-situation is ho-hum. Your work contains no highlights. Nothing about your work is particularly good or particularly bad. Your workdays are uneventful.
  • If you answer Minus10 then you are telling yourself your work-situation could not be worse. Every aspect of your work-situation is absolutely unbearable.

 

The Spectrum of Feelings

Sheer Bliss: Plus10

Enthusiasm Zone: Plus7 to Plus9

Enjoyment Zone: Plus4 to Plus7
 
Acceptance Zone: Plus1 to Plus4

Ho-hum: 0
 
Uncomfortable Zone: Minus1 to Minus4

Distress Zone: Minus4 to Minus7

Excruciation Zone: Minus7 to Minus9
 
Absolutely Unbearable: Minus10

 
These descriptions and the six zones provide context to allow you to pick the rating that best describes your feelings. 
 
So...on a Minus10-to-Plus10 Scale...
 
"How do you feel about your present work-situation?"
 
 
...to be continued
 

Tags:

A Book | Business Contains Only 3 Things | Emotions & Feelings @ Work

How to Build Self-Confidence - #2

by Rick Baker
On Apr 12, 2012

Yesterday, I posted an article that contained the following conclusion about Processes, which, for us, is a synonym of Systems: 

Processes/Systems have 4 major categories:
  1. things that happen in our brain [as de Bono describes in the quote above], 
  2. interactions between People, 
  3. Man-made Processes/Systems [as examples: manufacturing processes and accounting systems], and
  4. Processes/Systems of Nature and the Cosmos.
Consider how these 4 categories of Processes impact on a person's  Confidence.
 
When it comes to Business, and considering the day-to-day work environment, there is a compelling argument supporting the fact the above list of 4 categories is 'force-ranked':
 
What's going on in your brain is of #1 importance.
 
What's going on between you and other people is #2, less important.
 
What Mankind has created around you is #3, even less important.
 
Things beyond Mankind's control are of least importance, #4.
 
I appreciate the ranking would need to be revisited if a volcano erupts near our community tomorrow.
 
But, this post is about day-to-day business. And, for day-to-day business the above ranking is valid.
 
Regarding a person's self-confidence, of most importance are the things happening in a person's brain. This applies whether or not you believe you can control your own thoughts and whether or not you believe other people possess that same ability. Certain thought processes align with and enhance self-confidence. Certain thought processes do the opposite. If a person is predisposed to being pessimistic, and either believes that or is influenced by it unconsciously, then that person will tend to possess lower self-confidence than a person who is predisposed to being optimistic and either believes that or is influenced by it unconsciously. 

So, if we want to help a person develop more self-confidence we must start by considering the person’s brain and mind…the mind which makes use of the brain...one way or another.
If we want to help people develop more self-confidence we must help them learn how human brains and minds function. 
 
***
 
Jumping beyond #1 to #2 or #3 or #4 brings a very-diminishing return. 
 
Here are 2 examples to explain:
  • Some people get really down and destine themselves to have an unproductive day when the weather is less than ideal...too cold, too much snow, to rainy...too hot, etc. Business leaders and managers will waste quite a bit of energy if they decide to spend their time working on controlling the weather so their people can be happier, despite the fact that mood/emotion/feeling aligns well with self-confidence.
  • There is little benefit in providing or teaching conflict-resolution tactics to a pair of die-hard pessimists who believe wholeheartedly pessimism is in their genes. Sure, these pessimists will be inclined to complain about the actions of one another. And, those complaints will be 100% valid. However, little positive gains will happen in self-confidence as a result of working on interpersonal interactions. 

Tags:

Brain: about the Human Brain | Business Contains Only 3 Things | Values: Personal Values

ATTENTION! [a simple way to develop that skill] - Part 2

by Rick Baker
On Apr 11, 2012

Yesterday, I introduced a simple tool Edward de Bono provided to help people develop the ability to Pay Attention. The tool was called PMI

In summary:

PMI (Plus-Minus-Interesting)1

You can develop your faculty of ATTENTION by taking the time to focus on 3 things:

  • the Plus aspects of the situation
  • the Minus aspects of the situation
  • the Interesting aspects of the situation
I recommend we take this Edward de Bono tool a step farther.
 
 
For us, the word Process is a synonym of the word System, when both words are taken in the broadest context. 
 
Again, drawing on de Bono, this time form his 1969 classic 'The Mechanism of Mind'...
 
A definition of the word, 'System' and what we mean when we use the word 'Process':
 
A system is just an arrangement of circumstances that makes things happen in a certain way. The circumstances may be metal grids, electronic components, warm bodies, rules and regulations or anything else. In each case what actually happens is determined by the nature of the system.”
 
The brain is a system in which things happen according to the nature of the system. What happens in the brain is information. And the way it happens is thinking.”
 
  Plus Minus Interesting
People      
Process      
Situation      
 
You can use this little table, a 1-Page Tool, to develop your Attention skill:
  • it can be used to develop the skill of Attention by focusing on Situations [as de Bono taught in 'Water Logic', (1991)]
  • it can be used to develop the skill of Attention by focusing on People [the #1 thing Spirited Leaders recommends]
  • it can be used to develop the skill of Attention be focusing on Processes [also known as Systems
Processes/Systems have 4 major categories:
  1. things that happen in our brain [as de Bono describes in the quote above], 
  2. interactions between People, 
  3. Man-made Processes/Systems [as examples: nmanufacturing processes and accounting systems], and
  4. Processes/Systems of Nature and the Cosmos.
 
To be more specific about the 'People' uses of this 1-Page Tool:
  • self-analysis and self-development [introspection and creative-thinking progress]
  • conflict resolution [a person-to-person application]
  • getting present
 
More on this topic of Attention in future future Thought Posts...
 
 
Footnote:
 
 

ATTENTION! [a simple way to develop that skill] - Part 1

by Rick Baker
On Apr 10, 2012

Pay Attention!

Probably, very few of us can remember the first time we heard that instruction.

But - we know it happened way back when we were children.

And - for some of us, it happened quite a bit.

Yet - who has ever taken the time to tell us how to do it?

Answer...Edward de Bono1.

Here is an introduction to a simple tool de Bono presented in his book 'Water Logic'.

First...about Directing Attention, de Bono explained:

Attention flow is determined by:

  • what is out there, the outer world
  • our standard perceptual patterns
  • the context of the moment and
  • what we are trying to do

Then de Bono presented his simple attention-directing, thinking, tool... 

PMI (Plus-Minus-Interesting)

You can develop your faculty of ATTENTION by taking the time to focus on 3 things:

  • the Plus aspects of the situation
  • the Minus aspects of the situation
  • the Interesting aspects of the situation

de Bono clarified, "PMI is not at all natural. Rather, it is natural to interpret, recognize, and judge as quickly as possible. PMI ensures a basic exploration of the subject before judgment."

The way I describe it...

PMI is provocative. It disrupts the normal [natural] way our brains/minds function. It enables our thoughts to escape from deeply-patterned ruts. When our thoughts get out of the ruts the neurons in our brains say to one another, "Wait a nanosecond here...something isn't right...we better pay attention to this." The next thing our minds know...we are paying attention. In essence, when we use PMI we trick our brains into allowing our minds to pay attention. And, if we practice PMI until it becomes a Habit then that Habit will be a good one.

The Good Habit will be the strength/skill known as the ability to Pay Attention!

PS: If you have not tried PMI before then, for you...it is a New Thing.


Footnote

1. 'Water Logic' (1991)


Thought Tweet #448

by Rick Baker
On Apr 4, 2012

Thought Tweet #448 Don't let Situations catch you unprepared...anticipate Situations, engage forethought

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

So many people think they are 'too busy' when the reality is they are 'too unprepared'. They live a business life consumed by a repeated series of fire-fights. Many of the fire-fights are directly linked to specific individuals' behaviour. And, habits being what they are, to a very large degree, behaviour is predictable. Think of a probable Situation. Think of who will be in the Situation. Think of how the people in the Situation will act. Plan your best Actions before the fires start. 

Tags:

Business Contains Only 3 Things | I'm too busy! - I don't have time! | Thought Tweets

Process Blankets Provide Comfort

by Rick Baker
On Apr 3, 2012

People gain comfort under discipline.

People gain self-esteem under discipline.

People gain happiness under discipline.

The extent of the gain depends upon application of the discipline. For the gain to be maximized, the discipline must be created with accurate forethought and applied with fairness and top-notch communication.

Successful work environments maintain a fine balance between autonomy and discipline:

  • not too much discipline because that kills enthusiasm
  • not too much autonomy because that creates work-Frankensteins
  • not too little discipline because that raises decision-making confusion
  • not too little autonomy because that fires up the spirit of rebellion

Routine work is most-suited to the discipline of Process Systems. 

Routine work lends itself to the application of blankets of Process Systems.

For routine work, Process blankets provide comfort...and effectiveness...and efficiency.

And, when Process Systems are planned with accurate forethought and applied with fairness and top-notch communication they provide comfort. This comfort allows the building of Good Habits for smooth performance of routine work.

And, this frees up brainpower for creative thinking and innovative work. 

Tags:

Business Contains Only 3 Things | Habits: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things

Copyright © 2012. W.F.C (Rick) Baker. All Rights Reserved.