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Emotions - Defined - Positive & Negative

by Rick Baker
On Dec 20, 2011

Napoleon Hill practiced and taught emotional control, seeing it as one of the keys to a pleasing and attractive personality.

He taught, feelings drive and hurl us...either up or down. It is a matter of self-control, actually - self-control over one's mind. It is as simple as accepting or rejecting emotions as they 'hit you'. It is as difficult as accepting or rejecting emotions as they 'hit you'. 

Self-control: simple and difficult.

Difficult because, when it comes to actions and habits, emotions play such a major role.

As a starting point, Napoleon Hill defined 7 positive emotions and 7 negative emotions.

 

 The 7 Positive Emotions

Love

Sex

Hope

Faith

Sympathy

Optimism

Loyalty

 

The 7 Negative Emotions

Fear*

Hatred

Anger

Greed

Jealousy

Revenge

Superstition

 

Footnote

Napoleon Hill defined 7 Fears:

  • Fear of Poverty
  • Fear of Criticism
  • Fear of Ill Health
  • Fear of Loss of Love
  • Fear of Old Age
  • Fear of Death
  • Fear of Loss of Liberty [he added this fear to the original 6 later in his life]

 

Positive Mental Attitude - Defined

by Rick Baker
On Dec 15, 2011

Napoleon Hill said, "Positive Mental Attitude means your actions and thoughts further your ends".

Hill's definition aligns with Spirited Leaders' concepts and philosophies...so; we have adopted it as the definition of Positive Mental Attitude.

Here are some links to examples of how this definition works with the education provided by Spirited Leaders:

Related to Positive Mental Attitude, Napoleon Hill also said,

Sow actions and you reap habits,

Sow habits and you reap character,

Sow character and you reap destiny.

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Definitions - Spirited Words Defined

The Master Rules - Part 2

by Rick Baker
On Dec 2, 2011

Part 1 of The Master Rules can be summed up just the way my 2nd boss taught it to me: He who carries the gold makes the rules.

Part 2 of The Master Rules is about the importance of setting over-riding rules to help people understand:

  1. HOW things are to be done and
  2. HOW & WHAT the Right Things means when it is used in that admonition `Do the Right Things` and other admonitions like `Managing is about doing things right - Leadership is about doing the Right Things`.
The Master Rules are simple, clear, top-down Rules.
 
The Master Rules reflect the core values of the business leader. 
 
Every successful business has a culture, wrapped around high-quality core Values.
 
At successful businesses, those core Values act like an internal compass, which helps keep People comfortable. That comfort derives from the fact People feel - not just think, People feel - comfortable about their Actions and about their Situations.
 
When People feel comfortable and guided their action is offered with more enthusiasm and their performance is more productive. And, business is more successful.
 
The purpose of The Master Rules is to provide the guidance which sets the stage for People comfort and People Action.
 
 
Here is one example, close to our own hearts.
 
One of Spirited Leaders` Values is Labours of Enjoyment & Enthusiasm. At Spirited Leaders, we want our People to at least enjoy their work. We know People who enjoy their work perform more and better Actions. We also know enjoyment precedes enthusiasm. When People enjoy Actions they are much more likely to be enthusiastic about repeating those Actions. We also know the feeling of enjoyment is closely linked to personal strengths: when personal strengths are engaged People feel good.
 
One of Spirited Leaders` Master Rules is Embrace Strengths! When People know one another`s personal  strengths and then work in harmony to put those different personal strengths to best use the likelihood of Labours of Enjoyment & Enthusiasm increases. That is one example of how our Master Rules mesh with our Values
 
 
Footnote:
 
At a prior Thought Post we explained Commander`s Intent underpinning Goals. The Master Rules are conceptually similar to Commander`s Intent...that`s a topic for another day.
 
 
 

Auftragstaktik [Commander's Intent]

by Rick Baker
On Nov 30, 2011

A little over 200 years ago Napoleon Bonaparte's army crushed the Prussian army in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt.

In summary, Napoleon's French army was nimble and flexible in comparison to the more-bureaucratic forces of his enemies. The Prussians learned 'the hard way' about Napoleon's organizational genius and his inspired, almost invincible, followers. 

The 1806 defeat stung so badly it caused the Prussians to review their military methods.

The resulting Prussian military thought is now known as 'Auftragstaktik'.

Auftragstaktik is one of many legacies/tributes to Napoleon.

In English, we call it 'Commander's Intent'.

Commander's Intent has been taught in military schools throughout the world for two centuries. And, more recently, it has found its way into business literature. 

Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia, which will clarify how Commander's Intent works in the military:

"Auftragstaktik can be seen as a doctrine within which formal rules can be selectively suspended in order to overcome "friction". Carl von Clausewitz stated that "Everything in war is simple but the simplest thing is difficult". Problems will occur with misplaced communications, troops going to the wrong location, delays caused by weather, etc., and it is the duty of the commander to do his best to overcome them. Auftragstaktik encourages commanders to exhibit initiative, flexibility and improvisation while in command. In what may be seen as surprising to some, Auftragstaktik empowers commanders to disobey orders and revise their effect as long as the intent of the commander is maintained." 

Here is a more-succinct definition, provided by Sanjay Mishra:

"Commander's Intent is "the commander's stated vision which defines the purpose of an operation, the end state with respect to the relationship among the force, the enemy and the terrain; it must enable subordinates to quickly grasp the successful end state and their part in achieving it"."

Now, with a few tweaks [like replacing the words 'commander' & 'enemy' with the words 'boss' & 'clients'] all of that applies perfectly to business...

In 'Made to Stick' the Heath brothers, Chip and Dan, made the following point about Commander's Intent:

"Commander's Intent: it's about elegance and clarifying priorities...the unmistakable core of the message."

Commander's Intent is an essential part of business communication.

This applies everywhere in business, but I am particularly aiming my thoughts at 3 business communications:

  1. Leadership communications
  2. Marketing communications, &
  3. Sales communications 
You will gain advantage if your communications in these 3 business areas contain Commander's Intent.
 
As the Prussians did 200 years ago, we can learn from the example set by Napoleon:
  • we can strive to excel at vividly envisioning the desired end state [Vivid Vision],
  • we can strive to think through, in advance, hurdles our people may encounter,
  • we can strive to excel at organizing the roles and actions of our people,
  • we can strive to inspire our people to use their ingenuity, and
  • we can strive to deliver concise & clear core-messages about the desired end state [Commander's Intent].

 

Footnote:

I want to impress many things captured [and perhaps hidden] in the above Thought Post, but I will limit it to 2:

  1. That Carl von Clausewitz quote..."Everything in war is simple but the simplest thing is difficult." I suppose we are saying the same thing when we claim 'Murphy's Law'. At Spirited Leaders, we promote Seeking Simple. That's a Spirited Leaders' concept. Find the simple things that go wrong before they go wrong...find the simple things that work before wasting time 'going wrong'.
  2. As Chip Heath and Dan Heath taught in 'Made to Stick', if you want people to understand and remember your messages make them sticky - Sticky SUCCESs StoriesSimple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Story. Commander's Intent is embedded in Simple.

Entrepreneur - Defined

by Rick Baker
On Nov 18, 2011
3 forces drive entrepreneurs:
  1. Entrepreneurs have this burning feeling inside them…a Need To Achieve something. I describe it as ‘a wanting’.
  2. Entrepreneurs have a desire to create and Build Things Of Value.
  3. Entrepreneurs have a need to Be Recognized As Different – a different type of contributor.
These are defining internal forces driving An Entrepreneur.
 
In addition, An Entrepreneur is a business leader who:
  1. Recognizes, uses, & develops People Strengths…first in self and then in others,
  2. Clicks with other People [has self-control & a pleasing-enough personality], and
  3. Is ready, willing, and able to lead change…first in self and then in others.
These are the defining characteristics of – the key Personal Strengths of - An Entrepreneur.
 
These 3 forces coupled with these 3 characteristics form Spirited Leaders’ definition of An Entrepreneur.

Emotions - Defined

by Rick Baker
On Nov 17, 2011
In this Thought Post I consider dictionary definitions around the word ‘Emotion’ then adopt what I find to be a much-more-helpful description of Emotions, provided by the world-renowned psychologist and pioneer in the study of Emotions, Paul Ekman.
 
I go into this detail because:
  1. I believe People Only Do 3 Things: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things
  2. I believe Emotions play a huge role in day-to-day business life
First, I looked at the on-line Merriam-Webster dictionary to obtain their definition of Emotion. I have copied below Merriam-Webster’s definition of ‘Emotion’ and their definitions of two words used in their definition of ‘Emotion’ [‘Affective’ and ‘Feeling’].
 
It seems to me the Merriam-Webster definition of Emotion is cumbersome and circular. And, it is inaccurate.
 
So, Spirited Leaders has adopted Paul Ekman’s definition of Emotion [see below].
 
***
 
From Merriam-Webster’s on-line dictionary:

Definition of EMOTION
 
1a obsolete: disturbance b: excitement
 
2a: the affective aspect of consciousness: feeling b: a state of feeling c: a conscious mental reaction (as anger or fear) subjectively experienced as strong feeling usually directed toward a specific object and typically accompanied by physiological and behavioral changes in the body 
 

Definition of AFFECTIVE
 
1: relating to, arising from, or influencing feelings or emotions: emotional <cognitive and affective symptoms>
 
2: expressing emotion <affective language> 
 

Definition of FEELING
 
1a (1): one of the basic physical senses of which the skin contains the chief end organs and of which the sensations of touch and temperature are characteristic: touch (2): a sensation experienced through this sense b: generalized bodily consciousness or sensation c: appreciative or responsive awareness or recognition
 
2a: an emotional state or reaction <a kindly feeling toward the boy> plural: susceptibility to impression: sensitivity <the remark hurt her feelings>
 
3a: the undifferentiated background of one's awareness considered apart from any identifiable sensation, perception, or thought b: the overall quality of one's awareness c: conscious recognition: sense
 
4a: often unreasoned opinion or belief: sentiment b: presentiment
 
5: capacity to respond emotionally especially with the higher emotions
 
6: the character ascribed to something: atmosphere
 
7: the quality of a work of art that conveys the emotion of the artist b: sympathetic aesthetic response
 
 
***
 
Definition of EMOTION [Paul Ekman’s, which we have adopted]
 
According to Paul Ekman, and to a degree I am simplifying and paraphrasing here, Emotions are defined by 7 characteristics:
 
1. Signals: Emotions are mental states, most of which exhibit consistent visible cues.
 
2. Automatic Appraisal: Emotions occur automatically and very fast...1/4 second.
 
3. Lack of Awareness: Consciousness plays little role if any...most Emotions are opaque to consciousness and thought. Nature did not want us to be able to consciously control Emotions. However, thoughts can re-trigger Emotions.
 
4. Not Unique to Humans: Other animals exhibit the same Emotions as Humans. There is no Human Emotion that cannot be seen in at least one other animal.
 
5. Short Duration: Emotions can last for extremely short periods (seconds) or longer, but they never last longer than a day. (longer-lasting ‘states of mind’ are defined as Moods)
 
6. Conscious Awareness of Emotions is a Skill: using special exercises, it can be developed. We can become skilled at self-monitoring, being present, and self-regulating. We need to explore the motivation and intent behind our Emotions. Knowledge and skill around motivation and intent will help us understand and control our Emotions.
 
7. Emotions can get us into trouble..."I lost my head". In fact, it seems Ekman thinks Emotions do present-day Humans little, if any, good. Emotions, all of them, are vestiges of evolution.
 
Footnotes
  1. To learn about Paul Ekman
  2. Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary

Tags:

Definitions - Spirited Words Defined | Emotions & Feelings @ Work

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