Rick Baker Thought Posts
Left Menu Space Holder

About the author

Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

E-mail me Send mail
Follow me LinkedIn Twitter

Search

Calendar

<<  April 2024  >>
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
25262728293031
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293012345

View posts in large calendar

Recent Comments

Comment RSS

Thought Tweet #650

by Rick Baker
On Jan 11, 2013

Thought Tweet #650 Focusing on people's strengths helps them feel more engaged & motivated, which leads to increased profit.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

How does that lead to more profit?

If you can help people feel more engaged and motivated about their work, then:

  • they are interested, so they concentrate better and make fewer errors,
  • they are happier and have less interpersonal conflicts,
  • they are happier and there is less staff turnover,
  • they are more able to face challenges and embrace change.
All of these things lead to increased profit.

[and these are just a few examples of how strengths-based business leads to increased profit]

Tags:

Emotions & Feelings @ Work | STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success | Thought Tweets

Thought Tweet #639

by Rick Baker
On Dec 27, 2012

Thought Tweet #639 One thing I've learned about drawing lines in the sand: before you draw them, set your Master Rules

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Note to self...

Know the rules you want to live by....your Master Rules

Anticipate possible situations & predict a set of outcomes...'scenarios'.

Visualize how people will feel and act.

Visualize how you will feel and act.

Do these things before drawing lines.

Tags:

Emotions & Feelings @ Work | Master Rules | Thought Tweets

Getting process right - how important is that?

by Rick Baker
On Dec 6, 2012

Work Process is made up of 2 things:

  • links of tasks done by people
  • links of tasks done by technology, designed by people

The Purpose of Work Process: to systematize and automate work tasks.

Isn't that a straightforward and simple enough concept?

Yes.

Work Process is straightforward and simple when you place it in writing.

But not always...

Work Process often becomes confused and complicated when we put it into action. 

When we put Work Process into action we find conflicting views and approaches to things like:

  • Who should do those tasks and why? Why me? and What's in it for me?
  • How do we improve that process? Why should we improve that process?
  • We need to do more of that process! You need to do more of that process!
How do we sort out those conflicts?
 
There are 7 critical steps:
  1. Ensure your work process is understood: ensure all work tasks are clear and ensure the linkage of the work tasks [the work flow] is clear.
  2. Ensure your work process actually works: that is, ensure the linkage of tasks of work process achieves the results you desire. Test cause and effect on an ongoing basis.
  3. Capture your work process in writing: work-flow picture & descriptions, role descriptions, etc.
  4. Match your peoples' individual/personal strengths with their roles. 
  5. Make a habit of asking your people questions about process and how they feel while doing their work-process tasks.
  6. Listen.
  7. Make the necessary adjustments to ensure your work process and your people are in synch.
 

Are you positively charged?

by Rick Baker
On Dec 4, 2012

Spirited Leaders has a colour code:

Green = Good

Red = Bad

Blue = New

Orange = Creative

Gray = Neutral or Undetermined

 

We use a Minus10-to-Plus10 Scale to describe a 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

 

We believe people only do three things: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things:

Good work habits, work enjoyment, and work enthusiasm...all are positively charged.

Related to this there are specific positive and negative emotions, emotions are coloured.

We know words are also positively and negatively charged. As examples:

CAN    CAN'T

YES    NO

AND    BUT

CERTAINLY    PERHAPS

GO    STOP

ENCOURAGE    CRITICIZE

When we go to work, we have a number of choices to make about how we feel, think, and act.

Some of those choices are positively charged.

Some of those choices are negatively charged.

When choices are to be made...we recommend, changing for the better.

Thought Tweet #621

by Rick Baker
On Dec 3, 2012

Thought Tweet #621 Procrastination feeds on negative feelings....so, you can put it on a diet.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

You can reduce your negative feelings and starve procrastination. Or, you can approach procrastination with positive feelings and...procrastinate for success.

Tags:

Emotions & Feelings @ Work | I'm too busy! - I don't have time! | Thought Tweets

Thought Tweet #620

by Rick Baker
On Nov 30, 2012

Thought Tweet #620 As a rule, you don't see happy faces when people are struggling with their work.


The Thinking Behind The Tweet

People struggle when they lack required talents, they lack opportunity to use their talents, they lack the knowledge required to do the task, or they lack experience.

Rather than seeing happy faces, which happen naturally when people are using their personal strengths, when people struggle with their work you are more likely to see...


  OR   OR  OR EVEN 

 

Create a Strengths plan - Learn people's strengths - Engage people's strengths.

Tags:

Emotions & Feelings @ Work | STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success | Thought Tweets

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