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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Thought Tweet #709

by Rick Baker
On Apr 4, 2013

Thought Tweet #709 To lead, use light fingers at the controls. Heavy-finger governance and control just sends things off kilter.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

From Wikipedia...

In 1868, James Clerk Maxwell wrote a famous paper "On governors” that is widely considered a classic in feedback control theory.

        

     An early governor                              James Clerk Maxwell

 

 

In the 19th Century, Maxwell proved that tight governing of steam engine speed created bigger surprises than light governing.

We can apply this fact to 21st Century business process.

In business we need guiding principles and Master Rules.

Tags:

Hero Worship | Leaders' Thoughts | Master Rules | 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

Thought Tweet #531

by Rick Baker
On Jul 30, 2012

Thought Tweet #531 While leaders must set Rules, they must also empower managers to be innovative as they pursue goals.


The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Few companies have that sort of culture...so - they must change if they wish to survive and thrive.

 

 

Tags:

Master Rules | Thought Tweets

Geordie Raine visits our Centre For Family Business [CFFB]

by Rick Baker
On May 23, 2012

Geordie Raine serves as Montana Consulting Group's Director, Corporate Learning.

He traveled from Montreal to speak at CFFB's breakfast event on April 27th.

Geordie described his company's Turnaround Interview® process, that is, a process for helping employees correct inappropriate behaviour. His  presentation was 'hands-on'; Geordie interacted with the audience with 'role playing' and he got into details. 

Turnaround Interview® has underlying assumptions. When we want to correct employee behaviour:

  • we need to talk about the little things [and catalogue precise and accurate details about what, where, how, who, etc]
  • we have good people, however, they do things we do not want; good people change the deal on you
  • we need to understand people are predictable [we should expect defensiveness, denial, trivializing, etc]
  • we need to reserve discipline for when we really need it [ie, like Spirited Leader's Master Rules concept]
Our members received copies of the Quick Reference Guide to the Turnaround Interview® . [It is an excellent little book]
 
The Turnaround Interview® process has 5 Steps:
  1. Key Question: I think we agree that this has happened X times in Y weeks. Right?
  2. Key Question: Do you agree this shouldn't go on forever?
  3. Key Question: What could you do to eliminate/control this behavior?
  4. Key Question: What does it make sense to do now?
  5. Close: the employee makes a promise to change the behavior/habit
What a terrific example of the art of asking good questions.
 
Here's one of the many pieces of good of advice Geordie shared with us:
 
"In order for change to work it has got to come from within."
 
I have talked to a number of our members...every one of them felt Geordie's presentation was one of the most valuable presentations of the year.
 
Well done, Geordie!

 

Having Values, Delivering Value, & Recruiting Great People

by Rick Baker
On Dec 6, 2011

Everyone knows personal values influence people's behaviour.

Most people know the interplay between people's personal values create culture, including the culture at their business place.

Some people understand and agree personal Values lead to business Culture, which must be Communicated well. When that's done it leads to the generation of Value: Value for the business [profit] and Value for its people, its Clients, suppliers, shareholders, etc. At Spirited Leaders, we call this concept VCCV. If you desire business success then the best starting-point, the strongest driver, is Personal Values.

Values-Culture-Communication-Value.

We speak about the many ways VCCV adds potency to business. 

Consider, for example, the function of Recruiting Great People.

In a 2011 Canadian Corporate Culture study, 85% of respondents indicated that cultural fit is more important than necessary skills when hiring1

When you are hiring a person to join your business you must work to understand whether or not they will 'fit in' your business Culture.

That means at least 3 things:

  1. You must understand your business Culture and the details of its embedded Values and your rules [our Master Rules],
  2. You must understand the employee-candidate's personal Values, and 
  3. You must determine whether or not the employee-candidate is compatible with our business Culture.
And, if you are not in a position to complete the first step then you do not know your business Culture.
 
If that's the case then that's the first thing to remedy.
 
If you are the Leader at your business then you must remedy that immediately.
 
Here is a link to get you started Leaders Personal Values Fuel Everything
 

Footnotes:
  1. Waterstone Human Capital, "2011 Canadian Corporate Culture Study"

 

 

Tags:

Master Rules | Spirited Leaders | Values: Personal Values

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.
 
 
 

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