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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Leaders' superior skills can be damned annoying

by Rick Baker
On Sep 16, 2014

I've never met a leader, including the bad ones, who did not exhibit superior skills in the area of attention to detail.

Similarly, leaders exhibit superior ability at accurately storing and later retrieving information in real time.

Linked to these skills, superior leaders have the ability to recognize patterns and identify both problems and opportunities when and where situations illustrate problem-patterns and opportunity-patterns...and leaders do this in real time.

Unfortunately, these skills confuse and even annoy followers. This is especially true when the leader's body language sends anything but positive signals. Of course, when body language is perceived as negative it is hard to engage and enthuse other people. But, when negative body language is coupled with superior attention to detail, capacity to store information, and capability to retrieve accurate information in real time the result can be damned annoying. At least, many if not most, followers of business leaders see it that way.

And, this is a common problem in business. 

In business, many followers are intimidated by leaders' skills...I mean the very strengths that helped bring the leader to the position of leader cause conflict between the leader and his/her followers. 

It's a shame!

It's a shame that many leaders do not know they should control their body language in order to have a chance to use their key strengths.

It's a shame that many followers do not know they should forgive the leader's body language and allow all to gain advantage from fully using their leader's key talents.

On the other hand...it's a shame that can easily be converted from a lose-lose to a win-win.

 


That Aversion to the Details

by Rick Baker
On Jul 28, 2014

When people are at work, why do they avoid the details?

Do they feel they are too busy and do not have time to attend to the details?

Do they think the details are someone else's responsibility rather than part of their job?

Do they feel too bored or too fatigued to bother with the details?

Do they choose to avoid the details so they can concentrate on big-picture things?

Do they choose to avoid the details because they know others are more skilled with the details?

Do they choose to avoid certain details so they can think about other details?

Do they feel frustrated as they avoid the details?

Do they feel energized as they avoid the details?

Do they feel weakened as they avoid the details?

Do they feel strengthened as they avoid the details?

Does their business falter as they avoid the details?

Does their business gain advantage as they avoid the details?

***

That aversion to the details can be a wonderful thing for all involved...or it can be brutal.

If that aversion to the details is a wonderful thing at your workplace then figure out how to replicate it.

If that aversion to the details is a brutal thing at your workplace then figure out how to stop it.

Knowledge becomes power only when it can be harnessed and put to good use...and that takes Skill!

by Rick Baker
On Jul 4, 2014

We could write up procedures and provide parts and tools to teach people how to build bicycles. And, left on their own, many people would be able to use our instructions to build bicycles. 

We could write up procedures to teach people how to ride those bicycles.  And, left on their own, most people would struggle learning how to ride those bicycles.

There is Knowledge.

And there is Skill.

These are two very different things.

And, one does not necessarily follow the other.

Knowledge can be digested and learned quickly.

As the saying goes, ‘Knowledge is not power…it is potential power’. Knowledge becomes power only when it can be harnessed and put to good use...and that takes Skill!

Skill is developed by doing actions and learning over time though trial, error, and adaptation.

People struggle to develop skills.

Those who expect quick & easy success often give up long before they have spent enough time to develop the skills required to master tasks. Others - the people who succeed at performance of tasks - have the gift of persistence/perseverance/tenacity and use that energizing gift to drive repeated trial-error-adaptation cycles of action…for as long as it takes to master skills.

Successful people do not give up on skill development. That is the essence of success.

About the energizing-gift that allows the development of skill…

As another saying goes, ‘Edison learned 10,000 ways to not make a light bulb before he discovered one way that worked’.

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear...but you can make a doggie treat...& maybe you can make a porcine purse.

by Rick Baker
On Jul 4, 2014

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Don't try to fit square talent pegs into round tasks. Don't burn up your energy battling weakness after weakness. Play to your strengths. 

There's a very-lucrative pet-food market and dogs have quite an appetite for treats.

There's a very-lucrative clothing and accessory industry...it's just possible porcine purses could be the next fashion rage. 

Sow's ears have their place in the world's economy. But, that place isn't in the raw material sections of silk-purse production plants.

Tags:

Humour | STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success | Thought Tweets

Learning from practice makes perfect...perfect use of Talents, that is.

by Rick Baker
On Jun 13, 2014

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

There's an old saying, "Practice makes perfect".

There's a newer saying, "Perfect practice makes perfect".

And I say, "Learning from practice makes perfect".

STRENGTH at task = mastery of task = perfect performance of task.

STRENGTH = Innate Talent + Opportunity to act + Specialized Knowledge + Practised Skill...and the practice is required because few get it perfect without practising.

During practice, people err. As they err, smart people learn and make adjustments so their skills improve. With many errors under their belts, persistent people learn how to master tasks.

"Learning from practice makes perfect."

Tags:

STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success | Thought Tweets

There is a very special relationship between Talents/Strengths and motivation/ability to perform Tasks well.

by Rick Baker
On Jun 13, 2014

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

When people believe they are lousy at certain actions they tend to do those actions poorly. Before that poor performance happens their motivation is on the weak side of centre.

When people believe they are skilled at certain actions they tend to do those actions well. Before that good performance happens their motivation is on the strong side of centre.

WOW - Really it ain't rocket science!

So, why is it so hard to get things done right in real life?

Tags:

STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success | Thought Tweets

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