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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Thought Tweet #740

by Rick Baker
On May 17, 2013

Thought Tweet #740 It's easy to make a significant change: just tell everyone you have developed an electricity intolerance.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Sure, change is tough.

But you gotta look on the bright side: if you don't like that last suggestion - when the urge to change gets too annoying, you can always watch a TV rerun.

Now, do you see the benefit in the power of positive thinking?

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Humour | Thought Tweets

Motivation, Self-Confidence...Entrepreneurship & Sales

by Rick Baker
On May 16, 2013

Some people are convinced their motivation is not their responsibility. They rely on others for motivation and they blame others when motivation isn't happening. In their world, self-motivation does not exist. For people with this view, company enjoys misery. Like-minded, these people naturally congeal around the lowest-common denominator. Low or even zero motivation becomes the benchmark and hue and cry [for example, around the water cooler].

And, within the group, there can be a lot of crying and other forms of complaining.

These people tend to approach everything with a What's-In-It-For-Me? attitude. Or, they consider themselves victims.

At best, these people spread out the breeding ground for the mind-virus called mediocrity....a 'mob' mentality.

Each and every person who chooses not to join this 'mob' feels a personal responsibility for the task of self-motivation.

Often, these self-motivated people railroad over the people in the 'mob'…and, often, the 'mob' responds by providing the things desired by the dominant person in command.

Most of these not-in-the-'mob' people could not care less why the 'mob' refuse to self-motivate. Dominant people who are not in the 'mob' simply dominate and the people in the 'mob', to a large degree and with consistency, do what they are told or forced to do.

Some of these not-in-the-'mob' people think about how people in the 'mob' might be converted into self-motivators.

They wonder:

  • Perhaps, the answer lies in big sticks and loud screams? 
  • Perhaps, the answer lies in nurturing arms and soothing tones? 
  • Perhaps, there is no answer and we must accept that resistance is futile, a necessity under the human condition? 

[I think, yes, for certain people we must accept it.]

Needless to say, if you buy into anything I am saying, you will quickly understand why many business problems exist around self-motivation. For business-work the real problem is, the people in the ‘mob’ lack the self-motivation and the self-discipline to have the required level of work-drive to do well in the entrepreneurial or the sales environment.

The people in the 'mob' may be able to survive in different-than-entrepreneurial environments but even that is getting tougher and tougher to do under globalization [if that exists] or global commoditization [which I know exists]. Certainly, these days, a complete career in a blue chip organization is not anticipated to be a most-likely outcome for very many people, especially the people in the 'mob'. In fact, the people in the 'mob' have no job security.

A Key Point: Virtually 100% of the time, low self-motivation, low self-discipline, and low work-drive have a single root cause. That root cause is low self-confidence.

Entrepreneuring ain’t easy.

Sales ain’t easy.

And, the 'mob' attitude is business-weak. So, the people in the 'mob' really suffer in entrepreneurial and sales environments. They suffer because they accept this defeat or that defeat, without accepting this responsibility or that responsibility or learning this lesson or that lesson. The people in the 'mob' make this excuse or that excuse.

They choose to accept failure after failure while rejecting any we-can-win thinking.

The 'mob' recognizes some struggling happens prior to achievement. And the 'mob' understands winning requires directed effort.

Some struggling & directed effort…well, that's a whole bunch of work, isn't it?

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Entrepreneur Thinking | Sales

Thought Tweet #739

by Rick Baker
On May 16, 2013

Thought Tweet #739 "...only he who knows where he is sailing also knows which wind is good and the right wind for him."

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Not mine...Nietzsche's...[and I agree with him]

From 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra', (1880's)

Zarathustra's shadow talked to him...

"But alas, how could any thing please me any more? Do I have a goal any more? A haven toward which my sail is set? A good wind? Alas, only he who knows where he is sailing also knows which wind is good and the right wind for him."

Tags:

Goals - SMARTACRE Goals | STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success | Thought Tweets

Thought Tweet #738

by Rick Baker
On May 15, 2013

Thought Tweet #738 It's OK to voice clichés...as long as you don't make a practice of living them. 

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Common don't cut it in this world of global commoditization

Tags:

Humour | Thought Tweets

Thought Tweet #737

by Rick Baker
On May 14, 2013

Thought Tweet #737 Objective, well-intentioned, well-delivered criticism will still gnaw, rip, and tear thin skin.


The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Criticism will always gnaw, rip, and tear at thin skin. That is a given. The only question is: how will the thin-skinned person react as the thin skin rips and tears? The natural reactions are fight & flight...aggression & avoidance. 

And, of importance – will ‘motivation’ get dragged into the bloody discussion after the ripping and tearing of thin skin? Sometimes it will. More often the thought will be there, but it will be unspoken. And, as they say, “It's the thought that counts.” I have strong views on ‘motivation’, and my strong views contain intolerance of those who blame others for the failures or the lack of motivation. Bosses have a tough enough job without having to bear the burden of every subordinate’s ‘motivation’.

Can You Open Your Mind To Criticism?

by Rick Baker
On May 14, 2013

For the sake of change and innovation, I hope you can.

For the sake of future Canadian generations, I hope you can.

For your piece of mind, I hope you can.

I have written often - Constructive Criticism is an Oxymoron [99.44% of the time].

To be clear...

I mean that as an observation. I do not mean that as a moral or philosophical judgment against constructive criticism or a condemnation of criticism in general. It is simply an observation. 

Now...if I was inclined to make a moral or philosophical judgment then:

Criticism is needed and an environment where it can and does happen should be promoted and appreciated. When applied with wisdom and sincerity, criticism should always be received well.

You should have thick skin…criticism only injures you when you allow it to. Even offensively-applied criticism does not have to injure you. It is your choice. If you have thick skin and a thin skull then you know this to be true.

For other people, criticism can be offensive. That's their shortfall...you do not have to be offended by criticism. You can choose to not be offended. You have thick skin...or you can make some character adjustments so you have thick skin. Thick skin provides you the ability to make that sort of choice.

Indeed, criticism cannot be done in a willy-nilly, free-for-all way. Nobody should deliver criticism that way. You are on very thin ice when you choose the targets of your criticism poorly...for example, when you choose to criticize The Boss. That's just common sense. So, inject wisdom before you prescribe criticism.

And, Criticism needs to be bounded. Criticism is best when it is applied in small doses. Be concise. There are times and places for criticism. Be selective. Emotions should be under control when criticism is delivered. Be respectful.

***

 

Thick Skin: if you prick me, I do not bleed

Thin Skull: if you prick me, I think before I do

 

***

Here's an idea...call it a Thick-Skin-Thin-Skull suggestion...

The next time you feel inclined to criticize someone take the time to write it out on a piece of paper. Then get another piece of paper and write out a criticism of yourself. Compare the two. Make sure they are about equally-important items and are of equivalent length, level of detail, wording/style and tone.

Then make a choice: 

  1. present both of them to the person you wish to criticize or
  2. tear them both up and move on to some other activity.

If you choose #1...don't be bashful. Let the person know you are undertaking a Thick-Skin-Thin-Skull adventure...trying to help yourself and others prove Constructive Criticism shouldn't be an Oxymoron!
 
If you choose #2...pat yourself on the back...celebrate the step toward thinning your skull and thickening your skin.

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