Rick Baker, P.Eng. — publishing since 2008
Plain-spoken thoughts on business, leadership & people.
2,919 Thought Posts by Rick Baker, P.Eng. On good habits, plain communication, personal values, sales, and what it really takes to lead people well.
or browse the dictionary of Rick's defined terms · every post by year
Most-read thoughts
Definitions - Spirited Words Defined
Defining Integrity
On many fronts, Integrity is important to me. Many who know me have heard about the Integrity Experiment we conducted in 2005. Prior to 2005, I had this…
Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude
How to stop complaining
While in Italy last month, I re-read Marcus Aurelius' ' Meditations '. It is therapeutic to consider the self-help messages this famous Roman Emperor wrote…
Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude
Good things come in little packages: that's the key to excellent work-process success.
The Thinking Behind The Tweet Dr. Richard Carlson taught - " Don't sweat the small stuff ". That's good advice as long as it confined within the following…
Business Contains Only 3 Things
About structure...shouldn't your people see your business at least as solid as the building you work in?
The Thinking Behind The Tweet Overall, small and mid-sized businesses lack the structure they need to be sustainable, let alone be excellent. Business is…
Curiosity - Invention, Innovation & Creativity
Think in new ways; think in good old ways...just don't waste time dabbling in-between.
The Thinking Behind The Tweet Wisdom survives the test of time . Curiosity & Creativity are essential things. It's the stuff in-between that wastes time…
Abundance
Good News: you have an emotionally charged group of leaders. Now: how do you convert that energy to the positive?
When our ancestors first saw fire, the first things they saw and understood were destruction and danger. As time passed, as they became more thoughtful and…
Latest thoughts
- Good News: you have an emotionally charged group of leaders. Now: how do you convert that energy to the positive?
- Leaders: Make sure your confidence does not threaten your followers.
- Plan for the particular and the peculiar...because that's what you are...and so is your perspective.
- Knowledge costs money and lack of knowledge costs more.
- The power behind our reactions is far too important to be left to chance.
- Don't be fooled - only deliberate practice allows talents to master tasks.
From the dictionary
Defined term
Defining Integrity
On many fronts, Integrity is important to me. Many who know me have heard about the Integrity Experiment we conducted in 2005. Prior to 2005, I had this…
Defined term
Plan for the particular and the peculiar...because that's what you are...and so is your perspective.
The Thinking Behind The Tweet Particular, peculiar, distinctive, & unique: in the English language the meaning of these words overlap. Of these 4 words, we…
Defined term
Don’t be Passionate about Shorthand Abstractions…they have no Integrity
Over the last few years, I have written and talked about the communication problems that happen when business leaders use words like Passion and Integrity to…
Browse by category
Thought Tweets 1667 Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude 435 Leaders' Thoughts 391 Communication: Improving Communication 377 Humour 367 Emotions & Feelings @ Work 336 Beyond Business 296 Change: Creating Positive Change 294 Habits: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things 280 STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success 255 Values: Personal Values 243 Questions?: The Art of Asking Good Questions 232 Thinking as in Think and Grow Rich 230 Solutions & Opportunities 225 Sales 219 Influencing 169 I'm too busy! - I don't have time! 164 Criticism: Constructive Criticism is an Oxymoron 159 Business Contains Only 3 Things 159 Hero Worship 129 Goals - SMARTACRE Goals 122 Brain: about the Human Brain 121 Entrepreneur Thinking 116 Seeking Simple! 112 Delegation & Decisions 101 Marketing 96 Personalities @ Work 93 Vision: The Leader's Vivid Vision 86 Wisdom: Surviving the Test of Time 85 Definitions - Spirited Words Defined 79 Abundance 74 Family Business and CFFB 72 Curiosity - Invention, Innovation & Creativity 65 INSPIRE PEOPLE - GROW PROFITS! 62 Spirited Leaders 60 Greater KW Chamber - CEO P2P Groups 59 Optimism & Pessimism 56 Master Rules 47 Thick Skin & Thin Skull 40 Measure & Monitor 38 Ernest Seller 33 Succession 29 80/20 Rule 25 Put Your Best Brain Forward 24 Business Plan: Writing Plans 22 1-Page Tools 19 Networking: The Joys of Connection 16 Community 11 IT & TECH 11 Ideas 10 Borrowing Brilliance 9 A Book 6 Integrity 6 Clients' Clients Philosophy 6 Book Reviews 5 Father-to-Son Lessons 4 Agreeing on Exchange of Value 4 Pay! - a philosophy about money 3 Investor Funding 2 Unicorn 1
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About Rick
Rick Baker is a professional engineer, business founder, and student of how people think and work together. Since 2008 he has published short, direct thoughts rooted in decades of running businesses in Waterloo Region, Canada. All 2,919 of them are here — searchable, organized by category, along with 1,599 reader comments.