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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Thought Tweet #363

by Rick Baker
On Dec 7, 2011
Thought Tweet #363 Control Things & Relate to People…Covey, the elder, said something like that.
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
When I say 'the elder' I mean Stephen R. Covey. This fellow has delivered some well-packaged pieces of wisdom. For example, I believe he was the first to teach the 4 time-&-task management quadrants generated by Important, Urgent, Not-Important, and Not-Urgent. Consideration of the Importance of actions and the urgency required for actions is a great starting point for 'Controlling Things'. And, when things are under control, you remove most of the excuses that limit your ability to 'Relate to People'.

Tags:

Leaders' Thoughts | Thought Tweets

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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

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Thought Tweet #362

by Rick Baker
On Dec 6, 2011
Thought Tweet #362 If a picture is worth 1000 words then Jacks’ apps are worth at least 100,000 words!
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
(Now, doesn't that sound like a proud father.)

Tags:

Beyond Business | Thought Tweets

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10 Tips to Running Scared

by Rick Baker
On Dec 5, 2011

10 TIPS TO RUNNING SCARED:

How to do business with a Scarcity Mindset

  1. Embrace the Win-Lose Mentality: aim for 100%/0% transactions, always
  2. Be Subversive: sabotage and undermine the efforts of your co-workers 
  3. Yell a Lot: screaming messages get heard & remembered
  4. Withhold Information: but, make sure you spring it on people just before the last minute
  5. Parade Your Position: never assume people know you are important...show & tell it
  6. Lie a Lot: know you possess the ability to succeed with even the biggest & fattest lies
  7. Steal the Limelight: whatever it takes - get your face in the pictures
  8. Stick With Sticks: ignore all that advice about motivational carrots 
  9. Trust No One: ever
  10. Own Many Mirrors: place them strategically so you can always enjoy the view

Tags:

Abundance | Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude

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Thought Tweet #361

by Rick Baker
On Dec 5, 2011
Thought Tweet #361 MONEY - what's it mean? It means freedom; and if you earned the money then it may also mean self-discipline.
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
The other day, a discussion of that question arose during one of our meetings. It seems to me money is a major thing in our society. Almost everybody wants more of it. Most people want things that money can buy more than they want the money itself. Some people want the money itself…stored away somewhere as security. Some other folks spend money before they get it. It seems to me money means freedom. Certainly, if you believe you have more money than you need then money brings freedom. If you have more money than you need you have choices: keeping it in a secure place, buying stuff, giving it away, working, playing, learning...whatever you choose.

Tags:

Beyond Business | Thought Tweets

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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.
 
 
 

Tags:

Definitions - Spirited Words Defined | Master Rules | Spirited Leaders | STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success | Values: Personal Values

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