Rick Baker Thought Posts
Left Menu Space Holder

About the author

Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

E-mail me Send mail
Follow me LinkedIn Twitter

Search

Calendar

<<  November 2024  >>
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
28293031123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
2526272829301
2345678

View posts in large calendar

Recent Comments

Comment RSS

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, No [...and now...likely...it's over!]

by Rick Baker
On Oct 30, 2013

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, No       [...and now...likely...it's over!]

The Art of Good Questions is about asking questions that bring about 'Yes' answers.

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes.

What a fine string of 'Yeses'.

Then...

...'No'.

And, with that 'No'...'Yes' is likely over...resistance has kicked in...the other person is now either turned off, wanting to escape or ready to fight your every move.

There's a fine, sharp edge between 'Yes' and 'No'. That edge cuts quickly and deeply when you cause a person's thoughts to pass from the 'Yes' side to the 'No' side. Once the other person's thoughts are on the 'No' side, the constructive part of the conversation is over and irrecoverable. This is one of the reasons Constructive Criticism is an Oxymoron

When you criticize people you trigger their 'No' responses....and, at that point, constructive communication is over.

Sure, you may be able to present immaculate logic to try to extract the 'No' mindset from the other people...but remember, your chances are about the same as those of an unskilled rider trying to control a rather-out-of-sorts elephant.

Sure, you might try apologizing and asking to start over...if your trust bank account is flush with relationship assets then you may be able to pull that one off.

And, sure - the other person may be one of those exceptional people with thick skin...but, as you know, that's not very likely.

Thought Tweet #858

by Rick Baker
On Oct 30, 2013

Thought Tweet #858 Our fingers naturally point outwards. So, it takes much effort to point at ourselves when it's time to place the blame. 

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

This must be evolution in the works!

We enjoy all the benefits of opposing thumbs and blame-pointing fingers.

Tags:

Beyond Business | Thought Tweets

Thought Tweet #857.5

by Rick Baker
On Oct 29, 2013

Thought Tweet #857.5 Strange as it may seem, people shut down when they know you will put down their ideas.


The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Try putting an end to receiving input then vetoing ideas and shutting people down.

Even better, try putting an end to asking for input then vetoing ideas and shutting people down...that one really burns people.

Tags:

Communication: Improving Communication | Humour | Thought Tweets

Thought Tweet #857

by Rick Baker
On Oct 29, 2013

Thought Tweet #857 It is better to believe in people's ability to change than in people's fate for the status quo.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Some people believe people cannot change. They envision a future of status quo or some other fate.

Some people believe people can change for the better. They envision bright and better futures.

Leaders embrace the latter belief.

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Leaders' Thoughts | Thought Tweets

Thought Tweet #856.5

by Rick Baker
On Oct 28, 2013

Thought Tweet #856.5 How to build relationships, earn trust, and influence people. [3 related essentials]

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

'How to win friends and influence people.' [Dale Carnegie's classic....really, about how to influence people, starting with friendly relationships]

So...

How to influence people.

How to build relationships to influence people.

How to earn trust to influence people.

How to build relationships, earn trust, and influence people.

Tags:

Influencing | Thought Tweets

Taking SWOT to an even better place

by Rick Baker
On Oct 28, 2013

STRENGTHS: The Gallup people presented Strengths as a combination of Talent, Knowledge, & Skills. Talent is not enough on its own. It must be coupled with Knowledge. We clarify that the Knowledge must be specialized, focused, and consistent with what it takes to achieve goals. Talent coupled with Knowledge is not enough...it is essential that Skills be practised until tasks and processes are mastered. Only then can one possess and vent Strengths. On top of that Gallup wisdom, we added Opportunities. That's where leaders fit in. Leaders recognize Talent, provide access to Knowledge and training & development in the form of practising. In this way, leaders provide the Opportunities for the development of Strengths.

P=2S+O: Bosses exist to delegate tasks and processes and manage the people who do those tasks and processes. That being the framework for business, bosses really don't want to hear Problems. Bosses only want to hear Problems when the Problems are used to introduce Solutions...and, every once in a while, Opportunities. That's the P=2S+O philosophy. That's why we created the P=2S+O tool.

SWOT is a strategic planning tool developed a couple of generations ago. It can be used to sort thoughts about business processes & business situations. And, as was recently brought to our attention by Don Peart, SWOT can be used to sort thoughts about people.

Business Contains Only 3 Things: People, Process, & Situations.

The thinking around SWOT's application for business Processes & Situations is on the record. Just Google 'SWOT' and you will find much theory and practical advice.

The first 3 thoughts that came to me when Don Peart talked about applying SWOT thinking to People were:

  1. There's a lot of common ground shared by SWOT and our definition of personal Strength.
  2. P=2S+O is a practical tool, designed to cause people to focus on Solutions while keeping their minds and eyes open for Opportunities.
  3. When recruiting we could use SWOT thinking as an umbrella over our definition of Strengths and our P=2S+O philosophy.
Here's the picture...

 

There are many possible ways to apply SWOT thinking to People: recruiting, training, etc.

...more to follow

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