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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Introduce Interests & Express Expectations...do not leave these vital communications to chance.

by Rick Baker
On Jan 21, 2021

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

If you introduce your Interests people have a chance to understand what you want. Maybe they share your Interests. Maybe their Interests align with yours. Maybe they do not. If you introduce your Interests you, at least, have a fighting chance to know. 

If you express your Expectations people have a chance to understand what you want from them. Maybe they share your Expectations. Maybe their Expectations align with yours. Maybe they do not. If you express your Expectations you, at least, have a fighting chance to know.

And at least of equal importance, other people have a chance to know. If you want to accomplish things with the help of other people, you must agree you owe them that. 

Interests and Expectations: around the essence of communication. Just add story and repetition. 

Tags:

Communication: Improving Communication | Thought Tweets

How to Master Sales: learn how to ask good questions, listen, think, & share solutions.

by Rick Baker
On Jan 20, 2021

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Despite the views of new-era social-media gurus, the Sales function is not dead. The Sales function will live and breathe as long as people do. The essence of Sales is 'people, one-to-one, exchanging value'. It is incorrect to conclude people are no longer doing that. It is equally incorrect to assume that's going to change. Sales - or barter, or trade, or whatever term one chooses to use for it - is part of the human condition. 

Tags:

Communication: Improving Communication | Sales | Thought Tweets

If you are spending too much time fighting fires at work, your career is getting doused.

by Rick Baker
On Jan 19, 2021

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

The economy would get a serious boost if 10% of business people would apply the 80/20 Rule and spend more time doing work directly linked to building value [planning the work and working the plan] and less time fighting fires.

Don't delegate any task you cannot do yourself...except software engineering.

by Rick Baker
On Jan 18, 2021

Clint Eastwood taught those villains, "A man must know his limitations."

Similarly, a man must understand he is at risk when he delegates beyond his limitations.

Yes, I known this also applies to women, however, Clint Eastwood didn't shoot women...at least I don't recall seeing him shoot women or instructing them on limitations.

OK - people, both women and men, must know their limitations and they must understand they should think about the risks before they delegate work that exceeds their capabilities.

So, one Master Rule is – Don’t delegate a task you cannot do yourself.

From time to time, leaders need to do the dirty jobs. [The jobs everyone can do but nobody enjoys doing.] If leaders choose to delegate all the dirty jobs then they will surely alienate some people….perhaps, most followers.

At the other end of the spectrum, leaders get into trouble when they delegate tasks that are beyond their capability. As examples - troubles follow when the time required for tasks is underestimated, when the complexity of tasks is underestimated, and when the resources required for tasks are underestimated. The best way to know the time, complexity, and resources of tasks is firsthand experience doing the tasks.

So, one Master Rule is – Don’t delegate a task you cannot do yourself.

…unless, of course, those tasks are software engineering!

Tags:

Delegation & Decisions | Hero Worship | Humour | Master Rules

Intolerant people see weaknesses where others see strengths.

by Rick Baker
On Jan 17, 2021

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

The strongest of leaders seek out differences. They know differences capture all the talents & strengths.

Work to your strengths. Find others who have strengths that cover your weaknesses.

When Leaders tell followers what to do they need to limit that telling to BIG PICTURE things.

by Rick Baker
On Jan 16, 2021

The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet

Some think Leaders should provide followers latitude to do their work as they choose. Some think that’s the way to breed creativity and maximize motivation, innovation, and results. Meanwhile, many [perhaps most] entrepreneur-Leaders tend to micro-manage. 4 keys to success in business:

  1. The Leader must pick strong/capable followers, 
  2. The Leader must tell those followers the desired BIG PICTURE things such as VALUES, VISION, MASTER RULES, and MAJOR GOALS
  3. The Leader must show those followers how he/she [the Leader] goes about his/her work [actions]…i.e., setting one example, the example that fits the Leader’s strengths and personality, and 
  4. the Leader must make it clear he/she expects followers to take action that fits their unique strengths and personalities.

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