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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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7 Ways to Turn Problems into Opportunities

by Rick Baker
On Apr 8, 2010
In his book ‘How to Position Yourself for Success’, Nido Qubein provides a summary of 7 ways to turn problems into opportunities.
 
 
7 Ways to Turn Problems into Opportunities
  1. Expect Problems...and be willing to tackle them head on
  2. Plan Solutions for Problems in Advance...so you are confident when they arrive
  3. Focus on Fixing the Problem not on Fixing the Blame
  4. Make sure you understand the Problem before you start to work on fixing it; ensure you are fixing the problem and not just a symptom
  5. Formulate several possible solutions to the problem and examine them
  6. Choose a solution and act
  7. Turn you back on the problem and face your next challenge 
This meshes well with P=2S+O©.
 
For every Problem we should be able to come up with at least 2 Solutions. And, we should keep our eyes and ears open for great Opportunities, which often are hiding under Problems.
 
http://www.waterloomin.com/blogs/activestor/p2so
[a link to the first in a series of P=2S+O blogs]
 
Several of Nido Qubein’s thoughts about problems resonate with me.
 
A couple of examples:
  • We should not avoid problems. We should face them with courage and confidence [two of our Corporate Values]. And, even better we should expect problems and plan their solutions in advance. We can use the P=2S+O template to help us sort out our thoughts and create our plans. [download P=2S+O template]
  • We should think of many solutions then compare them. In the past, I have been happy to see people present to me two solutions under the P=2S+O process. I have been reluctant to press for more than 2 solutions. I’m going to give that more thought.
More on problems, solutions, & P=2S+O© in future blogs…

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Solutions & Opportunities | Optimism & Pessimism | Seeking Simple!

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Networking: A letter to local business leaders

by Rick Baker
On Apr 6, 2010
A Prescription for Business Prosperity
 
Fellow Business Leaders,
 
Imagine your doctor has a finger on the pulse of your business. Your doctor says the vital signs are good enough...but…they could be better. The doctor says your business would benefit from an injection of profit-generating sales.
 
Now, imagine your doctor hands you a prescription that reads'
 
"YOUR PEOPLE MUST EXPAND THEIR NETWORKING SKILLS"
 
Where would you go to fill that prescription?
 
Your Chamber of Commerce has a suggestion that makes a lot of sense. You should go to the new University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy, Tuesday, April 13th, at 5:00 p.m. 
 
That's when the Chamber introduces its new networking event: Chamber Connections, sponsored by Rogers.
 
The first Rogers Chamber Connections event has an HST theme coupled with an awesome venue so the event provides 3 opportunities of value to business leaders and their people:
 
1. An opportunity to begin to take networking to a higher, profit-generating plane. That applies whether or not you want to lead your employees by example or have other successful 'Connectors', including Directors of your Chamber Board, help your people hone and expand their networking skills.
 
2. An opportunity to learn about HST. Jane Adams of KPMG will be providing a concise explanation and Jane and other experts will answer your questions so your company handles HST implementation as simply and smoothly as possible.
 
3. An opportunity to tour our community's new School of Pharmacy...a fine example of vibrant innovation.
 
More details are provided in the attached event flyer.
 
As a Director of The Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, I'm honoured to have the privilege of sending this note to you, introducing the inauguration of Rogers Chamber Connections.
 
The leaders of your Chamber and the founding committee for this event look forward to serving you at Rogers Chamber Connections.
 
You can register to attend this event at your Chamber’s website www.greaterkwchamber.com. Or, if you would like assistance then please contact Tara at [email protected] or Julie at [email protected].
 
 
Yours truly,
 
 
W.F.C. (Rick) Baker
CEO
Spirited Investors Corporation

Tags:

Networking: The Joys of Connection

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Emergent Change

by Rick Baker
On Apr 1, 2010
Planned Change & Emergent Change…these are the two types of business change Linda Gregorio described when she presented to the Centre For Family Business last Friday morning. www.cffb.ca
 
[ Linda can be reached by email. ]
 
Here are some of the notes I took as Linda summarized Emergent Change.
 
Emergent Change is happening in your workplace when you can spot:
  • A business-literate work force where people have role knowledge
    • People get the context for Change
    • People understand how Change meshes with Corporate Vision
  • A work force that has permission to act
    • Not managers swooping down on people like seagulls
  • A work force that will challenge the status quo
  • ‘Leaderness’ that encourages a ‘readiness to change’ culture
So, whether or not change happens successfully at your organization depends on your business culture. Put another way…you have the ability to influence that culture. As a leader, or an aspiring leader, you have an obligation to work at creating a business culture that encourages ‘readiness to change’.
 
Here is a sample of the process I am thinking about to encourage a proper business culture, including ‘readiness to change’.
 
I call the process V-C-C-V.
 
Values – Culture – Communication – Value
 
Values: the leader’s personal Values
 
Culture: the sum of the leader’s Values and the Values of everyone at the organization
 
Communication: the leader must share his/her Values…repeatedly
 
Value: then, all parties - employees, clients, shareholders, suppliers, etc – will receive Value
 
More about V-C-C-V in future blogs…

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Values: Personal Values

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10 Rules for Building a Great Organization

by Rick Baker
On Mar 30, 2010
My friend, Ben Bach, thoughtfully loaned me his copy of the book ‘Enough. True Measures of Money, Business, and Life’, written by John C. Bogle, the founder and former CEO of Vanguard Mutual Fund Group.
 
 
I recommend the book to anyone interested in understanding the current status of capitalism. Of more importance, John C. Bogle offers clear ideas on how we can help build a better future for our businesses and for our investments [and for generations to follow].
 
I will be picking up a copy of ‘Enough.’ for my library.   [some personal comments at the footnote]
 
Here is a sample of John C. Bogle’s wisdom…
 
10 Rules For Building a Great Business
 
Rule 1: Make Caring the Soul of the Organization
 
Rule 2: Forget about Employees (the word hardly suggests teamwork and cooperation at Vanguard, Bogle uses 'crew member'…see footnote for an explanation)
 
Rule 3: Set High Standards and Values - and Stick to Them
 
Rule 4: Talk the Talk, Repeat the Values Endlessly
 
Rule 5: Walk the Walk, Actions Speak Louder than Words
 
Rule 6: Don't Overmanage
 
Rule 7: Recognize Individual Achievement
 
Rule 8: A Reminder - Loyalty Is a Two-Way Street
 
Rule 9: Lead and Manage for the Long Term
 
Rule 10: Press On, Regardless
 
Footnote: John C. Bogle is an avid admirer of Lord Horatio Nelson. We have that in common. Lord Nelson is very high on my list of historic heroes. Nelson inspired a nation to heights rarely accomplished and his legacy lives on in the hearts of many. In honour of his ‘patron saint’, Admiral Nelson, Bogle decided to remove the word employee from his company’s lexicon and instead call his people crew members. [PS: Bogle also named his company Vanguard out of respect for Lord Nelson.]
 
 
More about Standards and Values [Rules 3 and 4] in future blogs…

Tags:

Hero Worship | INSPIRE PEOPLE - GROW PROFITS! | Master Rules | Values: Personal Values

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Some Ideas About Optimism

by Rick Baker
On Mar 25, 2010
We all know when people say “That glass is half full” they are optimists.
 
But, how else can we spot them?
 
Does a person’s communication give us clues?
 
According to Susan C. Vaughan M.D. the author of ‘Half Full Half Empty, Understanding the Psychological Roots of Optimism’, we can identify optimists through the following 2 characteristics.
 
 
Dr. Vaughan says we can identify optimists two ways:
  1. They exhibit a specific attributional style: when they experience successes they tend to take more credit than they deserve and when they experience failures they tend to blame others or unfavourable  circumstances.
  2. They make downward comparisons. For example,  they think or say things like “I am sure glad I am not so and so” [some less fortunate person]. Apparently, the Dalai Lama does this.
According to Susan Vaughan, when we see/listen to optimists we perceive them to be people who inflate their own ‘worth’, fail to give credit to others when such credit is due, and fail to accept responsibility for their failures.  And, optimists sustain their positive self-image by feeling good about being better than others.
 
Isn’t that just a bit surprising.
 
Regardless, we can use this to bolster an argument supporting realism…or at least an argument in favour of optimism tempered by realism.
 
Perhaps the above 2 ‘tests’ could be altered as follows…
 
Here are two ways to identify realistic-optimists:
  1. They enjoy and celebrate their successes but don’t reduce the role played by others or ignore the fact fortunate circumstances [or luck] also contribute to success [some of the time].
  2. They express appreciation for their good fortune…but keep their downward comparisons to themselves.
PS:  here’s a link to another thought about optimism-pessimism…from a prior blog.
 
More about P=2S+O and how to  be more optimistic in future blogs…

Tags:

Optimism & Pessimism | Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude

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Seeking Simple

by Rick Baker
On Mar 23, 2010

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog, more like a detailed paper, titled Seeking Simple.

Seeking Simple is about making good decisions.

Seeking Simple is about really communicating.

Seeking Simple is about solving problems.

Seeking Simple is about reducing our stress levels.

  

Seeking Simple© is about more than that…but that’s a good-enough introduction for now.

Here are a couple of pieces of inspiration…

A 14th century English friar, William of Ockham, came up with a razor [rule of thumb] that has been translated many ways, one being:

"When confronted with multiple solutions to a problem, choose the simplest one."

In 1916, Robert Updegraff created a little classic book titled, ‘Obvious Adams: the story of a successful businessman’. [I am thrilled to have a 1916 copy, with a most-endearing father-to-son note penned on the title page.] Obvious Adams is a little story about a fellow who sees what everyone else misses. While everyone else is bogged down in the details, Obvious Adams sees the obvious. And, the obvious is simple. We can learn from Obvious Adams.

Here’s a link to an Obvious Adams book review

http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadershop/2030-3.html

My goal here was to introduce the concept - Seeking Simple.

I would like to obtain help from you folks who read my blog…I would like to hear or read your stories about how simple decisions or simple communications or simple solutions to problems have served you well.

So, please, if you have some personal anecdotes then please share them with me…and our other readers.

More about Seeking Simple in future blogs…

Tags:

Delegation & Decisions | Seeking Simple!

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