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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Motivation, Self-Confidence...Entrepreneurship & Sales

by Rick Baker
On May 16, 2013

Some people are convinced their motivation is not their responsibility. They rely on others for motivation and they blame others when motivation isn't happening. In their world, self-motivation does not exist. For people with this view, company enjoys misery. Like-minded, these people naturally congeal around the lowest-common denominator. Low or even zero motivation becomes the benchmark and hue and cry [for example, around the water cooler].

And, within the group, there can be a lot of crying and other forms of complaining.

These people tend to approach everything with a What's-In-It-For-Me? attitude. Or, they consider themselves victims.

At best, these people spread out the breeding ground for the mind-virus called mediocrity....a 'mob' mentality.

Each and every person who chooses not to join this 'mob' feels a personal responsibility for the task of self-motivation.

Often, these self-motivated people railroad over the people in the 'mob'…and, often, the 'mob' responds by providing the things desired by the dominant person in command.

Most of these not-in-the-'mob' people could not care less why the 'mob' refuse to self-motivate. Dominant people who are not in the 'mob' simply dominate and the people in the 'mob', to a large degree and with consistency, do what they are told or forced to do.

Some of these not-in-the-'mob' people think about how people in the 'mob' might be converted into self-motivators.

They wonder:

  • Perhaps, the answer lies in big sticks and loud screams? 
  • Perhaps, the answer lies in nurturing arms and soothing tones? 
  • Perhaps, there is no answer and we must accept that resistance is futile, a necessity under the human condition? 

[I think, yes, for certain people we must accept it.]

Needless to say, if you buy into anything I am saying, you will quickly understand why many business problems exist around self-motivation. For business-work the real problem is, the people in the ‘mob’ lack the self-motivation and the self-discipline to have the required level of work-drive to do well in the entrepreneurial or the sales environment.

The people in the 'mob' may be able to survive in different-than-entrepreneurial environments but even that is getting tougher and tougher to do under globalization [if that exists] or global commoditization [which I know exists]. Certainly, these days, a complete career in a blue chip organization is not anticipated to be a most-likely outcome for very many people, especially the people in the 'mob'. In fact, the people in the 'mob' have no job security.

A Key Point: Virtually 100% of the time, low self-motivation, low self-discipline, and low work-drive have a single root cause. That root cause is low self-confidence.

Entrepreneuring ain’t easy.

Sales ain’t easy.

And, the 'mob' attitude is business-weak. So, the people in the 'mob' really suffer in entrepreneurial and sales environments. They suffer because they accept this defeat or that defeat, without accepting this responsibility or that responsibility or learning this lesson or that lesson. The people in the 'mob' make this excuse or that excuse.

They choose to accept failure after failure while rejecting any we-can-win thinking.

The 'mob' recognizes some struggling happens prior to achievement. And the 'mob' understands winning requires directed effort.

Some struggling & directed effort…well, that's a whole bunch of work, isn't it?

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Entrepreneur Thinking | Sales

Can You Open Your Mind To Criticism?

by Rick Baker
On May 14, 2013

For the sake of change and innovation, I hope you can.

For the sake of future Canadian generations, I hope you can.

For your piece of mind, I hope you can.

I have written often - Constructive Criticism is an Oxymoron [99.44% of the time].

To be clear...

I mean that as an observation. I do not mean that as a moral or philosophical judgment against constructive criticism or a condemnation of criticism in general. It is simply an observation. 

Now...if I was inclined to make a moral or philosophical judgment then:

Criticism is needed and an environment where it can and does happen should be promoted and appreciated. When applied with wisdom and sincerity, criticism should always be received well.

You should have thick skin…criticism only injures you when you allow it to. Even offensively-applied criticism does not have to injure you. It is your choice. If you have thick skin and a thin skull then you know this to be true.

For other people, criticism can be offensive. That's their shortfall...you do not have to be offended by criticism. You can choose to not be offended. You have thick skin...or you can make some character adjustments so you have thick skin. Thick skin provides you the ability to make that sort of choice.

Indeed, criticism cannot be done in a willy-nilly, free-for-all way. Nobody should deliver criticism that way. You are on very thin ice when you choose the targets of your criticism poorly...for example, when you choose to criticize The Boss. That's just common sense. So, inject wisdom before you prescribe criticism.

And, Criticism needs to be bounded. Criticism is best when it is applied in small doses. Be concise. There are times and places for criticism. Be selective. Emotions should be under control when criticism is delivered. Be respectful.

***

 

Thick Skin: if you prick me, I do not bleed

Thin Skull: if you prick me, I think before I do

 

***

Here's an idea...call it a Thick-Skin-Thin-Skull suggestion...

The next time you feel inclined to criticize someone take the time to write it out on a piece of paper. Then get another piece of paper and write out a criticism of yourself. Compare the two. Make sure they are about equally-important items and are of equivalent length, level of detail, wording/style and tone.

Then make a choice: 

  1. present both of them to the person you wish to criticize or
  2. tear them both up and move on to some other activity.

If you choose #1...don't be bashful. Let the person know you are undertaking a Thick-Skin-Thin-Skull adventure...trying to help yourself and others prove Constructive Criticism shouldn't be an Oxymoron!
 
If you choose #2...pat yourself on the back...celebrate the step toward thinning your skull and thickening your skin.

Thought Tweet #736

by Rick Baker
On May 13, 2013

Thought Tweet #736 The 'mob' is convinced someone else is responsible for motivating each and every one in the 'mob'.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

I used to write a lot about the 'mob'...

  • wrong thinkers
  • chronic complainers
  • narrow minders
  • finger pointers
  • frowners
...people who are just going through the business motions.

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Humour | Thought Tweets

Do as I say, not as I do!

by Rick Baker
On May 13, 2013

Do as I say, not as I do...

Why?

...Obviously, I've got that last part covered.

That phrase - do as I say, not as I do - is the recipient of a bad rap.

When people hear it they think things like:

  • That person is a hypocrite! 
  • That person is giving bad advice!
  • If that person cannot follow his or her own advice then why should I!
  • If that person cannot follow his or her own advice then, definitely, I will not be able to follow it!
All of that is wrong-thinking. Beware the Attribution Bias. Beware the excuse-taking.
 
Slip-ups are a fact of life. Everyone fails to do what they say...from time to time, sooner or later.
 
That alone is not a violation of Integrity. It is simply a fact of human life.

Integrity, as Spirited Leaders define it, has this nuance: nobody is perfect!

So, do not force wisdom to meet a perfection test.

Despite best intentions:

  • everyone slips up from time to time,
  • everyone struggles to exercise power of will...sooner or later,
  • everyone is prone to be weak in certain situations, 
  • everyone has a limited amount of energy, &
  • everyone weakens, sooner or later, when challenging situations stack up against them.

So, even the wisest people with the highest Integrity will slip up from time to time.

Even as they slip up, their wisdom may be sound.

Even as they slip up, their character may be sound.

Even as they slip up, their Integrity may be sound.

The question is: How do they react when they slip up? If they acknowledge their error, that’s a good sign. If they express regret, that’s a good sign. If they indicate a desire to do better in the future, that’s a good sign. With those good signs, trust can be rebuilt over time. Trust can be rebuilt when you believe the person’s Integrity aligns with your Integrity. And, as that is happening, make sure you cut some slack...Beware the Attribution Bias.

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Values: Personal Values

2 Simple Tools: 1 for Thinking, 1 for Action....both for Communicating.

by Rick Baker
On May 10, 2013

Edward de Bono is one of my heroes. In my opinion, he is the world's greatest creative thinking educator.

I have written about Edward de Bono and his 'Six Thinking Hats'...'Six Thinking Hats' is an extremely helpful tool for sorting out your thinking and for communicating with others about thinking.

Here's a picture-summary:

Edward de Bono's 'Six Thinking Hats'

 

 

I have a de Bono section in my library. My goal is to collect and red all his books. That's a challenge because he has been prolific, writing well over 50 books. I have just completed reading de Bono's 'Six Action Shoes', (1991). 'Six Action Shoes' is an extremely helpful tool for sorting out your actions and for communicating with others about actions.

Here's a picture-summary:

Edward de Bono's 'Six Action Shoes'

These thinking and action tools provide excellent ways to Seek Simple....a Spirited Leaders' philosophy. When thinking can be summarized in 6 ways...that's seeking simple. When action can be summarized in 6 ways...that's seeking simple. And, that's why Edward de Bono is so amazing. He has been able to unleash his genius [and help others do the same] because he is the master in simplifying before choosing how to think, simplifying before choosing how to act, and knowing when and how to be creative. In other books, he illustrates exactly how to be creative. [Our recent thought post 'Taking Curiosity to Creativity' contains de Bono's signature contribution - lateral thinking.]

Now, Seek Simple is one of Spirited Leaders' core philosophies...another is:

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

Much has been posted about People, Process, & Situations.

Now we will show how Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats and Six Action Shoes can be incorporated.

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

Here's the picture...


A snapshot in time during your business day - that's what we mean by Situations. That snapshot will contain people [at least 1, you] and it will contain process [at least 1, your thinking]. Process either involves People or machines/mechanisms/tools [designed by People]. For the time being, let's concentrate on the Processes performed by People. There are only 2 types of Processes performed by People: Thinking and Action. If we embrace de Bono's tools, the Processes performed by People have 12 components: 6 ways of thinking and 6 ways of taking action.

In any Situation, People can decide which of the 12 things they will perform.

Here's the picture...

 

Those are good questions to ask!

[That's Seeking Simple and finding it.]

[That makes for one very Good Habit.]

Thought Tweet #727

by Rick Baker
On Apr 30, 2013

Thought Tweet #727 You know you are a leader when you feel confident in the face of confrontation.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

You know you are a leader when you have confidence in situations of conflict.

[Bearing in mind...even the best of leaders have bad days along with their good days. For example, read the biography of Lord Admiral Nelson.]

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Hero Worship | Leaders' Thoughts | Thought Tweets

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