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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Thought Tweet #556

by Rick Baker
On Sep 3, 2012

Thought Tweet #556 If, as Aristotle said, we are what we repeatedly do then by doing a few new things we can change who we are.

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Watch what they do, not what they say. Help people do new things...little-but-new things...that is, if you want to help them make changes for the better.

Thought Tweet #554

by Rick Baker
On Aug 30, 2012

Thought Tweet #554 As people change jobs at an accelerated pace business relationships evolve quickly - expanding independence.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Most people don't stay in jobs, companies, or careers anywhere near as long as they did in previous decades. And, for many people, the time spent in a job, or a company, or a career is shrinking at an accelerated pace. This impacts on business relationships. It is harder to maintain business relationships because the exchange of value must evolve as work roles, companies, and careers change. All of this tends to make business people more independent. And, the fast pace of technology advancements - easy access to information - makes it much easier to be independent. [Consider for example, the implications on selling, buying, recruiting, employee turnover...]

Tags:

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

Change, Criticism, Caring, & Candor

by Rick Baker
On Aug 29, 2012

I have written and repeated (1) "Change is Only Constructive When People Are Comfortable" and (2) "Constructive Criticism is an Oxymoron". 

In summary, my experiences and observations of others and their experiences cause me to believe very few people are open to criticism, regardless of whether or not we try to package it constructively. Also, experiences and observations confirm people resist change unless they are comfortable with it.

For many people:

  • change is threatening to the ego,
  • criticism is threatening to the ego, and 
  • change and criticism trigger deep-rooted emotional responses [i.e., fight or flight responses].

Regardless, in business [as in life] we must deal with change if we want to hold ground, make progress, or prosper. And, in business we must work with other people, all of whom have different perspectives on people and situations. And these differences in people's thoughts, ideas, and perspectives become the breeding ground for communication of desired changes. At least as often as not, changes are not accepted with open minds and with open arms. Instead, changes are resisted either overtly or covertly.

John C. Maxwell teaches and writes about leadership excellence. In his 2011 book 'The 5 Levels of Leadership' he wrote about "Caring" and "Candor", which he described as important aspects of leadership. He also provided guidance on how leaders can find the proper balance between "Caring" and "Candor". As I read the following section of Maxwell's book, I thought about "Change" and "Criticism" and how his "Caring" and "Candor" advice is helpful.

Leaders must be caring people. Leaders must inspire change [rather than demand and enforce it]. Leaders must communicate openly with their followers and sometimes that communication must contain fact/perception that, in one word, is criticism. 

How can leaders help followers be comfortable so the constructiveness of criticism is maximized?

How can leaders avoid assaults and battles of egos?

Maxwell's recommendation of a combination of "Caring" [empathy, with kindness] and "Candor" [open communication, frankly delivered] is a great starting point. He adds value by summarizing how the leader must find the right balance between "Caring" and "Candor".

The way I see it,

  • too much "Caring" places people outside of business and in the social-service sector
  • not enough "Caring" is unacceptable under today's societal and business norms
  • too much "Candor" is guaranteed to trigger a broad and deep resistance to one's ideas, instructions, and changes
  • not enough "Candor" leaves people confused, guessing, and often guessing wrong

All of those too muches and not enoughs signal nothing but stress, strain, discomfort, and unpleasant challenges.

So, Maxwell's words help us by explaining how to find the right balance between "Caring" and "Candor". Here's a quote from his recent book:

“Caring Values the Person While Candor Values the Person's Potential.

Caring Establishes the Relationship While Candor Expands the Relationship

Caring Defines the Relationship While Candor Directs the Relationship

Caring Should Never Supress Candor, While Candor Should Never Displace Caring

The next time you find yourself in a place where you need to have a candid conversation, just remember this:

  • Do it quickly - shovel the pile while it's small.
  • Do it calmly, never in anger - use the caring candor checklist.
  • Do it privately - you want to help the person, not embarrass him or her.
  • Do it thoughtfully, in a way that minimizes embarrassment or intimidation.”

Here is a link to more articles about Leaders and Communication.

Some Thoughts on Business Leadership

by Rick Baker
On Aug 28, 2012

What's the difference between business leaders and people who own or run businesses?

The best business leaders approach the role of leadership as a career, rather than a necessary aspect of owning or running a business.

Most business leaders have heard the admonition: work on your business rather than in your business. I believe Michael Gerber first coined that phrase in his classic series of E-Myth books. That's great advice for entrepreneurs [the "E" in "E-Myth"]. That's also great advice for business leaders.

But, for business leaders that's not enough advice.

Put another way: if you aspire to be an entrepreneur that's one thing; if you aspire to be a business leader that's a different thing.

Entrepreneurs are driven to invent/innovate/create and deliver products and services of value. Entrepreneurs may or may not be excellent business leaders. In fact, often entrepreneurs are far more idea-driven than people-focused and that reduces their ability to be good leaders.

Business Leaders are driven by a vision of change of one sort or another...changing the world one way or another. Success at achieving the vision of change, depends on the leader's ability to inspire other people to join forces and work together in harmony toward shared goals.

What's the difference?

In summary, Leaders:

  • Make learning a life-long practice: they recognize the importance of understanding self; they know one key to success rests in people's differences so they embrace and work to understand the differences in people
  • Are able to attract strong and talented followers: their ability to show disciplined behaviour coupled with their ability to understand and relate to other people is a magnetic combination
  • Are accountable for their actions and inspire accountability in followers: they show the wisdom captured in lead by example; they are able to provide clear instructions; they obtain buy-in from their followers
  • Guide, teach, mentor, and coach: they know the differences between these approaches; they also know the differences between these leadership techniques and the techniques employed by talented managers
  • Delegate so the work matches people strengths: they understand the importance of dealing from strength; they understand the importance of using one person's strength to offset another person's weakness...the essence of teamwork
  • Communicate openly, with candour and a standard of care: they know how to deliver tough messages when necessary; they know how to read people and anticipate situations so tough messages are rarely required
Of course, there is much more...but, this is a good start.

Thought Tweet #550

by Rick Baker
On Aug 24, 2012

Thought Tweet #550 Plan to make major changes...and help your people be prepared for major changes.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

We are living through the Future Shock Alvin Toffler wrote about 40 years ago. The pace of change is accelerating.

And:

"When the individual is plunged into a fast and irregularly changing situation, or a novelty-loaded context, however, his predictive accuracy plummets.  He can no longer make the reasonably correct assessments on which rational behavior is dependent."

Alvin Toffler

'Future Shock', (1970)

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Thought Tweets

Herd Mentality - The Beastly Side of People

by Rick Baker
On Aug 23, 2012

Years ago, I wrote about the mob - people who didn't seem to care; people going about their work without taking much time to think about the consequences of their actions; people who endured the burdens of others as if that was their destiny; people who, without visible question or resistance, accepted the norm and the status quo; people who reacted perfectly to the dominant acts of others then, behind the dominant backs, spent considerable time complaining about their unhappy lots in life. 

As I defined it: The mob = the herd. And mob mentality = herd mentality.

I rarely write about or talk about the herd any more.

Yet, recently, while listening to an audio book1 I could not help but recall some of the things I have written about the herd

Assuming I transcribed all of the words accurately, the audio book stated:

“Self Betrayal:

  1. An act contrary to what I feel I should do for another is called an act of self-betrayal.
  2. When I betray myself I begin to see the world in a way that justifies my self-betrayal.
  3. When I see the world in a self-justifying way my view of reality becomes distorted.
  4. So, when I betray myself I enter the box.
  5. Over time certain boxes become characteristic of me and I carry them with me.
  6. By being in the box I provoke others to be in the box.
  7. In the box we invite mutual mistreatment and obtain mutual justification. We collude in giving each other reason to stay in the box.”

I suppose people in the mob rarely, if ever, get out of their boxes.

I suppose self-betrayal is the defining essence of the herd, herd mentality, & mob mentality.

 

Footnote:

  1. 'Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box', The Arbinger Institute, (audio book), (2012)

Tags:

Beyond Business | Change: Creating Positive Change | Leaders' Thoughts

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