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by Rick Baker
On Dec 8, 2011
You probably will not read the words in this sentence if:
- you don't dream about achieving
- you think change is overrated or
- you think you are incapable of making personal changes.
It is times like this I wish I was the most-gifted writer...then you would still be reading and wanting to read more.
However, the reality is there are more people who 'turn off' to this topic than people who 'tune in' to this topic...let's call the business people who do not dream of achievement or embrace change with an open mind the Unchanging Majority.
Hopefully, you have less than the normal share of Unchanging Majority people at your business.
Regardless, you will have some of them. That's not 'bad news', it is just a fact. And, it is a fact you can deal with. You simply need to recognize people are different. Some people, due to past events dating back perhaps as far as the day they were born, for a huge range of reasons, do not dream of business achievement and do not embrace personal or business change with an open mind.
Is this a material problem for you?
You can get a better handle on the extent of the problem by rating yourself and rating others, using a Minus10-to-Plus10 Scale.
Rate yourself in 3 areas:
- How vivid are my business dreams and how strong is my desire to achieve them?
- How important is it for me to make personal changes for the better?
- How willing am I to do the tough work of creating new Good Habits?
Rate your people, one by one, in the same 3 areas.
Compare yourself to your people...check out the gaps.
Consider the significance, the broad implications, of your Good Habits!
by Rick Baker
On Nov 2, 2011
Sales Tweet #338 People Only Do 3 Things: Good Habits, Bad Habits & New Things.
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Everything people do can be classed as a Good Habit, a Bad Habit, or a New Thing. Mostly, people do Good Habits and do Bad Habits. From time to time they do New Things. Doing New Things is a major key to making changes…and developing Good Habits. Doing New Things is the major key to success.
by Rick Baker
On Nov 1, 2011
Intention may be one of the most underrated forces.
I recently listened to a CD where Deepak Chopra said: Intention has organizational power…in a way; Intention is the most powerful force in the universe.
If that is even partially true then, definitely, Intention is one of the most underrated forces.
Intention is closely linked to Inspiration.
When I use the word Intention, I mean – ‘a determination to act in a certain way’.
When I use the word Inspiration, I mean – ‘a power to influence emotions and move action’.
Putting that together…
Be determined to act in certain ways and that will give you the power to influence emotions and move action…your emotions and actions – and – the emotions and actions of other people.
Be determined to act in a certain way.
What way is that? [you might ask]
Seems to me the choices are unlimited! [you might think as you ask]
True - the choices are unlimited.
So – we need to figure out a way to do this sort of exercise quickly…before we get bored or annoyed or distracted by easier and perhaps more immediately-rewarding things.
Get a piece of paper and write across the top:
Actions I Do at Work
Draw a line down the middle of the page
On one side of the line write Feel Good when I do them and on the other side of the line write Do Not Feel Good when I do them.
Then, think about the actions you do at work… consider the specific actions you take as you perform tasks. Think of the specific actions you take as you interact with other people. Think of the specific actions you take when you are working on your business goals. Think of 30 or so specific actions.
Write those actions on the page…on one side or the other.
Now, circle the actions you believe contribute to you work goals.
Take a close look at the actions you have circled on the side of the page titled ‘I Feel Good when I do them’.
Focus on these actions as you begin to plan how you will be determined to act in certain ways that will give you the power to influence emotions and move action…your emotions and actions – and – the emotions and actions of other people.
That’s a good 1st step toward acting with Intent and acting to Inspire.
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Actions I Do at Work
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I Feel Good when I do them
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I Do Not Feel Good when I do them
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by Rick Baker
On Oct 5, 2011
We say people only do 3 things: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things.
Most people don’t do too many New Things.
Most people are, as the saying goes, creatures of habit….some good, some bad.
Some people want to make some changes. If you are still reading then probably you are one of those people.
IF YOU FEEL PEOPLE ARE NOT LISTENING TO YOU…
Here are a couple of ideas
- Pre-Communicate: Pre-pave the path before you deliver the intended communication, your important communication. Don’t spring important things on people. While it is necessary to communicate crisply from time to time it often becomes a problem if people label you as a person with crisp/curt/instructional communication style. As backward as it may strike you, it is often a problem if you are seen as a person who is a fountain of new ideas or a promoter of new things.
So, people will listen better if you pre-communicate. This can range from serious sit-downs like brainstorming sessions to ‘I want to bounce an idea off you’ to chats about the family or favourite sport.
Consider your character and be natural. Some people are naturally gregarious…others are naturally introverted. If you are naturally introverted then do not view that as a limitation…it is not a limitation. It is just a difference, requiring a different approach. Introversion, if you make some small adjustments, can be the foundation for quick trust. The best key to quick trust is asking questions.
Free up time to dedicate to pre-communication…pre-paving the path for ideas…pre-paving the path for change.
- Tell Sticky Stories: Listening, if it happens at all, happens as a step in a process. The process begins with Attention, moves to Interest, and Listening follows. It is relatively easy to ‘get Attention’. You can prove that to yourself…just place yourself among some people and make a loud noise. There are many ways to ‘get Attention’. Keeping it is more challenging. To ‘keep Attention’ we must trigger Interest. The best key to triggering Interest is speaking from [and to] the heart…by telling personal stories. Sticky Stories can capture and hold Interest so long that Interest becomes Listening.
Important Point: Interest needs to survive for a period of time before Listening can begin…prior to that time people may be hearing you…but they ain’t Listening.
Interest is fickle.
- If Interest hears things like, “I’ve got a list of statistics I’d like to review with you…” then Interest leaves the room.
- If Interest hears things like, “Did you hear the one about…” then Interest might stay around for a while.
- If Interest hears things like, “WOW, did you see the…” then Interest will probably want to hear what’s said next.
We have written, talked, and taught a lot about Sticky Stories.
For samples of our work, check out our Workshop #2and these links:
by Rick Baker
On Sep 15, 2011
The Habit Changing Formula
BAD HABITS + [NEW THINGS + STRENGTHS] = GOOD HABITS
As you know, I seek simple.
I try to boil things down to manageable volumes.
My main philosophy is,
People Only Do 3 Things: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things
Related to this philosophy,
- People are creatures of habit, so the two types of habits consume most of the time…people spend 95% of their time doing habits and 5% of their time doing New Things. That’s what we think.
- Successful people are successful because their habits enjoy better-than-average alignment with their goals. As Brian Tracy explained so clearly, “Successful people are simply those with successful habits.” Good Habits are successful habits because Good Habits move a person toward a goal.
- New Things are the best bridges to take to get from Bad Habit paths to Good Habit paths [and the opposite is true…but, of course, not beneficial]
- New Things become potent bridges for change when they are combined with Personal Strengths
Also related to this philosophy, we agree with the famous opera singer, Jerome Hines, who said:
“The only proper way to eliminate bad habits is to replace them with good ones.”
We add a couple of nuances to that solid advice…
- There are only two ways to eliminate Bad Habits:
- they can replaced with Good Habits and
- they can be replaced with New Things
- Often it is difficult to remove Bad Habits by simply replacing them with Good Habits…put another way it is tough to go cold turkey and often when we try to go cold turkey on a Bad Habit.
A link to the first Thought Post on Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things [ check out the video]
by Rick Baker
On Sep 7, 2011
You want some changes.
You spend a lot of time thinking about and planning changes.
You think about and plan many types of changes: building new things, creating new products and services, changing your behaviour, changing other people’s behaviour, etc.
You come up with new ideas…new ideas you expect will bring about change for the better. When those ideas work and you create change for the better you feel good. When those ideas do not work and there is no change for the better you feel either bad or you have mixed feelings, some bad feelings mixed with some good.
To succeed as a leader you must cause other people to make changes. That’s a big part of your role as leader. Some would argue that’s close to 100% of your role as leader.
Successful leaders cause change for the better. Obviously, people’s behaviour is the fabric of change.
Leaders must cause people to change their behaviour in order to bring about change for the better.
Leaders do that directly or indirectly; they get it done one way or they get it done another way.
Leaders must get it done, because that’s the essence of their role.
Here’s a philosophy and shortcut to that end:
Remember that when you want to make some changes at your business.
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