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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Character reigns supreme

by Rick Baker
On Mar 21, 2017

I heard today that assessments aimed at finding high-calibre personnel are no longer considering intelligence and talent but are now concentrating all attention on character.

While I expect this is an exaggeration of the current state of recruiting practices, I think it is wrong to underestimate the value of intelligence and talent. And, I believe the use of character assessment alone is a very troubling way to go about determining people’s wherewithal.  

Intelligence, Talents & Character: it seems to me all three of these things are critical to success. I can't imagine any meaningful achievement that does not contain portions of all of these attributes.  

Intelligence is multifaceted and can work in mysterious ways.  Regardless, it's hard to imagine anything being built without a significant level of intelligence. Intelligence correlates the success…in all endeavours.

Talents are the fundamental pieces required for mastery of task and the construction of all meaningful things. When people use their talents at work they take steps to fulfill their ultimate potential. The more they use their talents the greater their opportunity to succeed.

Character is the overriding quality that inspires thought, promotes trust, and influences action. Character is a construct of personal values, personal rules & morals, and a number of other facets, including self-control and power of will. Character is about authenticity and trueness, consistency and doing the right things. 

Clearly, character is an essential ingredient. It is easy to accept that character is the key ingredient. But, that should not confuse the facts around the importance of intelligence and talent

What matters is what you're going to do next.

by Rick Baker
On Mar 2, 2017

It doesn't matter what you've done or what you know or even who you know.

What matters is what you're going to do next and, of more importance, whether or not people are positively influenced by what you do next.

Sure, from time to time, it's fun to reminisce about the glory days. On the other hand, the glory days are not here again until you make it so. And as you make it so you may not be able to do it the same way it happened the last time.

As Dylan taught us - the times they are a-changin'.  

You will need to adapt and accommodate to the current situations.

As Darwin taught us - "Survival goes not to the strongest or the most intelligent but to the one who is most adaptable to change."  

Yes, it is true, what you know is important to a degree.

Better stated, what you know contains potential value. Specialized knowledge is of particular value. The extent of the value of your knowledge is determined by your ability to identify opportunities and do constructive things to convert those opportunities into positive changes [desired by other people].

Your future success boils down to how you intend to put your strengths - that is, how you intend to put your talents, knowledge, and skills - to good use in the future.

Your future success depends on whether or not you can positively influence other people to help you achieve the goals you envision.

Your future success depends on what you're going to do next: positive change happens one action-step at a time.

In support of self-consciousness

by Rick Baker
On Feb 27, 2017

In our lexicon self-consciousness has a weakness connotation.

We have been conditioned to think of 'self-conscious' people as timid people, people who cower under negative self-images.

Let's give this another think.

Better still, let's replace it all with constructive thought.

Self-consciousness is a good thing:

  • It means the person is giving some thought to self...it’s an acknowledgement that thinking about self is an important thing to do.
  • It means the person is aware of self...it’s a foundation upon which self-control can grow.
  • It means the person is growing knowledge of self…it’s the vital step toward self-improvement.

Like all other skills self-awareness, self-control, self-knowledge and self-improvement require guidance and relentless practise. And practise leads to mastery of skills when its guidance-system is housed in an educated, open and self-conscious mind. So, self-consciousness leads to strength in thought and action. Conversely, strength cannot exist when self-consciousness is absent.

Never should we assume self-conscious thought and awareness is only directed toward the negatives. For each of us, self is the essential ingredient. We ought to be conscious of that. And, we ought to wrap that consciousness in constructive mindsets, allowing as little room as possible for negativity.

We face an awesome choice – we can choose to accept self-conscious thought as the recipe for finding our most-positive things…like our talent, our courage, our confidence, our conviction, & our curiosity.

How to make sure your confidence does not threaten your followers.

by Rick Baker
On Feb 16, 2017

Some followers are intimidated by Leader's self-confidence.

Here are some Spirited suggestions, to help you make sure you do not come across that way: 

  • Be authentic…it is OK to be on the reserved side of centre if that is your character…it is OK to be on the boisterous side if that is your character
  • Be committed to working on self-improvement…i.e., raising his or her own self-confidence when that is required, as it will be from time to time
  • Focus on strengths: personal strengths and the strengths possessed by others
  • As Dale Carnegie taught,  be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise".
  • Make full and appropriate use of humour…some leaders have just a little of it and will need to remind themselves of the importance of putting it to good use…other leaders have heavy doses of it and they will need to remind themselves to never let it go too far…self-humour is best…humour at the expense of others is an absolute no-no
  • Listen…resurrect that art if it has become lost
  • Master your emotions…and keep them under control [most of the time]
  • Live with Integrity…as defined here

Two human abilities rise above all others: intelligence and self-control.

by Rick Baker
On Jan 3, 2017

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Every human being possesses the seeds of intelligence and self-control at birth. To a certain degree, and the degree varies from person to person, we develop these two abilities over time. The amount of intelligence and self-control we develop determines the extent we are able to express our strengths. 

Tags:

STRENGTHS: People-Focused for Success | Thought Tweets

Driving on the Talent Track

by Rick Baker
On Dec 30, 2016

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Talent as: “a special ability that allows someone to do something well”.

To get on the Talent Track, it is important to understand Talents are not what we do well. Talents are closely linked to why we do things well.

Talents are the 'substances' that define us and make us unique.

As Simon Sinek might say – "Talents are about our Why rather than our How or our What."

We all have the ability to deliver treasures. We just need to find the ways to free up our treasures. Our Talents are our keys. Only when we understand our Talents do we know how to use our keys to unlock our treasures.

When we take the time to investigate and understand our unique set of Talents we gain several advantages.

As examples, when we thoroughly understand our Talents we improve our ability to:

  • clarify and express our personal Values & the Rules that are most sacred to us,
  • ability to clarify and express our Vision...Purpose...Mission [if you like to use that word], and
  • define meaningful Goals

And there's one more extremely important thing: when we thoroughly understand other people's Talents we improve our ability to understand what makes them tick...and that allows us to drive on the Talent Track.

 

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