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by Rick Baker
On Aug 9, 2010
Sales Tweet #16 The tea leaves say a Client will call today to ask why you haven't delivered yet. Don't wait. Call first.
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Over-promise and under-deliver. That raises stress levels for all involved. If you are the recipient of the problem then you feel let down and perhaps cheated. If you are the cause of the problem then you feel at least a little guilty and obligated to recover ...or, you feel the need to hide. Since Murphy's Law does apply from time to time, problems do arise and sometimes we can not fulfill our commitments. When that happens we should make sure we call our Clients before they call us. Better still we should call them and outline a clear plan for the delivery of the thing we promised.
by Rick Baker
On May 6, 2010
I have written about P=2S+O©,..a philosophy and a template to help create good habits for problem solving:
P=2S+O presents ideas about a mindset for problem solving and it provides a simple template, which can be carried in a binder or briefcase…as a daily reminder and a daily tool for problem solving. P=2S+O provides an introduction of How To solve problems.
Many experts have provided education on the topic of problem solving. One of my favourite authors for this topic is Dr Edward de Bono. www.edwdebono.com
Below is an excellent example of the calibre of help Dr de Bono can provide.
Before providing a quick introduction to de Bono’s idea, I want to mention my son, Jack, recently purchased for me an original signed edition of de Bono’s ‘Six Thinking Hats’, (1985).
de Bono suggests we should approach problems from 6 different directions. He suggests we use a mind picture - putting on six thinking hats [like our teachers used to say…except six of them]. Each hat represents a different way of approaching the decision.
A summary of those six de Bono thinking hats…I have copied these directly from pages 31 and 32 of the book:
| White Hat |
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White is neutral and objective. The white hat is concerned with objective facts and figures. |
| Red Hat |
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Red suggests anger [seeing red], rage and emotions. The red hat gives the emotional view. |
| Black Hat |
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Black is gloomy and negative. The black hat covers the negative aspects - why it cannot be done. |
| Yellow Hat |
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Yellow is sunny and positive. The yellow hat is positive and covers hope and positive thinking. |
| Green Hat |
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Green is grass, vegetation and abundant, fertile growth. The green hat indicates creativity and new ideas. |
| Blue Hat |
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Blue is cool, and it is also the color of the sky, which is above everything else. The blue hat is concerned with control and the organization of the thinking process. Also the use of the other hats. |
There are some interesting consequences of putting on 6 different hats when we make decisions and solve problems. If nothing else, the six-thinking-hat mind exercise allows us to better understand others’ perspectives. And that, on its own, is a rather important skill.
More on Six Thinking Hats later…
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
- Expect Problems...and be willing to tackle them head on
- Plan Solutions for Problems in Advance...so you are confident when they arrive
- Focus on Fixing the Problem not on Fixing the Blame
- 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
- Formulate several possible solutions to the problem and examine them
- Choose a solution and act
- 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.
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…
by Rick Baker
On Feb 16, 2010
A New Habit, P=2S+O© and Change For The Better
This is the 9th blog in a 10-blog series about Habits, doing New Things, and Change.
Now, P=2S+O© will be discussed in terms of Good Habits and Change For The Better.
P=2S+O© means: for every Problem [P] there are at least 2 Solutions [S] and possibly one or more Opportunities [O]. Be alert for Problems and, when you find them, replace them with at least 2 Solutions.
This philosophy/tool can be embraced by most employees. So, when employees encounter Problems they can, on their own, replace them with Solutions and perhaps also identify an Opportunity.
I created a P=2S+O© template, a tool people can carry with them as a constant reminder of our desired approach to Problems.
Business people continuously face Problems. Some people handle the Problems quickly and effectively. Some do not. There are many reasons why some people do not handle Problems as well as other people or as well as they could if they were operating at their best.
P=2S+O© can help.
When people start to useP=2S+O© it is a New Thing.
If they keep using P=2S+O© then it becomes a Good Habit…a Change For The Better. Most experts say it takes 30 days to create a habit. So, working with P=2S+O© for 30 days should create a new Good Habit.
The next blog, the final blog in this series, will summarize and wrap up this sampling of things that can help us create Change For The Better.
by Rick Baker
On Feb 4, 2010
MotivAider…A Tool for Change For The Better
This is the 6th blog in a 10-blog series about Habits, doing New Things, and Change.
This is one example of a New Thing, a tool, one could use to remove a Bad Habit and create a Good Habit…
I bought one of these tools to learn what caused these folks to create the product and to see how it works. In the instruction manual, the MotivAider folks explain their thinking in straightforward words. They have concluded the human brain gets in our way when we try to change ourselves [let alone try to help others change].
The MotivAider people say,
What's wrong with the mind is that it has absolutely no built-in
mechanism for keeping good intentions on "the front burner."
So, they created a tool - the MotivAider - to ensure good intentions are repeatedly brought to the 'front burner'.
They describe how the MotivAider can be used to help a business person change his posture for the better…to help achieve the person's career goals. They also talk about other business applications such as improving customer relations. The MotivAider can also be used to help children develop Good Habits.
Another application: the MotivAider can be used to help people to stop biting their nails.
Speaking of nail biting, here's a quote from Anderson Cooper:
I suppose if you've never bitten your nails, there isn't any way to explain the habit. It's
not enjoyable, really, but there is a certain satisfaction - pride in a job well done.
We all have good intentions that are quickly forgotten or replaced by other thoughts during the heat of our workday action. For example, we all want to have positive attitudes and be optimistic…yet, often during the heat of 'battle' we revert to far-less-productive Bad Habits. That's the main reason I created P=2S+O©.
In the next blog I will take a look at what Dr Daniel Amen [author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life] has to say about Habits…and the realities about whether or not and how people may Change For The Better.
by Rick Baker
On Jan 26, 2010
People only do 3 things: (1) Good Habits, (2) Bad Habits, and (3) New Things.
This is the 3rd blog in a 10-blog series about Habits, doing New Things, and Change.
To do better, to grow our businesses and to prosper, we must help people make Changes For The Better. And to make Change we must replace Bad Habits with Good Habits. Often, we can change Bad Habits into Good Habits by doing New Things…ie, doing New Things specifically designed to remove the Bad Habit and create the Good Habit.
The next 6 blogs will present some example of ideas, tools, and techniques aimed at helping people create positive Change.
A summary of blogs to follow:
Blog 4: Five Unusual Ideas About Change…John Oesch, PhD
Blog 5: Psycho-Cybernetics…Dr Maxwell Maltz
Blog 6: MotivAider®…a habit-changing tool
Blog 7: Physiology & Change Your Brain, Change Your Life…Dr. Daniel Amen
Blog 8: Human Strengths & Weaknesses: StrengthsFinder…Marcus Buckingham
Blog 9: A New Habit, P=2S+O©…a habit-changing tool
Blog 10: Wrap-up discussion
To create Change For The Better people need to consider New Things and develop Good Habits.
To develop Good Habits people need to be open to considering new ideas and new tools.
The next blog will introduce John Oesch's Five Unusual Ideas About Change.
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