https://rickbaker.ca/category/questions-the-art-of-asking-good-questions/ Rick Baker's Thought Posts — plain-spoken writing on leadership, business values, communication, habits, and the people side of building a business. Publishing since 2008. en-ca https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-power-behind-our-reactions-is-far-too-important-to-be-left-to-chance/https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-power-behind-our-reactions-is-far-too-important-to-be-left-to-chance/Tue, 29 Jun 2021 07:51:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Knee-jerk reactions catch our attention and we hold them in disfavour. Yet – what are we doing to make sure they don’t happen… https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-you-see-your-bosss-weaknesses-do-you-see-your-opportunities-opportunity/https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-you-see-your-bosss-weaknesses-do-you-see-your-opportunities-opportunity/Fri, 18 Jun 2021 07:13:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Many people complain about the boss. That's the norm. Few people realize the boss' weaknesses are prime routes to… https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-want-to-teach-someone-first-find-out-what-they-believe-they-already-know/https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-want-to-teach-someone-first-find-out-what-they-believe-they-already-know/Wed, 02 Jun 2021 07:16:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Far too often, we jump into teaching. Far too often, we assume others do not know what we know. Far too often, we conclude… https://rickbaker.ca/post/inspire-business-people-by-letting-them-know-that-you-know-what-they-do-when-they-are-at-work/https://rickbaker.ca/post/inspire-business-people-by-letting-them-know-that-you-know-what-they-do-when-they-are-at-work/Sun, 30 May 2021 07:44:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet If you believe people know what you do when you are at work then check again ...you may be quite surprised to find others have… https://rickbaker.ca/post/have-you-ever-asked-your-customers-what-they-would-like-you-to-measure/https://rickbaker.ca/post/have-you-ever-asked-your-customers-what-they-would-like-you-to-measure/Mon, 05 Apr 2021 07:05:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet You probably think about what your customers want. You probably measure what you think your customers want. But, do you ever… https://rickbaker.ca/post/battles-require-people-people-require-battles-2021/https://rickbaker.ca/post/battles-require-people-people-require-battles-2021/Thu, 25 Mar 2021 07:36:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet We all have heard it takes two to tango . Tango requires people...two. Battles require people... at least one . Battles are a… https://rickbaker.ca/post/talk-so-people-listenlisten-so-people-talk-influence/https://rickbaker.ca/post/talk-so-people-listenlisten-so-people-talk-influence/Sat, 13 Mar 2021 07:44:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet ' How To Talk So People Listen ', that's the title of a book written by Sonya Hamlin in 2006. How To Listen So People… https://rickbaker.ca/post/an-interview-or-performance-review-question-how-do-you-use-your-talents-to-expand-your-ability-to-influence-people/https://rickbaker.ca/post/an-interview-or-performance-review-question-how-do-you-use-your-talents-to-expand-your-ability-to-influence-people/Wed, 10 Mar 2021 07:25:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet The Gallup folks have defined 4 Talent Domains for leadership: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, & Strategic… https://rickbaker.ca/post/battles-require-people-people-require-battles/https://rickbaker.ca/post/battles-require-people-people-require-battles/Sat, 13 Feb 2021 07:29:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet We all have heard it takes two to tango . Tango requires people...two. Battles require people... at least one . Battles are a… https://rickbaker.ca/post/choose-your-battles-well-choose-the-battles-that-align-with-your-talents-strengths/https://rickbaker.ca/post/choose-your-battles-well-choose-the-battles-that-align-with-your-talents-strengths/Fri, 12 Feb 2021 07:40:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Battles require people; people require battles. We all have heard it takes two to tango . Tango requires people...two. Battles… https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-you-observe-the-how-the-why-either-resonates-and-amplifies-the-peaks-or-dis-harmonizes-and-diminishes-the-peaks/https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-you-observe-the-how-the-why-either-resonates-and-amplifies-the-peaks-or-dis-harmonizes-and-diminishes-the-peaks/Wed, 10 Feb 2021 07:58:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet First, it is essential to do a good job of observing in order to properly perceive the How. Then, with the How understood, the… https://rickbaker.ca/post/there-is-no-set-reality-reality-is-but-what-we-make-of-it-nothing-more-nothing-less-unless-we-ask-for-anothers-view-perception/https://rickbaker.ca/post/there-is-no-set-reality-reality-is-but-what-we-make-of-it-nothing-more-nothing-less-unless-we-ask-for-anothers-view-perception/Thu, 04 Feb 2021 07:15:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Along the lines of ' perception is reality ' and 'don't assume, ask questions'...and much more. https://rickbaker.ca/post/people-have-their-secrets-and-certain-questions-defy-honest-answers/https://rickbaker.ca/post/people-have-their-secrets-and-certain-questions-defy-honest-answers/Tue, 05 Jan 2021 07:03:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet When people slip up - when people who matter to you clearly illustrate they have broken their own values - rules - Fight the… https://rickbaker.ca/post/where-are-your-coming-from-where-are-you-trying-to-go/https://rickbaker.ca/post/where-are-your-coming-from-where-are-you-trying-to-go/Sat, 19 Dec 2020 07:33:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Do people have thick enough skin to ask these questions? Do people have thick enough skin to answer them? It seems to me...if… https://rickbaker.ca/post/seek-simple-advice-we-have-a-choice-multi-task-for-mediocrity-or-focus-for-excellence/https://rickbaker.ca/post/seek-simple-advice-we-have-a-choice-multi-task-for-mediocrity-or-focus-for-excellence/Sun, 13 Dec 2020 07:24:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Brain experts are telling us: The uptrend in multi-tasking , especially multi-tasking involving high-tech communication… https://rickbaker.ca/post/creativity-feeds-and-growsdepending-on-the-calibre-of-its-dominating-questions/https://rickbaker.ca/post/creativity-feeds-and-growsdepending-on-the-calibre-of-its-dominating-questions/Mon, 09 Nov 2020 07:39:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Curiosity is the precursor to Creativity . We see Curiosity in young children...they approach life as if it is a question… https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-point-out-1-error-the-person-may-accept-your-feedback-if-you-point-out-6-the-person-will-not-criticism/https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-point-out-1-error-the-person-may-accept-your-feedback-if-you-point-out-6-the-person-will-not-criticism/Thu, 01 Oct 2020 07:56:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Think about it: what's your tolerance for criticism ? [As you consider that last question...Never mind what your logical mind… https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-had-no-problems-on-your-mind-how-much-would-you-think/https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-had-no-problems-on-your-mind-how-much-would-you-think/Thu, 24 Sep 2020 07:21:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet I have shared thoughts about problems ...for example, in 2011, I wrote some motivational experts are confounded by the word… https://rickbaker.ca/post/lets-not-stumble-along-purposeless-roadslets-construct-better-paths/https://rickbaker.ca/post/lets-not-stumble-along-purposeless-roadslets-construct-better-paths/Mon, 14 Sep 2020 07:52:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet "A person with clear purpose will make progress even on the roughest road. A person with no purpose will make no progress even… https://rickbaker.ca/post/ask-value-packed-questions-allow-time-for-people-to-think-talk-and-provide-value-packed-answers/https://rickbaker.ca/post/ask-value-packed-questions-allow-time-for-people-to-think-talk-and-provide-value-packed-answers/Sun, 13 Sep 2020 07:21:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Part of it is being curious. Part of it is seeking to understand. Part of it is 'Planning Your Work'. Much of it is being… https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-question-should-be-is-the-glass-half-full-and-half-empty/https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-question-should-be-is-the-glass-half-full-and-half-empty/Sun, 14 Jun 2020 07:00:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Is your glass at least half-full and half-empty? Rather than limit people to 2 ways of thinking and claiming one is optimistic… https://rickbaker.ca/post/dont-blame-lack-of-time-when-the-real-culprit-is-personal-disorganization-and-self-imposed-mayhem/https://rickbaker.ca/post/dont-blame-lack-of-time-when-the-real-culprit-is-personal-disorganization-and-self-imposed-mayhem/Tue, 19 May 2020 07:01:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet If you free up a few moments, step back, ask yourself "How much time do I have?" , and spend some quality time thinking before… https://rickbaker.ca/post/negative-thinking-cannot-be-band-aided-into-insignificance-it-is-a-thick-multi-layered-multi-textured-problem/https://rickbaker.ca/post/negative-thinking-cannot-be-band-aided-into-insignificance-it-is-a-thick-multi-layered-multi-textured-problem/Tue, 21 Apr 2020 07:38:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet When you witness negativity , what do you think? Do you have the ability to understand the negative person's… https://rickbaker.ca/post/learn-from-yesterday-live-for-today-hope-for-tomorrow-the-important-thing-is-not-to-stop-questioning-einstein/https://rickbaker.ca/post/learn-from-yesterday-live-for-today-hope-for-tomorrow-the-important-thing-is-not-to-stop-questioning-einstein/Sun, 19 Apr 2020 07:21:00 -0500The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet Good Questions are a, perhaps even the, key to excellence. Good Questions [to oneself] can maximize Self-knowledge. Good… https://rickbaker.ca/post/do-you-commit-to-being-useful-every-day-from-here-to-eternity-has-making-yourself-useful-become-one-of-your-good-habits/https://rickbaker.ca/post/do-you-commit-to-being-useful-every-day-from-here-to-eternity-has-making-yourself-useful-become-one-of-your-good-habits/Fri, 10 Apr 2020 07:24:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet We all have good days and bad days; our internal drive-energy ebbs and flows. Regardless, we can commit to thinking and doing… https://rickbaker.ca/post/influencing-powerful-people-4/https://rickbaker.ca/post/influencing-powerful-people-4/Sun, 17 Feb 2019 08:05:00 -0500Here's another quote from Dirk Schlimm: “The genius, who sees opportunity with outside-the-box ideas, gets easily frustrated if he or she feels surrounded by… https://rickbaker.ca/post/choose-your-reaction-to-errors/https://rickbaker.ca/post/choose-your-reaction-to-errors/Thu, 18 May 2017 07:38:00 -0500It is fascinating to watch how people respond to errors at work. Reaction to errors, their own errors and other people's errors, tells you a lot about… https://rickbaker.ca/post/criticism-adrenalin-spikes-improving-relationships/https://rickbaker.ca/post/criticism-adrenalin-spikes-improving-relationships/Mon, 15 May 2017 08:30:00 -0500Some people naturally repulse criticism. These people may show outward signs of their repulsion. These people may not show outward signs, or their repulsion… https://rickbaker.ca/post/conflict-at-our-offices-is-it-a-foe-or-a-friend/https://rickbaker.ca/post/conflict-at-our-offices-is-it-a-foe-or-a-friend/Mon, 08 May 2017 08:08:00 -0500Some people complain about the interpersonal damages done by office conflict while others applaud the value office conflicts have injected into innovative… https://rickbaker.ca/post/do-you-want-to-be-on-time/https://rickbaker.ca/post/do-you-want-to-be-on-time/Tue, 02 May 2017 07:18:00 -0500On Timeliness... Do you know anyone who has achieved success in life without having the habit of meeting time commitments? As I write this I'm thinking of… https://rickbaker.ca/post/what-mental-attitude-flavour-do-you-choose-positivity-negativity-or-indifference/https://rickbaker.ca/post/what-mental-attitude-flavour-do-you-choose-positivity-negativity-or-indifference/Mon, 01 May 2017 08:00:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet The cornerstone of our personality , our mental attitude , shows up as the general flavour of our thoughts...as illustrated in… https://rickbaker.ca/post/here-i-gotelling-you-about-asking/https://rickbaker.ca/post/here-i-gotelling-you-about-asking/Thu, 20 Apr 2017 06:50:00 -0500I’m telling you that you must cut down on telling people what to do and start asking more questions. Isn’t that oxymoronic ? Isn’t that the pot calling the… https://rickbaker.ca/post/people-question-their-bosses-decisions-the-point/https://rickbaker.ca/post/people-question-their-bosses-decisions-the-point/Thu, 13 Apr 2017 08:22:00 -0500I won’t be surprised in the slightest way if you figure The Point is a rather trite point. My argument is – it isn’t a trite point. The Point is a point… https://rickbaker.ca/post/choosing-to-pay-your-bills-on-time/https://rickbaker.ca/post/choosing-to-pay-your-bills-on-time/Thu, 16 Mar 2017 07:41:00 -0500You have a choice in business. You can choose to pay your bills on time or you can choose to not pay your bills on time. As a general rule, people who choose… https://rickbaker.ca/post/are-you-too-busy-to-know-other-peoples-businesses/https://rickbaker.ca/post/are-you-too-busy-to-know-other-peoples-businesses/Tue, 14 Mar 2017 07:24:00 -0500Common sense tells us: Most people look for a fair deal, where both parties exchange value, Some people look to cheat others, heads I win - tails you lose … https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-conflict-between-long-term-desires-and-short-term-gratification/https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-conflict-between-long-term-desires-and-short-term-gratification/Mon, 23 Jan 2017 17:56:00 -0500We all have desires and goals. How do we achieve our desires and goals? For most people, the equation can be as simple as this: My Personal Changes + Other… https://rickbaker.ca/post/favouring-a-realistic-approach-to-values-virtues-rules/https://rickbaker.ca/post/favouring-a-realistic-approach-to-values-virtues-rules/Wed, 04 Jan 2017 08:50:00 -0500Values are concepts covering things important and admirable to us (our minds). Values are our perceptions of intrinsically valuable or desirable ways of… https://rickbaker.ca/post/do-you-aim-to-give-people-more-less-or-exactly-what-they-expect/https://rickbaker.ca/post/do-you-aim-to-give-people-more-less-or-exactly-what-they-expect/Wed, 09 Nov 2016 13:54:00 -0500When you aim to give people more than they expect… You must be ready, willing and able to go the extra mile. You must embrace Napoleon Hill’s ‘QQS’… https://rickbaker.ca/post/negative-thinking-now-isnt-that-a-textured-problem/https://rickbaker.ca/post/negative-thinking-now-isnt-that-a-textured-problem/Tue, 13 Sep 2016 13:32:00 -0500Not only is it textured, negative thinking is thick out there. Negative thinking cannot be band-aided into insignificance: it is a thick, multi-layered… https://rickbaker.ca/post/motivation-hormones-dna-all-those-self-help-books/https://rickbaker.ca/post/motivation-hormones-dna-all-those-self-help-books/Tue, 30 Aug 2016 07:34:00 -0500...and, let's not forget Willpower ! Maybe motivation is just a byproduct of hormones? Our bodies create hormones and those hormones influence us. There’s… https://rickbaker.ca/post/does-creativity-crave-structure/https://rickbaker.ca/post/does-creativity-crave-structure/Thu, 25 Aug 2016 07:51:00 -0500I have heard opposing viewpoints. Some people think creativity happens when a group of brilliant young people bounce ideas off one another in zany… https://rickbaker.ca/post/how-do-you-go-about-making-yourself-useful/https://rickbaker.ca/post/how-do-you-go-about-making-yourself-useful/Wed, 24 Aug 2016 08:01:00 -0500Do you want to be useful? If so - How do you go about making yourself useful? *** First - What does ‘being useful’ mean to you? Is ‘being useful’ about… https://rickbaker.ca/post/how-do-you-really-hold-someone-accountable-part-3/https://rickbaker.ca/post/how-do-you-really-hold-someone-accountable-part-3/Thu, 18 Aug 2016 07:23:00 -0500Link to Part 1 Link to Part 2 Some say the key to accountability is 'delegating responsibility': when people feel responsible for something they hold… https://rickbaker.ca/post/curiosity-bolsters-self-confidence/https://rickbaker.ca/post/curiosity-bolsters-self-confidence/Fri, 05 Aug 2016 08:20:00 -0500Curiosity opens the door to alternative realities: this is discovered when you are curious, when you ask questions and when you listen to other people's… https://rickbaker.ca/post/saying-no/https://rickbaker.ca/post/saying-no/Wed, 27 Jul 2016 07:35:00 -0500We became allergic to the word "No" when we were young and now all of us don't like to hear that word when others say it to us. And, our aversion to the word… https://rickbaker.ca/post/who-sells-heinz-ketchup/https://rickbaker.ca/post/who-sells-heinz-ketchup/Thu, 07 Jul 2016 08:45:00 -0500Today, I am thinking about the numerous pieces of advice we receive from 'the experts' on how people should do business and how to improve company practices… https://rickbaker.ca/post/on-goals-greater-than-oursleves/https://rickbaker.ca/post/on-goals-greater-than-oursleves/Mon, 04 Jul 2016 08:18:00 -0500"Our goals should serve as markers, measurements of the progress we make in pursuit of something greater than ourselves." Simon Sinek, inspirational post … https://rickbaker.ca/post/nasty-or-nice/https://rickbaker.ca/post/nasty-or-nice/Thu, 30 Jun 2016 20:33:00 -0500Google studied teamwork and determined a very important factor was 'to be nice'. Overall, that makes common sense... I mean - isn't that what our mothers… https://rickbaker.ca/post/being-perfect-by-the-end-versus-doing-better-today/https://rickbaker.ca/post/being-perfect-by-the-end-versus-doing-better-today/Wed, 04 May 2016 07:22:00 -0500Simon Sinek wrote, “ The goal is not to be perfect by the end. The goal is to be better today . ” I wonder – What do people think and feel when they read… https://rickbaker.ca/post/decadence-confidence/https://rickbaker.ca/post/decadence-confidence/Mon, 02 May 2016 07:08:00 -0500Confidence-founded businesses enjoy many advantages, to name a handful: can do attitude, which leads to decisive action optimism, which breeds…