Rick Baker Thought Posts
Left Menu Space Holder

About the author

Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

E-mail me Send mail
Follow me LinkedIn Twitter

Search

Calendar

<<  November 2024  >>
MoTuWeThFrSaSu
28293031123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
2526272829301
2345678

View posts in large calendar

Recent Comments

Comment RSS

Boil Down Your Business

by Rick Baker
On Mar 1, 2012

Boil down your business.

That's what Robert Collier did at Volume 5 of his 1926 classic, 'The SECRET of the Ages'. 

He stated, "Volumes have been written about personal efficiency, and general efficiency, and every other kind of efficiency in business."

Then he said,

 "But when boiled down, it all comes to this:

  1. Know what you want.
  2. Analyze the thing you've got to do to get it.
  3. Plan your work ahead.
  4. Do one thing at a time.
  5. Finish that one thing and send it on its way before starting the next.
  6. Once started, KEEP GOING!"

I got a kick out of that straightforward, simple advice.

Points #4 and #5 are keys to developing talents involving  Attention, Concentration, & Focus.  They are also keys to overcoming frazzled Emotions.

Thought Tweet #423

by Rick Baker
On Feb 29, 2012

Thought Tweet #423 Confidence & Readiness go hand in hand.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

"Readiness is aliveness. It is that spirit of alertness by which a situation is immediately grasped and dealt with. The observance of system fosters and develops the spirit." James Allen said that over 100 years ago. In our Spirited words - Confidence, Situation, Process ["system"]

When you are ready you are confident; when you are confident you are ready.


Tags:

Business Contains Only 3 Things | Thought Tweets | Values: Personal Values

Improving Management Reporting

by Rick Baker
On Feb 29, 2012

Your Key People will buy into improving Measurement & Reporting on Results when:

  1. Key People view the work-action-changes as Common Sense Important. [Key People need to buy into the fact, this is not contentious work – this is Important work]
  2. Key People view the Measurement method as Simple.
  3. Key People view the work-action as Not-Urgent. The less pressure they feel the quicker and better the results. Less pressure does not mean less importance or less dedication to the duty. It means, taking a realistic and less emotional approach. We build on successes. The first Change may seem incredibly slow to observers [and entrepreneurial owners]. The second change will happen a little faster, the third change again a little faster…the pace will increase as People gain confidence.
  4. Key People feel Comfortable with the pace…Change is Only Constructive when People are Comfortable…break the change up into small steps [Baby Steps]
  5. The Key People have Positive Attitudes. Pressure tends to cause backfires while positive attitudes tend to be contagious.
  6. The Key People focus on individual’s Strengths [for example, talking about People's StrengthsFinder Top 5 Talent Themes], never on weaknesses.
  7. Key People repeat the need-for-measurement messages. Repetition! They must ensure their messages are clear and simple...then they must repeat, repeat, & repeat them. 

Change is a process, not an event. To improve Measurement & Reporting on Results the key thoughts are: Common Sense Important, Simple, Non-Urgency, Comfortable pace, Positive Attitudes, Focus on Strengths, and Repeat!

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Measure & Monitor

Thought Tweet #422

by Rick Baker
On Feb 28, 2012

Thought Tweet #422 Energy is primal. Your energy is your gift. How are you using it?

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

 In 1911, James Allen wrote - "Energy is a moral virtue, its opposing vice being laziness. As a virtue, it can be cultivated, and the lazy man can become energetic by forcibly arousing himself to exertion."

James Allen picked Energy as the 1st of his 'Eight Pillars of Prosperity'. 

Energy - that's the starting point of all achievement!

 

Tags:

Beyond Business | Thought Tweets

CHANGE...why it's like pulling teeth

by Rick Baker
On Feb 28, 2012

CHANGE...why it faces a DENTAL thing.

D is for Doubt. When you boil it down, Doubt is a lack of confidence. Doubt is a lack of self-confidence and it shrouds everything. Doubt seeks the comfort of safe territory. Change is the arch-enemy of Doubt. Change is always trying to drag Doubt out of safe places and drop it into uncharted, scary territory. Knowing this, whether it is visibly evident or not, Doubt always resists change.

E is for Ego, excessive Ego. Sometimes Ego is like Doubt. It can be silent and invisible. Other times Ego can be boisterous, side-tracking, and demanding attention. Excessive Ego likes to rule behind the scenes and it likes to blind-side us. Your own Ego can do that to you if you don't take action to keep it in check.

N is for Negativity. Negativity is closely related to Doubt. While Negativity is also born from fear, it does not necessarily appear so fearful as Doubt. Sometimes Negativity appears cynical, sometimes aggressive, even hostile. Other times it self-justifies by making statements like "I don't want to be a Devil's Advocate...but"

T is for Time...specifically, not enough Time. When you hear those 3 words in a sentence you know you are facing deep-rooted resistance to Change. Probably, most people believe they don't have enough time. That's a side-effect of busy times and busy lives. Some people actually accept that thinking as justification for their status quo. About Time

A is for Ambivalence. Ambivalence is a mindset that can be described this way, "that may be a good idea but we tried something like that a few years ago and it didn't work...so...I just don't know". Ambivalence is conflicted thoughts: without a clear winner the thoughts keep on conflicting and nothing gets resolved, and so - no change gets done.

L is for Laziness. We all have of some of that, don't we. Most of us resist its influence. Most of us view Laziness as a weakness that should be countered...at least, while we are at work. But...some people don't resist their Laziness. Some people embrace Laziness as a fact of their business lives, a necessary part of their workdays. 

Yes - CHANGE...Why...it's like pulling teeth!

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Change: Creating Positive Change

Thought Tweet #421

by Rick Baker
On Feb 27, 2012

Thought Tweet #421 "Sales is an outcome, not a goal." Jill Konrath

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

This quote is from Jill Konrath's 2010 book, 'SNAP Selling - Speed Up Sales and Win More Business with Today's Frazzled Clients'. Jill goes on to add, "It's a function of doing numerous things right, starting from the moment you target potential prospect until you finalize the deal." This thinking aligns with Spirited Leaders' philosophies and education tools. For example, it aligns with our Clients' Clients Concept.

Tags:

Sales | Thought Tweets

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