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


View posts in large calendar

Recent Comments

Comment RSS

Crystallize your thoughts & desires...clearly communicate details of Goals, Tasks & Actions. Then Do & Measure the Actions.

by Rick Baker
On Aug 25, 2014

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

And Practice: if Practice doesn't make perfect then what does?

Practice clarifying your desires.

Practice clarifying your Goals.

Practice communicating about your desires and Goals.

Practice defining the details of Tasks, with emphasis on the Tasks that yield the results you desire.

Practice taking Talent to the Tasks - i.e., Practice the best, most-focused-for-success Actions.

Practice communicating about Talents & Strengths and about Tasks and Actions.

Practice Measuring Actions.

Practice Measuring results.

These are the ways to better- and best-in-class performance.

These are the ways to Skills.

These are the ways to business success.

When it comes to communication, vagaries ain't gonna get it done.

by Rick Baker
On Aug 25, 2014

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

There's an increased need for clarity in communication.

Tags:

Communication: Improving Communication | Thought Tweets

Communication tip: Do not assume the purpose behind your thinking is obvious.

by Rick Baker
On Aug 25, 2014

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

We cannot assume the purpose of our thinking is obvious. We cannot assume the purpose of their thinking is obvious. And, we are far better off over-communicating about the purpose behind out thoughts, ideas, and requests than under-communicating about them.

Engineering Art & Science

by Rick Baker
On Aug 25, 2014

Tradition recognizes 4 professions: Medicine, Engineering, Accounting, & Law.

People who master these professions possess special abilities. They are able to quickly identify patterns, see the big picture, and understand the details in many areas under the big picture. This combination of big picture thinking and detailed thinking enables them to be problem-solving specialists. Not only are they able to solve problems when they arrive they are also often able to anticipate problems and create solutions before the problems actually arrive.

Mastering a profession: Is that an art or a science or some combination of two?

Before answering that question it's necessary to understand the role discipline plays in the professions.

Consider the medical profession.  When you visit a doctor do you want the doctor's advice to be backed by disciplined thinking? Do you want the doctor to analyze your symptoms, identify a pattern, understand the root cause of the problem, and present a remedy/solution? Those are the things most people want when they visit the doctor. Very few want their doctor to be speculative, offering inventive solutions and illustrating innovation or creativity. Most people want medical solutions that are tried-and-true. That's their expectation. People expect their doctor to have a disciplined education, a disciplined process for diagnosing symptoms, and a disciplined process for prescribing remedies. These are the expectations of the vast majority of clients of the medical profession.

Consider the engineering profession. When an engineer designs a road you will drive on what is your expectation? When an engineer designs a bridge you will cross what is your expectation? When an engineer designs the building you will work in what is your expectation? Typically people just want a road to function properly so they can use it to get from point A to point B as quickly and safely as possible. People expect those things from bridges too. However, often they expect more from bridges. They want bridges to have aesthetic appeal. Similarly, people set a higher standard when it comes to buildings. Often people want buildings to have not just functional value, they also want aesthetic value. These are the expectations held by people who seek engineering work.

While some professions can be said to be mostly science, engineering is a blend of art and science.

Tags:

Thinking as in Think and Grow Rich

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