https://rickbaker.ca/category/beyond-business/ 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/plan-for-the-particular-and-the-peculiarbecause-thats-what-you-areand-so-is-your-perspective-viewpoints/https://rickbaker.ca/post/plan-for-the-particular-and-the-peculiarbecause-thats-what-you-areand-so-is-your-perspective-viewpoints/Sat, 31 Jul 2021 07:25:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Particular, peculiar, distinctive, & unique: in the English language the meaning of these words overlap. Of these 4 words, we… https://rickbaker.ca/post/good-things-come-in-little-packages-thats-the-key-to-excellent-work-process-success-process-task/https://rickbaker.ca/post/good-things-come-in-little-packages-thats-the-key-to-excellent-work-process-success-process-task/Thu, 24 Jun 2021 07:38:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Dr. Richard Carlson taught - " Don't sweat the small stuff ". That's good advice as long as it confined within the following… https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-a-combination-of-skills-goals-plans-is-not-present-people-give-up-their-dreams-hope/https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-a-combination-of-skills-goals-plans-is-not-present-people-give-up-their-dreams-hope/Wed, 26 May 2021 07:17:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Skills , goals and plans will always be required. Without these basics, work is demoralizing and frustrating. Without these… https://rickbaker.ca/post/our-fingers-naturally-point-outwards-perhaps-thats-why-we-point-at-others-when-its-time-to-place-blame-criticism/https://rickbaker.ca/post/our-fingers-naturally-point-outwards-perhaps-thats-why-we-point-at-others-when-its-time-to-place-blame-criticism/Mon, 24 May 2021 07:58:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet The joys of evolution! It seems [until someone helps me understand otherwise] we humans are the only animals capable of… https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-more-you-use-your-talents-the-harder-it-is-to-wear-them-out-talent/https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-more-you-use-your-talents-the-harder-it-is-to-wear-them-out-talent/Sat, 22 May 2021 07:18:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet We struggle when we don't use our Talents ...many of us accept that struggling lot in life...and some of us embrace struggling… https://rickbaker.ca/post/other-people-prefer-it-when-you-are-present-minded-rather-than-absent-minded-focus/https://rickbaker.ca/post/other-people-prefer-it-when-you-are-present-minded-rather-than-absent-minded-focus/Sun, 16 May 2021 07:52:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet 'Getting present' is a Focus exercise...a mind-process of narrowing and fixing attention. 'Staying present' is a Concentration… https://rickbaker.ca/post/hope-is-not-a-strategy-but-it-is-an-essential-ingredient-of-leadership/https://rickbaker.ca/post/hope-is-not-a-strategy-but-it-is-an-essential-ingredient-of-leadership/Thu, 13 May 2021 07:15:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet 'Hope is not a Strategy' , an interesting business book by Rick Page. " Hope is an essential ingredient of leadership. " a… https://rickbaker.ca/post/people-are-selflings-thats-a-good-rather-than-a-bad-thingso-focus-on-yourselfregularly-ego/https://rickbaker.ca/post/people-are-selflings-thats-a-good-rather-than-a-bad-thingso-focus-on-yourselfregularly-ego/Wed, 05 May 2021 07:22:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet About that suffix 'ling': yes, often pejorative; but, not always. So, cut other selflings some slack, as they will have to do… https://rickbaker.ca/post/get-a-life-reality-tv-has-added-a-whole-new-dimension-to-that-old-admonition/https://rickbaker.ca/post/get-a-life-reality-tv-has-added-a-whole-new-dimension-to-that-old-admonition/Wed, 28 Apr 2021 07:24:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet It's now incredibly easy to 'get a life'. Our TV remotes provide us a full range of lives...numerous reality choices with many… https://rickbaker.ca/post/better-to-procrastinate-when-the-task-is-under-whelming-than-when-it-is-over-whelming-procrastination/https://rickbaker.ca/post/better-to-procrastinate-when-the-task-is-under-whelming-than-when-it-is-over-whelming-procrastination/Fri, 02 Apr 2021 07:01:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Much as our mothers admonished about other matters and manners, "There is a time and a place". This applies too to… https://rickbaker.ca/post/we-know-the-right-things-to-doeven-while-we-are-not-doing-them-integrity/https://rickbaker.ca/post/we-know-the-right-things-to-doeven-while-we-are-not-doing-them-integrity/Mon, 29 Mar 2021 07:05:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Most of the time we know the right things to do, yet, often, we don't do those right things. In particular, we tend to do… 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/like-beauty-fairness-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/https://rickbaker.ca/post/like-beauty-fairness-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/Wed, 24 Mar 2021 07:21:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Fairness - an admirable motive...but, one that has a really difficult time surviving both delivery and receipt. Fairness - a… https://rickbaker.ca/post/maybe-it-isnt-more-blessed-to-give-than-to-receive-consider-the-ben-franklin-effect/https://rickbaker.ca/post/maybe-it-isnt-more-blessed-to-give-than-to-receive-consider-the-ben-franklin-effect/Fri, 19 Mar 2021 07:26:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Ben Franklin found people, even people who clearly disliked him, responded positively when he asked them for a favour. As one… 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/willpower-consumes-energy-energy-is-scarce-use-willpower-wisely-use-it-and-lose-it/https://rickbaker.ca/post/willpower-consumes-energy-energy-is-scarce-use-willpower-wisely-use-it-and-lose-it/Wed, 06 Jan 2021 07:41:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Willpower must be one of the human body's most energy-intensive processes. We must exercise willpower or it becomes weak. We… https://rickbaker.ca/post/we-cannot-practice-what-we-dont-know-the-howbut-we-may-be-able-to-teach-the-how-when-we-dont-know-the-how/https://rickbaker.ca/post/we-cannot-practice-what-we-dont-know-the-howbut-we-may-be-able-to-teach-the-how-when-we-dont-know-the-how/Sat, 02 Jan 2021 07:24:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet " Do as I say, not as I do ." & " Practice what you preach. " We use these sayings as justifications and criticisms when advice… https://rickbaker.ca/post/willpower-we-use-it-or-it-slips-away-on-us-willpower/https://rickbaker.ca/post/willpower-we-use-it-or-it-slips-away-on-us-willpower/Sat, 19 Dec 2020 07:25:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Willpower , like any other good habit , demands much energy. So, we must use it wisely and regularly. We must drain it, rebuild… https://rickbaker.ca/post/it-takes-two-to-tug-of-warunless-of-course-you-choose-to-battle-people-in-your-head/https://rickbaker.ca/post/it-takes-two-to-tug-of-warunless-of-course-you-choose-to-battle-people-in-your-head/Tue, 15 Dec 2020 07:44:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet It takes two to tango; it takes two to tangle; it takes two to tug-of-war. And, more often than not, the two must bring an… https://rickbaker.ca/post/willpower-is-the-human-bodys-most-energy-intensive-process/https://rickbaker.ca/post/willpower-is-the-human-bodys-most-energy-intensive-process/Thu, 10 Dec 2020 07:31:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet The brain accounts for 20% of the body's energy use. And, nothing consumes more brain energy that the exercising of willpower … https://rickbaker.ca/post/courage-is-the-prime-enabler-it-enables-self-analysis-self-confidence-curiosity-creativity-innovation-courage/https://rickbaker.ca/post/courage-is-the-prime-enabler-it-enables-self-analysis-self-confidence-curiosity-creativity-innovation-courage/Sat, 05 Dec 2020 07:13:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet It takes courage to face adversity . It takes courage to face criticism . It takes courage to face change . Children are born… https://rickbaker.ca/post/consequences-are-the-legs-that-support-accountability-discipline/https://rickbaker.ca/post/consequences-are-the-legs-that-support-accountability-discipline/Sat, 28 Nov 2020 07:20:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Where consequences do not register, in the end there can be no accountability . Consequences take the form of rewards...either… https://rickbaker.ca/post/3-abilities-rise-above-all-others-intelligence-willpower-drive/https://rickbaker.ca/post/3-abilities-rise-above-all-others-intelligence-willpower-drive/Fri, 20 Nov 2020 07:00:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Every human being possesses the seeds of intelligence , willpower , and drive at birth. To a certain degree, and the degree… https://rickbaker.ca/post/an-ideal-way-to-help-people-show-them-how-to-disentangle-the-energy-and-power-they-naturally-possess/https://rickbaker.ca/post/an-ideal-way-to-help-people-show-them-how-to-disentangle-the-energy-and-power-they-naturally-possess/Thu, 19 Nov 2020 07:50:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Energy & Natural Talent: 2 things we all possess. But, we rarely experience people helping us put those 2 things to best use… https://rickbaker.ca/post/intrinsic-drives-often-persist-as-lifelong-drives/https://rickbaker.ca/post/intrinsic-drives-often-persist-as-lifelong-drives/Fri, 13 Nov 2020 07:24:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Do you have some internal drives that have survived for decades? If you do then you know what I'm talking about. Long-lasting… https://rickbaker.ca/post/unresolved-lingering-problems-gnaw-away-at-brain-energy-attack-problems-and-pluck-that-destructive-power-away-from-them/https://rickbaker.ca/post/unresolved-lingering-problems-gnaw-away-at-brain-energy-attack-problems-and-pluck-that-destructive-power-away-from-them/Sat, 31 Oct 2020 07:04:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet The brain represents 2% of body mass while it consumes 20% of body energy. The brain is 'energy intensive'. Much brain energy… https://rickbaker.ca/post/a-true-sense-of-urgency-thats-doing-things-promptly-when-you-know-the-right-things-to-do-and-you-know-how-to-do-them-well/https://rickbaker.ca/post/a-true-sense-of-urgency-thats-doing-things-promptly-when-you-know-the-right-things-to-do-and-you-know-how-to-do-them-well/Fri, 23 Oct 2020 07:34:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Anything shy of this isn't a successful sense of urgency. Anything shy of this is guesswork, bad planning, or fighting phantom… https://rickbaker.ca/post/its-ok-to-have-an-ego-its-not-ok-when-an-ego-has-you-ego/https://rickbaker.ca/post/its-ok-to-have-an-ego-its-not-ok-when-an-ego-has-you-ego/Mon, 19 Oct 2020 07:03:00 -0500The Thought Behind The Tweet When it comes to ego, I believe moderation is the right course. Eastern philosophies teach the merits of reduction of… https://rickbaker.ca/post/trust-is-gained-in-small-increments-one-consistent-action-at-a-time/https://rickbaker.ca/post/trust-is-gained-in-small-increments-one-consistent-action-at-a-time/Wed, 14 Oct 2020 07:11:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Trust is lost in large lumps, one misunderstood-inconsistent action at a time. So, the scale is weighted against you ...or, is… https://rickbaker.ca/post/our-deeds-tend-to-leave-permanent-shadows-often-invisible-to-us-but-seen-clearly-by-others-trust/https://rickbaker.ca/post/our-deeds-tend-to-leave-permanent-shadows-often-invisible-to-us-but-seen-clearly-by-others-trust/Tue, 29 Sep 2020 07:13:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Often invisible to us: because we are biased. Seen clearly by others: because they are biased. As the saying goes … https://rickbaker.ca/post/we-simply-must-spend-more-time-imagining-possibilitiesthink-of-things-not-as-they-are-but-as-they-might-be-vision/https://rickbaker.ca/post/we-simply-must-spend-more-time-imagining-possibilitiesthink-of-things-not-as-they-are-but-as-they-might-be-vision/Fri, 25 Sep 2020 07:35:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Robert Collier wrote, " Think of things - not as they are but as they MIGHT be ." ...'The SECRET Of The Ages', (1926) If we… 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/dont-let-a-few-bad-apples-sour-your-trust-in-people-trust/https://rickbaker.ca/post/dont-let-a-few-bad-apples-sour-your-trust-in-people-trust/Tue, 25 Aug 2020 07:27:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Without trust relationships are shallow and weak. Don't let people's actions sour your trust. Start With Self. On top of all… https://rickbaker.ca/post/self-discipline-brings-out-the-value-embedded-in-talent-self-discipline-talent/https://rickbaker.ca/post/self-discipline-brings-out-the-value-embedded-in-talent-self-discipline-talent/Mon, 24 Aug 2020 07:12:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet When discipline is absent Talent is dormant, submerged, and wasted. That's why discipline is a good thing. Discipline serves a… https://rickbaker.ca/post/lack-of-confidence-is-evident-when-people-talk-too-much-during-the-good-times-then-talk-to-little-during-the-bad-times/https://rickbaker.ca/post/lack-of-confidence-is-evident-when-people-talk-too-much-during-the-good-times-then-talk-to-little-during-the-bad-times/Mon, 17 Aug 2020 07:03:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet This is especially true when the talk is about credit and blame for results. ...better to aim closer to the Zen, " Is that so ". https://rickbaker.ca/post/may-your-molehills-remain-molehills-and-may-your-ego-choose-molehills-over-mountain-climbing/https://rickbaker.ca/post/may-your-molehills-remain-molehills-and-may-your-ego-choose-molehills-over-mountain-climbing/Fri, 14 Aug 2020 07:17:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Better to climb mountains in your mind than on the back of your donkey-ego. https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-dont-see-yourself-the-way-others-see-you-need-proof-look-in-a-mirror-see-you-already-got-it-backwards/https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-dont-see-yourself-the-way-others-see-you-need-proof-look-in-a-mirror-see-you-already-got-it-backwards/Wed, 05 Aug 2020 07:37:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet When we invented mirrors we invented a useful tool...mirrors allow us to do wonderful things like checking out our new suit and… https://rickbaker.ca/post/do-the-right-little-things-right-performance/https://rickbaker.ca/post/do-the-right-little-things-right-performance/Sun, 19 Jul 2020 07:46:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet " If it's worth doing then it's worth doing right. " That's what our mothers and fathers taught us. Good advice. “ Go to the… https://rickbaker.ca/post/even-if-that-cloud-doesnt-have-a-silver-lining-it-might-bring-a-rainbow/https://rickbaker.ca/post/even-if-that-cloud-doesnt-have-a-silver-lining-it-might-bring-a-rainbow/Sun, 07 Jun 2020 07:17:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet While I have never explored the interior of clouds to discern whether or not they are actually silver...I have marveled at the… https://rickbaker.ca/post/i-developed-a-serious-interest-in-other-people-in-less-than-5-decades/https://rickbaker.ca/post/i-developed-a-serious-interest-in-other-people-in-less-than-5-decades/Sat, 06 Jun 2020 07:57:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet From a very early age, I noticed people making mistakes . I didn't just notice it. Their mistakes scraped in my ears, seared my… https://rickbaker.ca/post/no-means-no-well-maybe-we-need-to-think-a-bit-more-on-that/https://rickbaker.ca/post/no-means-no-well-maybe-we-need-to-think-a-bit-more-on-that/Fri, 05 Jun 2020 07:43:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet When I was a kid I heard the word "No" so much I expected to hear it, as a matter of habit . When I was a kid I was told to say… https://rickbaker.ca/post/invest-the-time-it-takes-to-understand-people-understanding-provides-for-trust-motivation-leadership/https://rickbaker.ca/post/invest-the-time-it-takes-to-understand-people-understanding-provides-for-trust-motivation-leadership/Sun, 31 May 2020 07:08:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet In part, inspired by a re-reading of Michael Gerber's ' The E-Myth Revisited '. Pick a demographic - learn its psychographics … 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/better-to-climb-mountains-in-your-mind-than-on-the-back-of-your-donkey-ego/https://rickbaker.ca/post/better-to-climb-mountains-in-your-mind-than-on-the-back-of-your-donkey-ego/Wed, 13 May 2020 07:21:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet May your molehills remain molehills and may your ego choose molehills over mountain climbing. Refuse to allow your ego to join… https://rickbaker.ca/post/a-thin-skull-allows-important-stuff-to-get-in-easier/https://rickbaker.ca/post/a-thin-skull-allows-important-stuff-to-get-in-easier/Wed, 06 May 2020 07:17:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Mistakes bang into and bounce off thick skulls . This annoys Mistakes because their role is teaching lessons. The problem is… https://rickbaker.ca/post/may-your-ego-refuse-to-jump-over-molehills-to-join-the-mule-trains-climbing-all-those-mountains/https://rickbaker.ca/post/may-your-ego-refuse-to-jump-over-molehills-to-join-the-mule-trains-climbing-all-those-mountains/Wed, 29 Apr 2020 07:41:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Sometimes those little voices in our heads goad us into thoughts and actions that really defy logic. Deep down we know the… https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-are-the-smartest-person-you-really-know/https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-are-the-smartest-person-you-really-know/Sun, 12 Jan 2020 07:18:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet You are the only person you really know. That assumes you take the time and make the effort After all...you spend so much time… https://rickbaker.ca/post/doubters-dont-build-criticism-attitude/https://rickbaker.ca/post/doubters-dont-build-criticism-attitude/Sat, 11 Jan 2020 07:18:00 -0500The Thinking Behind the Tweet Doubters criticize. Doubters demotivate. Doubters question when questions are simply annoying. In these ways, doubters are… https://rickbaker.ca/post/sometimes-innovation-comes-from-dreams-sleeping-and-waking-dreams-bring-intuition-and-flashes-of-inspiration/https://rickbaker.ca/post/sometimes-innovation-comes-from-dreams-sleeping-and-waking-dreams-bring-intuition-and-flashes-of-inspiration/Wed, 01 Jan 2020 07:30:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet From Wikipedia... McCartney said he had the idea of "Let It Be" after he had a dream about his mother during the tense period… https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-my-granddad-went-to-war/https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-my-granddad-went-to-war/Mon, 11 Nov 2019 06:30:00 -0500100 years ago my grandfather joined the Canadian army...volunteering for what turned out to be a brutal war experience.