https://rickbaker.ca/category/vision-the-leader-s-vivid-vision/ 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/powerful-leaders-take-us-to-new-realities/https://rickbaker.ca/post/powerful-leaders-take-us-to-new-realities/Sat, 19 Jun 2021 07:56:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Powerful leaders possess the ability to bring about ' new realities '...some tremendously good, some tremendously bad. While… https://rickbaker.ca/post/never-give-upyou-owe-it-to-yourselfyou-owe-it-to-your-familyyou-owe-it-to-life/https://rickbaker.ca/post/never-give-upyou-owe-it-to-yourselfyou-owe-it-to-your-familyyou-owe-it-to-life/Fri, 28 May 2021 07:38:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Of course, Sir Winston Churchill comes to mind, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or… https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-assume-communication-is-easy-youre-dreaming-alone-if-you-find-communication-is-easy-youre-dreaming-with-others/https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-assume-communication-is-easy-youre-dreaming-alone-if-you-find-communication-is-easy-youre-dreaming-with-others/Fri, 07 May 2021 07:48:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Shared dreams and goals, naturally, breed quality communication. https://rickbaker.ca/post/dreams-of-a-better-future-generate-a-better-future-vision/https://rickbaker.ca/post/dreams-of-a-better-future-generate-a-better-future-vision/Thu, 06 May 2021 07:33:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet "Past and future are dreams; now is a reality. All things are now; all power, all possibility, all action, is now." British… https://rickbaker.ca/post/written-goals-dont-just-help-you-set-your-work-priorities-they-help-you-define-your-personal-values/https://rickbaker.ca/post/written-goals-dont-just-help-you-set-your-work-priorities-they-help-you-define-your-personal-values/Wed, 14 Apr 2021 07:14:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Values , Purpose, Vision , Rules , & Goals are not discreet, stand-alone concepts. They are intertwined. For most People, they… https://rickbaker.ca/post/hope-is-a-waking-dream-much-craved-by-people-this-explains-why-people-rally-around-leaders-with-vivid-vision-vision/https://rickbaker.ca/post/hope-is-a-waking-dream-much-craved-by-people-this-explains-why-people-rally-around-leaders-with-vivid-vision-vision/Thu, 08 Apr 2021 07:08:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Aristotle said, "Hope is a waking dream." People want hope; people follow dreams. https://rickbaker.ca/post/dreams-of-a-better-future-light-the-path-to-that-better-future-vision/https://rickbaker.ca/post/dreams-of-a-better-future-light-the-path-to-that-better-future-vision/Sun, 21 Mar 2021 07:14:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet "Past and future are dreams; now is a reality. All things are now; all power, all possibility, all action, is now." British… https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-leaders-tell-followers-what-to-do-they-need-to-limit-that-telling-to-big-picture-things/https://rickbaker.ca/post/when-leaders-tell-followers-what-to-do-they-need-to-limit-that-telling-to-big-picture-things/Sat, 16 Jan 2021 07:24:00 -0500The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet Some think Leaders should provide followers latitude to do their work as they choose. Some think that’s the way to breed… https://rickbaker.ca/post/one-thing-ive-learned-about-drawing-lines-in-the-sand-before-you-draw-them-set-your-master-rules/https://rickbaker.ca/post/one-thing-ive-learned-about-drawing-lines-in-the-sand-before-you-draw-them-set-your-master-rules/Tue, 12 Jan 2021 07:12:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Note to self... Know the rules you want to live by....your Master Rules Anticipate possible situations & predict a set of… https://rickbaker.ca/post/leaders-do-best-when-it-is-clear-they-have-sacred-rules-which-we-call-the-master-rules/https://rickbaker.ca/post/leaders-do-best-when-it-is-clear-they-have-sacred-rules-which-we-call-the-master-rules/Fri, 11 Dec 2020 07:29:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Master Rules : these are rules set by the Leader and well-communicated by the Leader to all followers. The Master Rules must… 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/about-influencing-powerful-people-3/https://rickbaker.ca/post/about-influencing-powerful-people-3/Tue, 10 Nov 2020 07:22:00 -0500Talking About Influencing Powerful People - here's another Dirk Schlimm quote: “What makes these geniuses so powerful is not ground-level expertise or… 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/if-you-cannot-see-the-forest-for-the-trees-youre-too-far-out-on-that-limb/https://rickbaker.ca/post/if-you-cannot-see-the-forest-for-the-trees-youre-too-far-out-on-that-limb/Sat, 19 Sep 2020 07:34:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Few people possess the ability to think strategically while having a solid grasp of the details of the plan. Some people do not… 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/hope-is-a-waking-dream-much-craved-by-people-vision/https://rickbaker.ca/post/hope-is-a-waking-dream-much-craved-by-people-vision/Thu, 09 Jul 2020 07:30:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Aristotle said, "Hope is a waking dream." People want hope; people follow dreams. *** Regardless, Hope stands in the shadow of… https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-cannot-drive-people-when-you-work-them-into-a-fog/https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-cannot-drive-people-when-you-work-them-into-a-fog/Sat, 04 Jan 2020 07:01:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Nor can you expect people in a fog to generate much internal drive. Nor will people in a fog drive one another around toward… https://rickbaker.ca/post/what-awesome-power-lies-in-the-combination-of-strong-willpower-guided-by-strong-definite-life-purpose/https://rickbaker.ca/post/what-awesome-power-lies-in-the-combination-of-strong-willpower-guided-by-strong-definite-life-purpose/Mon, 22 May 2017 08:00:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Willpower is wonderful, but without proper guidance it consumes energy without purpose . Definite purpose is wonderful, but… https://rickbaker.ca/post/visions-biases-evolution/https://rickbaker.ca/post/visions-biases-evolution/Mon, 17 Apr 2017 07:39:00 -0500We have wonderful dreams and ambitions…there’s no end to our visions of better things in the future . And, behind these dreams and ambitions, our motives are… https://rickbaker.ca/post/getting-on-the-talent-track/https://rickbaker.ca/post/getting-on-the-talent-track/Fri, 30 Dec 2016 07:26:00 -0500When we thoroughly understand our Talents we improve our ability to: clarify and express our personal Values & the Rules that are most sacred to us, ability… https://rickbaker.ca/post/15-ways-to-influence-thinking-inspire-action/https://rickbaker.ca/post/15-ways-to-influence-thinking-inspire-action/Thu, 22 Dec 2016 14:45:00 -0500Vision inspires Leadership has a few essential ingredients. For example, the leader must possess a level of intelligence and the leader must possess a… https://rickbaker.ca/post/10-thoughts-on-hiring/https://rickbaker.ca/post/10-thoughts-on-hiring/Mon, 14 Nov 2016 07:10:00 -0500Know how to communicate the essence of the role, seek simple descriptions; avoid lengthy series of tasks and responsibilities Magnetic job postings - show… https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-internet-of-things-our-iot-vision/https://rickbaker.ca/post/the-internet-of-things-our-iot-vision/Mon, 07 Nov 2016 07:18:00 -0500The 'Internet of Things', you've heard about it. You may be talking about it, asking “ What exactly does it mean? ” Recently, that question was discussed at… https://rickbaker.ca/post/controlling-the-common-littlenesses-of-human-nature/https://rickbaker.ca/post/controlling-the-common-littlenesses-of-human-nature/Mon, 29 Aug 2016 08:55:00 -0500William MacDonald described Benjamin Franklin as a man who could control the common littleness of human nature 1 . It is clear MacDonald had tremendous… https://rickbaker.ca/post/people-resist-new-things/https://rickbaker.ca/post/people-resist-new-things/Tue, 19 Jul 2016 08:09:00 -0500I think most people object to, argue against, or otherwise resist New Things (...as in - People Do Only 3 Things: Good Habits, Bad Habits & New Things )… https://rickbaker.ca/post/how-do-disorganized-people-accomplish-productive-things-in-business/https://rickbaker.ca/post/how-do-disorganized-people-accomplish-productive-things-in-business/Wed, 17 Feb 2016 07:02:00 -0500To explore this topic, I did some on-line research and found an interesting article that has fed into my thinking process. Below are some excerpts from that… https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-gotta-learn-how-to-tune-strings-before-you-can-become-a-rock-star/https://rickbaker.ca/post/you-gotta-learn-how-to-tune-strings-before-you-can-become-a-rock-star/Tue, 03 Nov 2015 11:28:00 -0500That concept holds true if you want to be a successful business leader. It isn't a question of patience. It's a question of competence. It's about what it… https://rickbaker.ca/post/more-bite-sized-success/https://rickbaker.ca/post/more-bite-sized-success/Fri, 30 Oct 2015 19:52:00 -0500Most people fail because they quit. Most people quit because they get frustrated. Most people get frustrated because they don't know how to measure success… https://rickbaker.ca/post/we-do-not-have-to-fear-fear-itself/https://rickbaker.ca/post/we-do-not-have-to-fear-fear-itself/Wed, 01 Jul 2015 07:01:00 -0500In his first inaugural address, in 1933, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, " The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. " Starting with this… https://rickbaker.ca/post/inspire-people-influence-action-grow-wealth/https://rickbaker.ca/post/inspire-people-influence-action-grow-wealth/Fri, 20 Feb 2015 15:42:00 -0500In business, as in other endeavours, the essence of leadership is positive Influence. At its core, positive Influence is about inspiring people to take… https://rickbaker.ca/post/your-power-resides-in-your-strengths-easily-said-not-easily-doneand-rampantly-ignored-strengths/https://rickbaker.ca/post/your-power-resides-in-your-strengths-easily-said-not-easily-doneand-rampantly-ignored-strengths/Tue, 10 Feb 2015 08:19:00 -0500Your power resides in your strengths. Your power either energizes action or it rests inactive. Your power is the sum total of your talents, the opportunities… https://rickbaker.ca/post/are-we-the-captains-of-our-own-ships-able-if-not-designed-to-determine-where-those-ships-are-going/https://rickbaker.ca/post/are-we-the-captains-of-our-own-ships-able-if-not-designed-to-determine-where-those-ships-are-going/Mon, 02 Feb 2015 13:15:00 -0500In his book 'Good Leaders Ask Great Questions' , John C Maxwell said " purpose gives you drive ". That got me thinking. Does purpose give you drive or does… https://rickbaker.ca/post/bite-sized-success/https://rickbaker.ca/post/bite-sized-success/Tue, 21 Oct 2014 21:10:00 -0500Most people fail because they quit. Most people quit because they get frustrated. Most people get frustrated because they don't know how to measure success… https://rickbaker.ca/post/willing-suspension-of-disbelief-an-entrepreneurial-phenomenon/https://rickbaker.ca/post/willing-suspension-of-disbelief-an-entrepreneurial-phenomenon/Thu, 02 Oct 2014 16:56:00 -0500From Wikipedia... Suspension of disbelief or willing suspension of disbelief is a term coined in 1817 by the poet and aesthetic philosopher Samuel Taylor… https://rickbaker.ca/post/better-world-dreams-the-best-prescriptions-for-motivation-and-self-confidence/https://rickbaker.ca/post/better-world-dreams-the-best-prescriptions-for-motivation-and-self-confidence/Tue, 09 Sep 2014 21:22:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Dream about major positive changes...dream in vivid vision...that's the best motivation and confidence-builder. https://rickbaker.ca/post/take-your-big-treasure-chest-of-dreams-off-the-shelfdust-it-offopen-it-upand-put-its-contents-to-good-use/https://rickbaker.ca/post/take-your-big-treasure-chest-of-dreams-off-the-shelfdust-it-offopen-it-upand-put-its-contents-to-good-use/Mon, 08 Sep 2014 19:53:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet You were an incessant dreamer...night & day...light & heavy...fantastic...motivating. Criticism and the trials of day-to-day… https://rickbaker.ca/post/who-looks-outside-dreams-who-looks-inside-awakes-carl-jung/https://rickbaker.ca/post/who-looks-outside-dreams-who-looks-inside-awakes-carl-jung/Mon, 08 Sep 2014 11:44:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Vision & Introspection: 2 durable gifts...delivering lifelong value, wisdom, and gratification. https://rickbaker.ca/post/why-not/https://rickbaker.ca/post/why-not/Thu, 21 Aug 2014 07:48:00 -0500Why not aim for excellent performance? Why not strive for task and process mastery? Why not strive for craftsmanship? Why not aim for minimal errors? Why not… https://rickbaker.ca/post/personal-values-and-strengths-are-wonderful-ingredients-when-they-are-put-to-good-use/https://rickbaker.ca/post/personal-values-and-strengths-are-wonderful-ingredients-when-they-are-put-to-good-use/Tue, 10 Jun 2014 17:00:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet People can lead extremely happy and fulfilled lives when those two personal things are aligned and put to good use. That use… https://rickbaker.ca/post/be-clear-about-your-interests-and-state-your-visionthen-let-your-people-express-their-talents-around-your-vision/https://rickbaker.ca/post/be-clear-about-your-interests-and-state-your-visionthen-let-your-people-express-their-talents-around-your-vision/Mon, 09 Jun 2014 11:49:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet Be clear about your Interests...people need to know what you want...stories help them understand and remember. State your… https://rickbaker.ca/post/authentic-self-confidence-properly-illustrated-and-linked-to-vision-this-is-at-the-essence-of-leadership/https://rickbaker.ca/post/authentic-self-confidence-properly-illustrated-and-linked-to-vision-this-is-at-the-essence-of-leadership/Tue, 20 May 2014 08:10:00 -0500The Thinking Behind The Tweet It takes various forms, as examples: Alexander the Great did it his way…on the backs of horses leading the charge Mahatma… https://rickbaker.ca/post/on-influence/https://rickbaker.ca/post/on-influence/Mon, 24 Mar 2014 08:44:00 -0500Influence is the magical part of leadership. Influence is the magic that allows leaders to convert Vision and Desire into amazing actions and thrilling… https://rickbaker.ca/post/5-ways-to-influence/https://rickbaker.ca/post/5-ways-to-influence/Tue, 28 Jan 2014 08:52:00 -0500Vision inspires Leadership has a few essential ingredients. For example, the leader must possess a level of intelligence and the leader must possess a… https://rickbaker.ca/post/seek-first-to-understand-people-who-do-not-understand-themselves/https://rickbaker.ca/post/seek-first-to-understand-people-who-do-not-understand-themselves/Mon, 30 Dec 2013 08:35:00 -0500Yes, Covey taught Seek First To Understand . Good advice! But, as you follow that advice, do not be confused. In general, people do not understand… https://rickbaker.ca/post/jfk/https://rickbaker.ca/post/jfk/Fri, 22 Nov 2013 08:50:00 -0500When I was a young boy I had a small group of very close buddies. We played together. We played sports like baseball and football. We fought now and again… https://rickbaker.ca/post/take-steps-toward-change-leadership/https://rickbaker.ca/post/take-steps-toward-change-leadership/Fri, 15 Nov 2013 08:20:00 -0500If you want to lead change and influence others to help you achieve the success you desire, consider these things: Your Intelligence - This is a tough one… https://rickbaker.ca/post/delegation-the-decision-making-engine-of-business/https://rickbaker.ca/post/delegation-the-decision-making-engine-of-business/Wed, 13 Nov 2013 08:54:00 -0500Delegation: the business-process engine https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-8335/https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-8335/Wed, 25 Sep 2013 10:33:00 -0500Thought Tweet #833.5 You cannot drive people when you work them in a fog. The Thinking Behind The Tweet Nor can you expect people in a fog to generate much… https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-8325/https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-8325/Tue, 24 Sep 2013 17:28:00 -0500Thought Tweet #832.5 Converting challenge into change...isn't that the essence of the leader's role? The Thinking Behind The Tweet Leaders see challenging… https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-8245/https://rickbaker.ca/post/thought-tweet-8245/Thu, 12 Sep 2013 08:58:00 -0500Thought Tweet #824.5 If you know my personal Values, you have a fighting chance to understand why I'm doing what I'm doing. The Thinking Behind The Tweet If…