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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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An Economic Forecast

by Rick Baker
On Feb 9, 2012

People's attitudes tend to spread. One person expresses a view to many people. Some of those people embrace the view. Then some of those people express the view to other people. This chain-communication spreads views and attitudes.

Technology advancements have radically changed communication capability. We now enjoy a communication capability that is very close to real-time and very close to fully-worldwide.

When we feel and think then talk in more-optimistic ways we spread more-optimistic thought and messages.

When we feel and think then talk in more-pessimistic ways we spread more-pessimistic thought and messages.

When we spread more-optimistic thoughts and messages the economy tends to grows and prosper.

When we spread more-pessimistic thoughts and messages the economy tends to shrink and fail.

This happens because People's Actions always follow their Feelings and Thoughts. While there are some exceptions to this 'rule' such as blinking in reaction to a surprise motion or jumping in reaction to a surprise sound or touch...this 'rule' certainly applies to buying, selling, and the various other trans-Actions that generate economies.

  

How to Improve the Economy:

  1. Accept as a fact of life - nobody can accurately predict the future.
  2. Accept as a fact of life - some people tend to be optimistic, others tend to be pessimistic, and everyone else tends to be neutral.
  3. Accept as fact of life - the louder few always get more ear-time than the silent majority.
  4. Choose to be just a little more optimistic about the economy.
  5. Talk as enthusiastically as you feel about your optimism.
  6. If you cannot accommodate #4 or #5 above then - be silent. [Spreading pessimism is of no value to anyone.]
 
An Economic Forecast
 
The economy is changing for the better...are you ready for the ride!

Tags:

Beyond Business

My Uncle Jack’s Plus-Minus Theory

by Rick Baker
On Nov 3, 2011
On a warm summer afternoon a couple of months ago, I was sitting on my Uncle Jack’s porch…chatting with him about many things, some serious and some definitely-not.
 
That’s when he surprised me by asking, “Haven’t I ever told you my Plus-Minus Theory?
 
I said “No” and sat back to catch a little more shade and listen to my Uncle Jack’s Plus-Minus Theory.
 
He explained, “At the end of the day we should think about the ‘pluses’ of the day and the ‘minuses’ of the day. If we find the ‘minuses’ consumed more than 75% of the day then we better make changes.
 
Now, since that afternoon, I have thought about pluses and minuses every single day.
 
And, I have shared my Uncle Jack’s ‘theory’ with a number of folks.
 
Each time I share the story and the theory I talk about the thoughts I have had for several years about feeling good and feeling bad at work and the thoughts I had about measuring these feelings. I talk about the fact I have worked at teaching and helping people learn the importance of doing these things. I talk about the Minus10-to-Plus10 Scale we use to measure feelings.
 
And, I never fail to mention I had no idea my favourite Uncle had already established a ‘theory’ on this topic, beating me [and many of the motivational gurus by decades].
 
Clearly, this is proof we need to spend more time with our Favourite Uncles!
 
Footnotes:
  1. At Spirited Leaders we use colours as visual signals:
    • green = good things…especially Good Habits
    • blue = New Things
    • red = Bad Habits
  2. Minus10-to-Plus10 Scale: like my Uncle Jack’s ‘pluses’ and ‘minuses’ we are talking about monitoring feelings throughout the workday. Negative feelings are feelings that signal you are not in situations or taking actions aligned with your goals. Positive feelings are feelings that signal you arein situations or taking actions aligned with your goals.
    • Plus 1-4: you are at least accepting the situation and have some comfort about your action
    • Plus 5-7: you enjoy the situation and the action you are taking
    • Plus 8-10: you are enthusiastic about the situation and your actions

Tags:

Beyond Business | Emotions @ Work | Measure & Monitor

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