Charlie Baker understands exactly what he faces as the Republican governor of a blue state. He follows in the footsteps of establishment Republicans such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Nelson A. Rockefeller, William F. Weld, and A. Paul Cellucci. In order to govern successfully, the governor knows he must work with, not against, Democrats who have overwhelming numbers in both houses of the Legislature and seek common ground wherever he can. He must be doing something right because his approval ratings are in the stratosphere.

To fully understand Baker’s accomplishments, we must explore his professional background, with particular attention on his extensive training and experience outside of government. Baker launched his career at the Massachusetts High Technology Council, a trade group, where he served as director of corporate communications. There he honed his ability to think on his feet, speak and write convincingly, and express a particular point of view.

After serving in the Weld and Cellucci administrations in the 1990s, Baker embarked on a career in the health care industry. He served as chief executive first at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and then its parent company, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, where he generated 24 straight profitable quarters.

He made unpopular decisions, eliminating jobs, leaving markets, and increasing rates. During this phase of his career, Baker deftly managed people and programs, made tough choices, and motivated staff. Members of both parties agree that he turned Harvard Pilgrim around, reviving a company now recognized as one of the country’s top-rated health insurers.

Baker also gained valuable experience during his stints in state government under Weld and Cellucci, serving as undersecretary of health and human services, secretary of health and human services, and later secretary of administration and finance, where he played a key role in the financing of the Big Dig.

In the C-suite, Baker has always emphasized process, not publicity, getting results without great fanfare. He brings the same low-key approach to the governor’s office.

As both a business executive and government official, Baker has had to partner with a variety of players and teams. He knows how to reach out, engage those with different views, and find common ground. He has, for example, recruited many Democrats as advisers including Jay Ash, secretary of housing and economic development, and Stephanie Pollack, secretary of transportation. He looks for compromise rather than combat.

This year’s budget negotiations illustrate Baker’s belief in the art of the possible. For example, he worked with the Legislature to increase the earned income tax credit, believing it to be better targeted to low-income families than raising the minimum wage.

When it came to the contentious battle over the Olympics, the governor avoided rhetoric, instead weighing the pros and cons of hosting the Games and deciding if and how to proceed. Rather than having numerous consultants weigh in from different sides, he joined with the leaders of the House and Senate to select one firm to ensure that the process would be fair and focused on a single set of facts.

His approach to the beleaguered MBTA further illustrates Baker’s analytical approach to problem solving. Last winter didn’t cause the T’s problems, but rather exposed and exacerbated them. Baker didn’t just jump in with a grand proposal to fix the T. He paused to ask questions and gather relevant information. He established a special panel to review the situation, diagnose problems, and offer recommendations.

Later the MBTA Fiscal Management and Control Board was established by the Legislature. We now have a structure in place to address issues and devise solutions.

As our policy wonk-in-chief, Baker has largely avoided ideological conflict. He has relied on analytical skills, the good will he has engendered, and the desire on both sides of the aisle to solve problems. For the governor, consensus is good business.

Ben Branch is a professor of finance at the Isenberg School of Management of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.