Lift a Couch … Find a Fortune!

Have you checked under your couch recently? You might give it serious consideration if you happen to be working with a tight budget as prices of just about everything seem to be rising on a weekly basis. A nickel here, a quarter there, and soon you have some real money.

The former Sands Hotel in Atlantic City closed last November and will be demolished later this year to make way for a brand new gambling destination. Those 2,350 slot machines have been sitting there for three decades. You’ve got to believe that of the millions of visiting gamblers, gleeful winners and frustrated losers alike, a few must have accidentally dropped a coin or two that eventually rolled under a machine. The workers removing the 2,350 machines anticipated just such a find as they began their project. What they didn’t envision was exactly how many coins slipped away obviously unnoticed. Final total … a whooping $17,193.34!!!!

That’s it for now … I’ve got to go move some furniture!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Michelangelo: A Man for the Ages

What comes to mind when you hear the name Michelangelo? Prior to solidifying a visual image, consider the following information. As each fact is revealed, your image of this historical icon should become a little clearer in your mind. Let’s take a look.

  • Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was his full name.
  • He was born in 1475 and lived to be 89 years of age.
  • He was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet and engineer.
  • He was perhaps the greatest influence on western art in the last five centuries.
  • He is often considered a contender for the title of the archetypal Renaissance man, along with his rival and fellow Italian Leonardo da Vinci.
  • When the sheer volume of correspondence, sketches and reminiscences that survive is taken into account, he is the best-documented artist of the 16th century.
  • He created a huge statue of the Biblical hero David (over 14 feet tall) in Florence before he turned 30.
  • He painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome (commissioned by Pope Julius II).
  • He designed the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, completed after his death.

Now deliberate for a moment on that personal image that emerged as you read the above details of his life. With that image in mind, can you imagine this man sharing the following wisdom with the world?

“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it!”

“Excellence can be obtained if you:
… care more than others think is wise;
… risk more than others think is safe;
… dream more than others think is practical;
… expect more than others think is possible.”

“I hope that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.”

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”

Can you imagine that these observations were made more than 500 years ago? Michelangelo said things at that time that can easily be adapted to today’s chaotic business environment. Note how relevant his words are … even though they were spoken more than a half century ago. That’s true of so many great minds over the years. There’s a reason these words of wisdom have lasted so long. They ring true because they have proven to be so ― time and time again Michelangelo was obviously a visionary as so many people of his time labeled him. I believe he would easily fit into our society today with very few problems. The question is: Would he want to?

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Untold Treasures Await Us. Stop and Smell the Roses.

As I’ve mentioned many times, I take great pleasure in the fact that I strive to learn at least one new thing every single day. However, ironically enough, I learn daily about the vast amount of knowledge I have yet to learn. It’s exciting and challenging, yet sometimes frustrating. I value the experience and opportunity more every day.

Upon completion of my “Tennis Shoes & Blue Jeans” creativity seminar among the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, I shared a great early dinner followed by a very unexpected but pleasant surprise. I was treated to a personally guided tour of several historic landmarks by a few very well-informed local residents.

I returned to Mount Rushmore to discover that it had changed drastically since my last visit well over a decade before. In fact, a $52-million investment has totally transformed this national treasure. Attractive new roads leading to the monument set the stage for what awaits the 2 million visitors who arrive annually. A futuristic visitor center, museum, enormous gift shop filled with a vast conglomeration of treasures, two 125-seat amphitheaters, the Grandview Terrace, the Presidential walking trail and boardwalk, the sculptor’s studio and the beautiful Ponderosa pine forests left me with memories I won’t soon forget. When the lights came on at dusk, I found myself speechless. They were so lifelike I almost expected George, Tom, Teddy and Abe to start harmonizing from their lofty perch.

I remember learning about Mt. Rushmore in school, but listening to locals share their knowledge with such deep pride and true respect certainly overshadowed book learning by far. I was fascinated to learn:

  • Why Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor, chose Washington (Father of our Country), Jefferson (Declaration of Independence), Roosevelt (The New Deal) and Lincoln (abolishing slavery) as the subjects of his colossal carvings.
  • That well over 400 workers assisted Borglum as he created each of the 60-ft. images.
  • The entire memorial covers 1,278 acres and is 5,725 feet above sea level.
  • The carving started in 1927 and ended in 1941 — 14 years!
  • How the name “Rushmore” evolved. I was surprised to learn the mountain was named after a New York City attorney. Charles E. Rushmore was sent out to this area in 1884 to check legal titles on properties. On his way back to town he inquired as to the name of the mountain. He was told by a local authority that “the mountain never had a name, but from now on we’ll call it Rushmore.” I certainly never read about that in school!
  • That the heads were originally created in a different order than we see them today. Jefferson was initially positioned where we now see Washington on the far left. Borglum wasn’t satisfied with the “look” so had the entire face dynamited away. He started again placing Washington in the first position.

After my congenial guides tore me away from this breathtaking experience, we traveled about 12 miles down the highway to visit the Crazy Horse Memorial, home of the world’s largest mountain sculpture in progress. I thought Rushmore was enormous and it was. I’m not certain how to describe the enormity of this monument, which came into view long before we entered the compound. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began the project in 1948 at the request of Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear and other Native American elders. Korczak died in 1982. His wife, Ruth, and some members of their family continue the project, working with the nonprofit Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation.

This mountain monument, named after the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) warrior Crazy Horse, appears in the form of the head and torso of the famed warrior riding a horse and pointing into the distance. The monument has been in progress for almost 60 years and is still far from completion. I found it intriguing that this project will not be completed in my lifetime! When it is finished, it will be the world’s largest sculpture!

In the foreground is a 1:34 scale model denoting the appearance of the finished product. The actual partly-carved sculpture is seen in the back ground.

The memorial’s visitor complex includes a 40,000 sq. ft. welcome center and theaters, the Indian Museum of North America, the Native America Education & Cultural Center, the sculptor’s log home studio and workshop, indoor and outdoor galleries, museum gift shop, restaurant and snack bar areas and an expansive viewing veranda.

The memorial will be the icon of a huge educational and cultural center, which will include the University and Medical Training Center for the North American Indian and the Indian Museum of North America. Visualize an entire university campus at the base of this Thunderhead Mountain monument.

Interestingly though is the fact that this massive project is very controversial within the Native American community because many feel that the whole idea of making a beautiful wild mountain into a statue of a single warrior is a pollution of the landscape. Some say it is against the very spirit of Crazy Horse.

After leaving this second awe-inspiring spectacle, we visited several other local tourist attractions, which I found very appealing. I’ll spare you those details as my point here is not to attract tourists to the Black Hills but to share my revelation that there are so many untold treasures awaiting our discovery if and when we’ll simply put forth the effort to recognize their existence.

If you ever get the opportunity to visit South Dakota, you’ll want to make certain to visit the Rapid City – Keystone – Custer area to take in the variety of picturesque tourist attractions. You’ll find them both educational and entertaining. Oh, by the way, bring plenty of cameras, film, children, grandchildren and friends. Hopefully, you’ll bump into a few local residents who will share their history, tradition and pride, which will make your visit as memorable and truly unique as mine.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Sudden Focus on Organizational Creativity: Seniors Dance Out of the Box!

While our creativity program is frequently requested by clients from coast to coast, we’ve experienced a sudden increase in those requests over the past few months. In fact, I’m heading to South Dakota next week to present “Blue Jeans and Tennis Shoes: Using Out-of-the-Box Thinking” for a two-state audience at a four-day conference. Like so many other clients, this organization is facing many challenges which demand a greater level of creativity from everyone involved … rapidly increasing global competition, increasing customer demand for more high-quality products and services, mergers and acquisitions, and more rapid response while working within an already tight budget!

All of these demands must be met while, at the same time, we must place a much-needed focus on teaching our staff HOW to be more creative. Chances are good that few of them have previously received any training in this area. In fact, the average business executive has spent between 1,000 and 10,000 hours formally learning economics, history, languages, literature, mathematics, and political science. That same executive has invested fewer than 10 hours learning about creative thinking. Those stats are provided by Tony Buzan, author of Use Both Sides of Your Brain. I’ve had a great number of executives tell me that they can honestly say they haven’t spent anywhere near a full 10 hours learning how to be more creative. If this is true, who will train their staff in this much-needed area?

This sudden interest in creativity across industries isn’t a result of a growing desire for continuous education. Simply put, the increased focus on this area has emerged due to an escalating level of global competition, a very challenging economy, more demanding customers, and the nation’s exceedingly short attention span.

Here’s a prime example … Visualize East Rutherford, New Jersey. You must agree it’s not Broadway and certainly not Hollywood. However, it is the home of the NBA’s New Jersey Nets who play basketball in the state-of-the-art Continental Airlines Arena in the Meadowlands Sports Complex.

It’s a safe assumption on my part that you probably don’t follow the seasonal ventures of the Nets. They’ve got a star player who simply isn’t playing up to par, another that’s injured, they’re in a weak Division, and they’ve lost a few more games than they’ve won thus far this season. In short, it hasn’t been a great year!

Maybe that’s why they’re putting forth an effort to be more creative. In the spirit of high school and college cheerleaders, professional teams have always felt they needed to “step it up” a little in that area, probably based on their ever-rising ticket prices. Therefore, most NBA teams have created “dance teams” … a somewhat tame description for a squad of very sexy, scantily-clad, young women who perform routines better suited for the local strip club.

Now we see a new, very unique, trend emerging throughout the NBA. Several teams, seven in all thus far, have jumped on this rapid-transit bandwagon, but let’s focus, for the moment, on those N.J. Nets who have some pretty tough hurdles to get over.

They still provide a young, sexy dance team, but they continue to add to their three-ring circus of entertainment by providing fireworks, flag teams, mascots and even gymnasts to keep the audience focused on “fun.” And now, picture this.

It’s half-time, and the only sound is crowd noise. Suddenly, the throbbing drum beat of “At The Hop” is heard, growing louder with each beat. Out of the crowd emerge 13 gyrating geriatrics, ranging in age from 60 to 84, hand-slapping and high-fiving their way to center court. These are the NETSational Seniors, a geriatric dance team, determined to stun the fans with their spirited renditions of various musical pieces created to energize and entertain fans of all ages.

Fans appear stunned as one of the dancers strips off her bright-red rain slicker during the troupe’s “Singing in the Rain” number. Seconds later she slides into a bump-and-grind hip-hop routine, and the crowd’s smiles turn into grins, which turn to laughter, which turn to shouts, followed by fans rising to their feet in applause!

This is obviously a win-win situation. The fans get a dose of out-of-the-box entertainment, and the swingin’ seniors get to prove they’re far from over-the-hill just yet. Their crowd-pleasing appearance certainly reveals that they’ve worked hard on their routines, take pride in their performance, and are enjoying themselves beyond belief! They’re paid a small honorarium and game tickets for their efforts, but I have a strange feeling that they’d do it for nothing!

This craze began with the Miami Heat three seasons ago in reaction to the trend of “hefty guy dance troups” instituted by teams such as the Dallas Mavericks and the Detroit Pistons. Miami’s “Golden Oldies” were followed by other teams such as the Chicago Bulls’s “Swingin’ Seniors” and the Orlando Magic’s “Silver Stars.” The latest addition appeared in the form of the Seniorgee! Dance Team supporting the Milwaukee Bucks just a few weeks ago.

Several of the teams are updating their routines to include current moves as well as the old favorites. Fans questioned this direction at first but have since accepted it, enjoyed it and actually learned to love it as demonstrated by standing ovations all over the country. Fans at one game included actor Jamie Foxx, who actually came out of the stands to congratulate the group.

This is just one example of the creativity envelope being pushed beyond all boundaries. Keep your eyes open and let us know of other examples you find in your travels.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Jet Black and Blue!

Yes, they took it on the chin. They’ve been hammered, mocked, criticized, and crucified. They’ve been brought to their knees and kicked while they were down. It’s been almost a week of relentless abuse from every aspect of our U.S. media community. Comedians have had a heyday dissecting JetBlue’s “Valentine’s Day Massacre.” And you know what … they deserved every bit of it.

Bloopers, blunders, poor choices, bad decisions, no decisions. You name it — they did it. It was almost as though everyone at JetBlue demonstrated a synchronized effort to do everything wrong. If so, they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams!

Having been grounded myself in that same crippling storm, I can “feel the pain” and frustration of those 130,000 passengers who were stranded over the past week due to the cancellation of 250 flights. In a previous article, I joined the chorus of dissent regarding this escapade that is destined to live on for years to come. However, the point of my observation was to share my shock in discovering that this nightmare happened to JetBlue.

Until the “Heart Day” disaster, this young, aggressive airline was a highly respected, well-oiled operation that was constantly hailed for their customer focus and concern, cutting-edge technology, quality of service, and low prices. The bottom line of my article was to urge our readers to be proactive in their efforts to make certain that a similar situation doesn’t happen to them. If something this disastrous can happen to an industry leader such as JetBlue — an organization doing so many things right — it can happen to any company.

In that previous article, I noted many of the accomplishments that have led to the tremendous success of this highly respected airline — again emphasizing this chaos can strike even the best organizations at the most inopportune time. After what I have witnessed the past 24 hours, I think it’s time to add to that list!

I’ve always been a firm believer in the fact that it doesn’t matter what happens to you in life — it’s how you react to it that counts. Well, I have witnessed with great respect and admiration a very vivid example of true leadership during the past few days. Again, let’s agree … JetBlue’s team, at every level, experienced an operational meltdown, which affected more than 130,000 of their loyal customers. This fact can’t be argued. It happened.

I’m amazed at the fact that I have not seen the following things:

  1. Justification by leadership at shortcomings due to terrible weather conditions.
  2. Denial of responsibility due to the fact that conditions were beyond the control of JetBlue personnel.
  3. Excuses for a single mistake of judgment, poor decision, or lack of action.
  4. Refusal to deal with the many obvious consequences resulting from this experience.

I mention these behaviors because we have come to expect the above actions from the leadership of so many organizations which have failed miserably in so many different ways and been exposed in the glaring light of publicity. Look back over the past few years and reflect on what happened with such noted organizations as Enron, Arthur Anderson, WorldCom, HealthSouth, Tyco, Imclone, Adelphia, and so many more giants that invoked justification and denial.

This past week I’ve closely monitored the response strategy of JetBlue in light of the beating they’ve suffered since their unpleasant adversity. I’m not in the least bit surprised that their response has been immediate, honest, straight-forward, and reflective of the culture we’ve all admired since they entered the industry seven years ago. In less than a week since the anguish occurred, JetBlue responded as follows:

  1. They took full responsibility for everything that happened.
  2. They publicly apologized, expressing shock, mortification, and great disappointment.
  3. CEO David Neeleman created a public relations offensive, which included television interviews on all networks, a conference call with journalists, and a damage-control appearance on the David Lettermen Show the night after the popular host dedicated the majority of his opening monolog to roasting JetBlue for millions of his viewers. In each of these appearances, Neeleman accepted the blame for meltdown, pointed out that the airline has definitely learned a great deal from the experience, and had no plans to replace any members of their management team. He said: “This has been a big wake-up call for JetBlue.”
  4. The CEO then vowed to make immediate changes to prevent a repeat of what happened and followed that with a straightforward promise to the world that it will never happen again!
  5. To demonstrate their dedication to that promise, Neelemen revealed a “Passenger’s Bill of Rights” … something Congress has promised but failed to achieve after years of empty rhetoric. JetBlue did this within a week. The document addresses a monetary voucher program covering any and all future delays. You’re going to be seeing the details appear in most all magazines and newspapers in the coming weeks.
  6. JetBlue made their “Bill of Rights” retroactive to cover everyone affected by the Valentine’s Day misfortune. This action will cost JetBlue in excess of $30 million dollars!

Two very obvious thoughts emerge after witnessing the above actions:

First: What more could you possibly have asked JetBlue to do after what happened?

Second: When was the last time you saw any organization and/or individual
duplicate these efforts after their obvious misdeeds? Look back over the major organizations mentioned above that dominated headlines for months and even years. Did they publicly accept blame, take full responsibility, publicly apologize, offer immediate compensation to those affected, and create a strategy to avoid future recurrences? Nuf said.

It’s time for us to respond in kind. Accept what has happened. It can’t be changed at this point. Accept the very unusual admission of guilt, apology, and promise for immediate action. We must now stand back and offer JetBlue the opportunity to keep their promises. We must also hold them accountable with promises of severe consequences should they fail to keep their word. However, you might also throw some admiration and recognition their way for responding to an unfortunate fiasco in a very unique and refreshing way — like no one has done in the past. Good luck to JetBlue and their loyal staff as they embark on their journey to regain their credibility and lofty status in an industry which defies such attempts.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Did the Media Miss a Leadership Message in the Super Bowl?

Prior to sharing some personal feelings about this year’s annual pigskin extravaganza, I want to request that you not jump to conclusions upon reading my remarks. Keep in mind that you lack the benefit of viewing my facial expression, hearing my tone of voice, or noting my body language as you read. You have only my words to use in forming your response to my comments.

For me, this year’s Super Bowl was one of the most notable in a good number of years. However, it had little to do with the game itself.

I’d like to share a few observations on the media coverage of both coaches of this year’s classic. Much was said by many concerning the fact that these two coaches, Tony Dungy of the Colts and Lovie Smith of the Bears, were the first black coaches to achieve this enviable status level. The fact that we observed two coaches actualize this ultimate goal in the same season garnered even more publicity world wide.

Personally, I couldn’t be happier for both gentlemen. They, and all other African Americans, should indeed be elated at this accomplishment and all of the glory it so richly deserves.

However, I wonder if we’re missing a very vital lesson here. Neither coach achieved championship status because they were African Americans.

They certainly didn’t earn the respect of their players, fans, or the world’s media based on their race.

Their obvious mutual respect was hard-earned and long in the making.

Personally, I was tremendously impressed by the leadership skills, integrity, and pure unmitigated CLASS I saw demonstrated by both men.

They spoke with great respect for one another’s achievements, beliefs and values. They spoke highly of each other’s teams.

They weren’t criticized by a single member of the radio, television, or print media after both gridiron generals gave conspicuous thanks to their “God” for their many blessings and achievements. Ordinarily, the media wolves would have devoured both men in the public square at the break of dawn for making such obvious politically incorrect statements. Yet, not a word from anyone. That was so very telling of the respect both men have earned from old friends and new fans alike.

After the game ended, many players spoke nothing but respectful words about the performance and leadership of both Tony and Lovie.

I heard one commentator point out the fact that both coaches never raised their voices during practice sessions or in actual game situations. Neither needed to do so. They always have the full respect and attention of their teams.

I couldn’t help but notice that they appeared together in several public service announcements during the day supporting such organizations as Big Brothers and Big Sisters to name just a few.

They were a class act from start to finish on this special day and one can only assume that both conduct themselves exactly like that every day.

Like any championship event, one of those proud and accomplished warriors was destined to walk off that field at the end of the game deemed as a “loser” while the other was carried off on the shoulders of his team being hailed as the “winner.” That’s the nature of the game. Always has been and always will be.

However, in the eyes and hearts of millions of world-wide fans on this particularly unique Super Bowl Sunday, I think Tony and Lovie both left that field of battle as WINNERS … having earned the highest respect of anyone who loves the game of football.

They were both great leaders in front of the entire world during this game, which provided them both with memories they will never forget.

They certainly served as excellent examples for not only the many young people who so dearly need such role models today but for potential and existing leaders in every field of endeavor all around the globe.

The final outcome of the game — exciting but secondary. The greater reward for fans, of course, was the privilege of witnessing a historic game, which will be discussed for years to come.

Both gentlemen entered an “unofficial” Hall of Fame after spending an entire evening demonstrating great leadership on the field of battle. If only we could boast such leadership role models on the world’s stage of business and politics today! We might all sleep a little better every night.

Good guys can and do finish first. Don’t mistake soft-spoken leaders for post-season push-overs. Both have spent a grueling season proving they can compete with the best, overcome adversity, rise above criticism, and endure brilliantly to become Division Champions and move on to compete in the most prestigious competition in the game.

For those who are tempted to say, “Yeah, they’re both nice guys, but … ” remember they made it to the Super Bowl! Maybe this year’s game should be renamed “The Good Guys Bowl.”

Congratulations, deep appreciation, and continued success to both Tony and Lovie … they certainly made this particular Bowl Day a SUPER one for me, and I’m sure we’re going to see much more of both of them! I think I’ll always remember this particular game as the “Leadership Bowl”!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Exceptional Customer Service Again Threatened

I recently read a very interesting, although somewhat alarming, article revealing the top 10 U.S. jobs that are rapidly disappearing before our very eyes. Obvious explanations are stated, and there are several for each occupation.

As you might expect, technology has played an intricate part in eradicating jobs that many of us might have expected to remain status quo for decades to come. Outsourcing and off shoring have already negatively impacted a variety of industries, and repercussions are predicted to target a growing number of U.S. jobs.

These influences, of course, are all very significant issues that must be taken very seriously by employers in every enterprise today as we face a very competitive global marketplace. However, as I reviewed the Top 10 jobs that are threatened more and more every day, another major issue became very apparent. Take a closer look at numbers one and four.

Here are 10 jobs that are shrinking fast:

  1. Cashiers
    Cost-effective self-check-out lanes are becoming very much the norm today from coast to coast. This new concept requires one employee to oversee as many as 8 to 10 check-out areas. It won’t be long before you won’t even have to remove your merchandise from the cart.
  2. Couriers and Messengers
    There are faster ways to send messages these days … e-mail and fax. In addition, some legal and financial documents are now signed online and sent electronically.
  3. Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers and Weighers
    According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), companies are increasingly using automated inspection equipment.
  4. Customer Service Representatives
    Instant messaging software, automated response systems, automated voice-mail systems, or web site FAQ pages are already being used extensively, and the OOH is predicting great strides in the technological impact we can expect in these areas in the near future.
  5. Book Binders
    Much of this work is currently being outsourced to inexpensive overseas labor. In addition, the OOH is predicting much less demand for printed material and an increasing reliance on digital publications.
  6. Film Processors
    Look what digital cameras have done to professional photographers. Today, many people have digital cameras or camera phones that use electronic memory to store images. If you have a computer and printer, you can download, retouch and print out your own photos.
  7. Fishers and Fishing Vessel Operators
    Not only is this a very dangerous job that keeps fishermen away from their homes for long periods of time, but weather conditions are also becoming very unpredictable. Decreasing supplies of fish stock plus the rapidly growing advent of “fish farms” is creating an adverse effect on the retention of fishermen.
  8. Electronic Home Entertainment Equipment Installers and Repairers
    It seems that almost every year advances in technology are driving prices lower while making these products more and more reliable. Many consumers today find it cheaper and less of a hassle to replace a product than to have it repaired.
  9. Procurement Clerks
    Warehouses, transportation vehicles, and retail stores today are equipped with technology that tracks merchandise en route to its final destination, keeps track of how long it’s on the shelf, and automatically reorders more merchandise as the products pass through the cash register.
  10. Power Plant Operators
    Again, technology steps in with automatic controls and computerized equipment. We’re even importing energy from other areas in many cases.

As we review jobs one and four think about this question. How will removing cashiers as well as customer service representatives from the workforce impact an already decreasing level of customer service in this country? While technology and automation can add speed, increase reliability, and reduce cost for the business involved, how will that impact the frustrated customer who already feels that no one really cares anymore?

As businesses save dollars by modernizing, they might consider investing some of that savings in finding a way to nurture those dispirited patrons who are ready to take their loyalty elsewhere. While these new strategies may prove very advantageous for some business owners, they could very easily become disastrous for others.

Many organizations practice the philosophy of eliminating employee training when times get tough, the economy is bad, competition increases, or belt tightening is required. Maybe these situations could be more successfully dealt with if employee training was increased and customer satisfaction and loyalty became the FOCUS of the organization. Profitable, growing organizations seem to utilize that strategy quite well. It’s amazing that those who are struggling never seem to recognize that reality.

Fear not, the above jobs will probably never disappear totally. It seems as though every time one job disappears, another is created. Those who used to make buggy whips moved on to produce the automobile. And you can count on the fact that there will always be a part of the population that doesn’t conform to the latest technology. However, as demand for some of these jobs decrease and we choose to have less and less “human contact,” we best not lose sight of the customer who is so greatly impacted by such choices. Continuing to provide unparalleled customer service and satisfaction could very well become a decisive factor in the success of your business. This is especially true in the case where your competition has chosen to sacrifice this strategy to save a few dollars.

Outsource, offshore, modernize, automate, downsize, right size, strategize, or worship at the throne of technology, but never forget that your customers will determine your ultimate success or failure. There have been many who have disagreed with that notion … but they’re no longer with us.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Don’t Get Baby Boomed out of Business!

There’s an epidemic on the horizon.

It’s coming as certainly as tomorrow is.

It will be the demise of many businesses that currently flourish.

Leaders from coast to coast know it’s coming and how devastating it will be.

They refuse to acknowledge the danger. They refuse to prepare for its assault.

They will pay the price. They will inevitably become victims.

If all of the above is known by so many, why are so many doing so little to prepare for what we know will occur? Whew! Come up with an answer for that one, and your financial future is indeed secure!

Here’s the bottom line: 82 million Americans, known fondly as “Baby Boomers,” were born between 1946 and 1964. One-fifth of our American workforce will be reaching retirement age by 2020, meaning that 25 million people are currently poised to leave the workforce.

The Baby Boomers have always been on the cutting edge of cultural trends, and they all seem to revolve around the letter “R” … recreation, radicalism, racism, rock ‘n’ roll, rebellion, road rage, religion, reality, relaxation, Rogaine, and real estate. There are more, but the Big R has yet to rear its ugly head … retirement! When it does, and it won’t be long now, it’s going to have a tremendous impact on corporate America!

There will be a mass exodus that will catch most leaders flat footed. They will claim ignorance stating that they were caught unaware—had no clue it was coming. There will be a extraordinary shortage of workers to fill jobs. In addition, and maybe most frightening, there will be a “brain drain” that corporate America will feel for decades.

In our travels from coast to coast, we have noticed the very obvious fact that those involved with this phenomenon, which is just about everyone in today’s business environment, are rapidly falling into one of two very distinct categories:

  1. Those who are unprepared and destined, as a result, to fail to varying degrees. Some in this category will lose market share, be forced to downsize, reduce production, close facilities, and, in many instances, simply vanish. It’s that simple.
  2. Those who have analyzed the demographic evidence, heard the message, believed it, and are proactively preparing for the inevitable reality that we know will come sooner than later.

Let’s focus on the potential survivors and review some of the proactive strategies they’ve chosen in preparation for the oncoming erosion of talent and probable skills drain. In no particular order:

  • Entice older workers to stay on the job past retirement age by embracing partial retirement, telecommuting, and job sharing arrangement. Hang on to these valuable assets until you get enough people coming in behind them that are not only trained but proficient.
  • Utilize your “veterans” as mentors in one-on-one training situations or as team leaders to groups of younger workers. Allow them to share their decades of education, experience, failures and successes, networking benefits, and on-the-job enlightenment. Let them share their personal insights on customers, vendors, culture, products, services, policies, procedures, strategies, and everything it took them decades to accumulate. Reducing the learning curve could be invaluable.
  • Start training younger employees more thoroughly than ever before. Start sharing more information at every level of the organization. The more an employee knows about the business, culture, history, strategy, products, services, future goals, etc., the more that person feels like a true team member who has a stake in the future success of the organization.
  • Set realistic expectations for everyone, hold every member of the organization accountable, and provide consequences (both positive and negative) that will encourage success and growth.
  • Determine what mechanisms and programs must be put in place now to capture key competencies and critical work knowledge of employees who will be retiring. Realize the fact that you’re facing a skills crisis versus a simple loss of bodies.
  • Fill the pipeline behind retiring experts with workers who have the education and skills to master increasingly complex manufacturing technologies and processes.
  • Keep an open mind and investigate the possibility of outsourcing. While you may be totally against the entire concept today, you may discover it to be your salvation tomorrow. Do some research, consider alternatives, weigh the pros and cons, and do it today by choice rather than tomorrow by necessity.
  • Build your Bench. Many of our clients have created a program and/or strategy to start preparing existing employees, who have been identified with leadership potential, for crucial roles in future endeavors. This strategy has numerous benefits to everyone involved. If you’d like more information on this approach, please feel free to contact us through our website.
  • Start researching options TODAY. There are numerous resources available to anyone willing to begin preparation for what will be one of the greatest challenges any business will face in the future.

There are many who compare this threat to Y2K and feel there’s nothing to worry about. However, unlike Y2K, which vanished from the national consciousness at the stroke of midnight, Baby Boomer Brain Drain has already begun in many industries and will continue to impact organizations for decades to come. Has anyone considered the fact that Y2K was not a major disaster because we identified possible tragedies in advance, created strategies to prepare for the possible pitfalls, and took proactive ACTION to protect our assets?

This challenge is not limited to a certain industry. It will impact any business that depends on employees to succeed. Those who aren’t on top of this critical issue are taking a tremendous risk. Employers who wait too long may very well run out of time and options. Can you risk it? If not, take action now!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Good Customer Service = Customer Retention = Great Profits!

This article is a prime example of what we can gain from utilizing the “Three L’s” (Look-Listen-Learn) if we simply maintain an open mind and an intense focus on facts.

J.D. Power and Associates recently released the 2006 “Top Loyalty Ratings” for the Automotive Industry. (NOTE: Check our Resources page for a detailed description of this respected reference.)

This list reflects the top ten automotive manufacturers that are doing the best job at retaining customers. Please note that of the top ten car models listed, only three are American made, and those three are ranked 6th, 7th, and 9th!

Top Loyalty Ratings
1. Toyota – 63.9%
2. Lexus – 63.2%
3. Honda – 60.3%
4. BMW – 56.5%
5. Scion – 56.3%
6. Cadillac – 55.5%
7. Chevrolet – 55.3%
8. Mercedes-Benz – 53.6%
9. Ford – 53.3%
10. Hyundai – 51.6%

This is so important in today’s very competitive global marketplace. It’s been proven time and time again that customer satisfaction has a great deal to do with customer retention. It’s long been said that it’s much easier and less expensive to maintain your current customers than it is to attract new customers from your competition. No wonder, then, that Toyota, which makes more profit than any other automaker, tops J.D. Power’s Customer Retention Study.

Although this study reflects conditions in the auto industry, you’ll find very similar results in most other industries as well. A strong customer service focus leads to much greater customer retention which, in turn, reduces cost and increases profits. Bottom line—SUCCE$$. Again the age-old, time-tested refrain of “This isn’t rocket science!” comes to mind.

Here’s the real “brain-buster.” If the above formula is continually proven to be true across industries, why are customer service levels at an all-time low? Why is there less customer service training taking place at a time when it is needed more than ever before? Why is this type of training one of the first things to be cut from a shrinking budget when it should be the last? Answer these questions, share your answers with me, and we’ll co-author a best-seller that will lead us both to a national book tour and an early retirement!

Ramblings of a mad man—yes and no. “Mad” as in insane—I think not. In fact, anything but! “Mad” as in “fed up,” “angry,” “enraged,” “furious,” “irate,” “incensed,” and “not going to take it any more”?—yeah, pretty much—along with millions of other customers who have been ignored, abused, disrespected, insulted, and led to believe we are of inconsequential value and really contribute little or nothing to the success and/or longevity of the business.

Think back over the past month as we approached the busy holiday season. Think about your visit to a retail store, restaurant, theater, hotel, airport, hospital, insurance office or anywhere you may have spent your hard-earned income. Reviewing all of your experiences, what percent would you consider “excellent” service? What percent would you consider to be “average” and what percent would you deem “unacceptable”?  It’s a pretty safe bet that your experience reflects that of the rest of the nation.

While it’s pretty effortless to take shots as those we just reviewed, I would challenge you to openly and honestly “re-frame” your thinking and answer the following question. If I were to call or visit your place of business and be asked to rate the level of service I received, what kind of results do you think would surface?

Try it—and be brutally honest. Then ask your peers to do the same. Then your leadership team. Then a few of your customers. The results should instinctively lead to some immediate discussion producing a game plan for doing more of what you’re doing well,  eliminating what you’re doing wrong, and/or adding what’s needed. Do nothing, and you’ll discover how simplistic it is to accurately predict the future of your organization.

Remember the formula?
GOOD SERVICE = CUSTOMER RETENTION = GREAT PROFITS = SUCCE$$!

Apply the “Three L’s” (Look-Listen-Learn). Review it, discuss it, benchmark those who do and do not model it, apply it, repeat it, celebrate it, live it, and reap the benefits!  Ignore it … and pay the price!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

Inspirational Stories for Today’s Youth

Most “Baby Boomers” are familiar with Horatio Alger’s stories of people who have overcome insurmountable obstacles to achieve success in many areas of life. However, generations to follow have become less and less acquainted with this tremendous source of motivation and inspiration. Over several decades, I’ve collected a number of these stories to pass on to my grandchildren. I often revisit the collection when I, myself, am facing a challenge or simply having a bad day. They often humble me very quickly, forcing me to count the blessings I currently possess and “reframe” my outlook on current situations.

I think today’s youth would benefit greatly from exposure to these inspirational anecdotes. On our web site, you’ll find seven installments offering 40 diverse narratives I think you’ll find enlightening, educational, and inspirational. Some focus on individuals (JFK, Elvis, Walt Disney, Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, Beethoven, Edgar Allen Poe, Katie Couric, the Beatles, Jay Leno, Helen Keller, and many more) while others highlight organizations (Kinko’s, the Gap, FedEx, Home Depot, Xerox, and Chicken Soup for the Soul). Based on reader response, we’ll definitely be adding to this series of essays on a regular basis. Look them over and then be sure to share them with others who will benefit from reflecting on our rich heritage.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.