Author Archives: Harry K. Jones

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.

Lessons from Professor History!

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While our grade school, middle school, high school and college education is so rewarding and critically important to our growth, development and, ultimately, our success in life, it’s also crucial that we recognize the many crucial lessons to be gleaned from history.

Unfortunately, few of us find the time to do this and suffer greatly as a result. However, by the time we do reach a point in our lives where we can pause and reflect on those many priceless lessons which history contributes to us, it’s often too late.

For instance, in 1923, who was …

  1. president of the largest steel company?
  2. president of the largest gas company?
  3. president of the New York Stock Exchange?
  4. the greatest wheat speculator?
  5. president of the Bank of International Settlement?
  6. the Great Bear of Wall Street?

These men were considered some of the world’s most successful of their days.

Now, 87 years later, history tells us what ultimately became of them.

The answers:

  1. The president of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a pauper.
  2. The president of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, went insane.
  3. The president of the NYSE, Richard Whitney, was released from prison to die at home.
  4. The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad, penniless.
  5. The president of the Bank of International Settlement, shot himself.
  6. The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Livermore, also committed suicide.

However, in that same year, 1923, the PGA Champion and the winner of the most important golf tournament, the US Open, was Gene Sarazen.

So, what became of him?

He played golf until he was 92 and died in 1999 at the ripe old age of 95! He was very financially secure at the time of his death.

The moral here:

While work can be rewarding, refreshing, productive and profitable, it need not be all consuming and, in the end, isn’t as rewarding as the obvious benefits provided by achieving true balance in your life. Sadly, far too many of us don’t realize this until it’s too late. Many never realize it at all. Take a hint from this very popular hit song. I wish I had heard it … really listened to the words … years before I actually did!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s5r2spPJ8g

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.

Would You Gamble on a Pop-Tart?

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When it comes to thinking out of the box, many struggle with simply letting their imagination run free. Ironically, the flexibility to do just that is often times critical to your success.

Visualize the chaos of New York City’s Times Square and the obviously intense competition of one of the largest cities in the world. If you were given the opportunity to open any kind of establishment amidst that treasured real estate, what would it be? What service or product do you think might attract the attention of the millions of people who traffic that famous few blocks of real estate? You might be surprised.

Two week ago, Kellogg’s “Pop-Tarts World” Mega-Store opened, joining M&Ms and Hershey as yet another sugary tourist attraction in Times Square. Located on 42nd Street between 6th and Broadway, the store will include a cafe selling—you guessed it—Pop-Tarts. Promoters have promised a few surprises for those who struggle to visualize 3,000 square feet dedicated to toaster pastries. Among them is “Pop-Tarts sushi,” which is minced Pop-Tarts wrapped in a fruit roll-up. The cafe will serve 30 different snacks and desserts, allowing visitors to design their own Pop-Tarts by adding frosting, toppings, and drizzle.

Customers will be able to eat Pop-Tart sushi, order a customized pastry, create a custom box filled with a mix of their favorite flavors or chose a Pop-Tart T-shirt from a collection of colorful designs.

In fact, just about the only attraction at Pop-Tarts World which won’t put five pounds on you is an hourly light show. Makes sense doesn’t—I know I personally never feast on a Pop-Tart without the ambiance of a light show! The intent is for visitors to feel like they’re being “frosted” by red and white light, then “sprinkled” by brief pulses of multicolored lights, and then “wrapped in foil” by one last bright light.

Pop-Tarts, two layers of pastry with sweet filling, has been a Kellogg mainstay for nearly 50 years; about two billion sell each year. However, as unbelievable as this may sound, it wasn’t until the recent rise of social media that Kellogg grasped the dedication of Pop-Tart fans. The Pop-Tart’s Facebook page is one of the social network’s 20 most popular!

Bottom line—never rule out any possibility! Monitor current trends, remain flexible, and be willing to risk the radical expansion of your comfort zone. Oh, and start your day with a Pop-Tart!

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.

Who’s Teaching Who?

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A friend of mine from Miami, Dennisse Lisseth, was gracious enough to share a wonderful story with me recently, and I’d like to pass it on to you. It’s short but so relevant to generational differences, the wisdom of youth, and the importance of relationships in today’s challenging environment.

Take a moment to read it, appreciate the message, and pass it on to someone else as we could all use a smile today.

A small boy and girl were building a sand castle on the beach. They spent hours building towers, walls, and a moat. As they were building, the tide crept slowly in. Suddenly, a big wave wiped it all away.

An adult nearby felt sorry for them because of all the work they had put into building the castle, until the two children held hands and ran off together, laughing as they scampered down the beach.

It was then that the adult realized a simple truth: it is fun building empires, but the lasting fun is in having friends you can continue to laugh with and be with long after all that you have spent your life building has washed away.

Relationships are the key to making almost anything happen. They are the foundation to the quality of our lives and to the results we get.

Excerpted from If How-To’s Were Enough We Would All Be SKINNY, RICH & HAPPY by Brian Klemmer.

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.

Creativity Keeps on Truckin’

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Our creativity keynote presentation for “Get Back in the Box!” is one of our most requested programs in these challenging times of constant change.

The same can be said for our full- and half-day seminars for “Creative Innovation – Out-of the-Box Thinking.”

I’m continually amazed by the limited thinking of many who attend both programs. When asked, most people reply that they are NOT creative. I’m never certain whether this response is a result of shyness, humbleness, ignorance or denial. Everyone has a degree of creativity whether they realize it or not.

I’ve also had a number of people state that creativity may work well if you work for Disney, Google or Hallmark Cards, but they simply can’t see a place for it where they work. How do you show creativity in a dentist’s office, lumber yard or post office? This attitude is nothing more than a lack of vision, desire and application. I’ve seen many examples of creative ideas enhancing advertising, marketing, customer service and design in organizations many would consider lacking in opportunity for innovative thinking.

Applied creativity can enhance any situation. For instance, during a recent routine trek to the airport, I found myself approaching a semi-truck. As I neared the rear of this over-sized behemoth, I couldn’t help but notice a large, colorful message painted on the rear door of the semi-trailer. It stated simply:

Our Most Valuable resource sits 63 feet ahead!

I couldn’t help but admire this unique use of something as simplistic as a door on the rear of a semi-truck. Think about it:

  • There are more than ten million semi-trucks on U.S. roads today!
  • There is always someone driving behind every one of those trucks that will have no alternative but to read any message appearing on that rear door!
  • Consider the number of cars in a single day that will be a captive audience to that rolling billboard and its communication.
  • Consider as well the enormous potential of the millions of trucks which offer little or no message in this valuable space.
  • Also consider the many possible messages conveyed by those 8 powerful words:
    • This company obviously appreciates its employees.
    • Therefore, it probably values and appreciates its customers as well.
    • The driver is probably better trained and more aware of his/her driving as he/she strives to live up to this message.
    • If this company is creative in this way, it is probably creative in other ways as well.
    • And the list goes on.

It required very little time and minimal cost to place that message on the rear of a truck that is now promoting that company from coast to coast 24/7, whether rolling down the highway or parked in a truck stop while the driver grabs a bite to eat!

Think about it! This company is headquartered in Nebraska. I saw the message in Michigan and shared it with a large conference audience in Missouri the very next day! That’s pretty impressive ROI!

How many other drivers may have done something similar?

I wonder how many other trucks are spreading that message every day on behalf of this very creative company?

Why not sit down with your staff and brainstorm how creativity and innovation could possibly benefit your organization in ways that have never been considered? Thirty minutes of creative brainstorming could provide a lifetime of valuable benefits!

To prove my point and solidify this message … The name of that creative company is Shaffer Trucking of Lincoln, Nebraska, and you can learn more about them at CreteCarrier.com.

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.

Laugh Your Way to Good Health

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In my previous article, I discussed the many tangible benefits of hugging … of which there are many. Today, I want to take a look at another area which has not been taken seriously in terms of health benefits. Laughing! Yes, laughing.

Believe it or not, your entire body benefits from a good chuckle. There’s been a good many studies conducted by universities, hospitals, and independent researchers world wide on this subject.

Here are some of the statistics revealed from these studies. When you laugh …

  • Your heart beats faster and your blood pressure rises temporarily.
  • Your heart and lungs are stimulated.
  • You breathe deeper and oxygenate more blood.
  • You burn 78 times as many calories as you would in a resting state.
  • Your diaphragm, facial muscles and internal organs all get bounced around in a message sometimes called “internal jogging.”
  • Your body releases endorphins, your own natural pain killers, and you produce more immune cells.

After you’ve laughed, your muscles and arteries relax. That’s great for easing pain. Also, your blood pressure lowers and your pulse drops below normal. Many researchers claim this aids digestion.

In short, you can make a positive difference in your current health by simply hugging and laughing more often. Not a bad prescription … absolutely no cost, dose sizes are no concern, and it’s certainly easy to tolerate. Give it a try!

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.

Hugs a Day – Pave the Way

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For years I’ve heard the many old platitudes and clichés about the importance of laughter and the fine art of hugging. I never really paid much attention to what I heard for a number of “less-than-genuine” reasons.

However, as I’ve grown older I’ve been exposed to more and more evidence that there might just be something concrete to what I’ve been hearing.

Obviously, hugs certainly feel good for both those giving them and those receiving them … but apparently there’s more to it that just feelings. The effects are certainly more than skin deep.

Let’s examine some research on “hugging.”

Psychologists at University of North Carolina’s School of Medicine have conducted a great deal of research in this area. Researchers found that hugs increase the “bonding” hormone oxytocin and decrease the risk of heart disease.

Hugs are good for your heart as they lower blood pressure and reduce stress. In fact, a hearty hug in the morning may help your loved one ward off stress all day.

A brief hug and 10 minutes of hand holding with a romantic partner greatly reduce the harmful physical effects of stress, according to a study reported by the American Psychosomatic Society.

“Scientists are increasingly interested in the possibility that positive emotions can be good for your health. This study has reinforced research findings that support from a partner, in this case a hug from a loved one, can have beneficial effects on heart health,” said a spokesperson for the British Heart Foundation.

Indeed, a previous study found that hugging and handholding reduces the effects of stress. Two groups of couples were asked to talk about an angry event, but one group had previously held hands and hugged, while the others sat alone. It was found that:

  • Blood pressure increased significantly more among the no-contact group as compared to the huggers.
  • Heart rate among those without contact increased 10 beats a minute, compared to five beats a minute for huggers.

Humans are clearly social animals, as evidenced by countless studies showing that those who have friends are healthier, as are people who are married.

The findings suggest one reason that isolated, lonely people tend to have poorer health, says an Ohio State University psychologist. Although ours is a youth-oriented culture, older adults may benefit most from touch, she says.

“The older you are, the more fragile you are physically, so contact becomes increasingly important for good health.”

Therapeutic touch has also been shown to reduce stress and pain among adults, and reduces symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as restlessness, pacing, vocalization, searching and tapping.

“U.S. couples aren’t very touchy feely in public,” says Tiffany Field of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School. This is a shame as touch also releases two feel-good brain chemicals, serotonin and dopamine.

So all of this research tells us to forget about any hang up you may have about hugging someone. What are you waiting for? Grab your partner, friend or family member and give them a hug today. Spread health and happiness at a time when this world can certainly use it!

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 Believe Everything You Read!

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I’ve always been fascinated with the many benefits of being a “people-watcher.” I don’t know exactly when or why I first became enamored with the concept, but I certainly have learned a great deal as a result.

Maybe it’s because I’ve spent so many years frequenting airports all over North America. As a result of constantly changing flight schedules, you tend to have a great deal of time on your hands and very few choices available to fill that time. Thus … people-watching … which, by the way, soon becomes addicting.

Maybe it’s because, as a professional speaker, I’ve had the opportunity to attend thousands of large conferences over the decades. I always laugh at the fact that no one in my audience seems to realize that I’m looking at them at the same time they’re looking at me! And I have far more choices to look at than they do!

One of the numerous things I’ve learned by people-watching over the years is the fact that the majority of people today will believe anything simply because they read it in a newspaper, magazine or tabloid, see it on TV, hear it on the radio, or find it on the Internet! For some unexplainable reason, they feel that these sources are reliable and simply cannot be challenged. Why is that when most every day a news story, claim, photo, or rumor is proven to be false?

For instance, over the past week, I have received several e-mails from clients and readers sharing a very interesting story that they felt I might want to pass on … and for good reason. I’ve also seen this same article appear numerous times on Facebook and several blogs. For several reasons I found it interesting, informative, and entertaining. For those reasons, I’m going to share it with you today.

However, I feel obligated to point out that while the content of this story may contain a much-needed dose of realism for today’s youth and something that many of us have learned the hard way over the years … the background story is totally FALSE!

The following content was supposedly recently written and delivered to a high school graduation class by former Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates. Here are the facts:

  • Bill Gates did not write or deliver these words of wisdom.
  • They did not originate as a high school speech.
  • They are not at all recent.

In fact, the very entertaining piece you are about to read is a somewhat abridged version of an original piece that was penned by author Charles J. Sykes. The full version was originally printed in the San Diego Union Tribune on September 19, 1996, and has appeared world wide in many publications since that time. Sykes is the author of Dumbing Down Our Kids, 50 Rules Kids Won’t Learn in School, and several other books.

This article, like so many others was drastically edited by person(s) unknown and began making the e-mail rounds under Bill Gates’ name in February of 2000 and is still, to this day, making those rounds—thanks to you!

The piece has been falsely attributed to others as well as Bill Gates, including the late science fiction writer, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

However, one cannot argue with the actual wisdom of the content. It strikes a familiar chord with most everyone who reads it. So enjoy …  And be certain to pass it on!

11 Rules Your Kids Did Not and Will Not Learn In School

Rule 1: Life is not fair—get used to it!

Rule 2: The world doesn’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won’t be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades, and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.

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.

Secret Hidden in Plain Sight

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Job losses, plant closings, chain stores disappearing, global competition … can things get any worse? Yes, they can and yes, they will … for many in this country. On the other hand, we find those unique individuals who choose to fight back, make a difference, and enjoy the benefits of doing so!

A former client and now cherished friend, Melody Harshbarger, sent me a reminder of just such a person. I had the privilege of meeting Melody in the aftermath of the 9-11 tragedy, and our friendship has grown over the years. She’s the owner and President of MMC Studios, an advertising and design firm in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The story Melody sent me has been around for a very long time, but I never tire of hearing it and feel that every business person in the U.S. needs to read it, understand it, and apply it daily. If that were to happen, you’d see the turnaround this country needs right now.

Now, when I revisit this true story, I think of Melody as she is so respected, appreciated, and cherished by everyone who is fortunate enough to make her acquaintance. She personifies the spirit and essence of this simple but very powerful strategy for success.

I’ve lost count of the cab rides I’ve been forced to endure in major cities from coast to coast. I’ve never had the opportunity to meet a Cab Driving Eagle like the one you’re about to meet … but I’m certainly looking forward to the experience. Read, learn, enjoy, and pass it on!

Wally – A Cab Driving Eagle

No one can make you serve customers well … that’s because great service is a choice. Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey.

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: “I’m Wally, your driver. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk, I’d like you to read my mission statement.”

Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally’s Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment …

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, “Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.” My friend said jokingly, “No, I’d prefer a soft drink.” Wally smiled and said,”‘No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.” Almost stuttering, Harvey said, “I’ll take a Diet Coke.”

Handing him his drink, Wally said, “If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.”

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, “These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.”

And as if that weren’t enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts …

“Tell me, Wally,” my amazed friend asked the driver, “have you always served customers like this?”

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. “No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day.”

“He had just written a book called You’ll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.'”

“That hit me right between the eyes,” said Wally. “Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.”

“I take it that has paid off for you,” Harvey said.

“It sure has,” Wally replied. “My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don’t sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can’t pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.”

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I’ve probably told that story to more than 50 cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn’t do any of what I was suggesting.

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles. Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar. Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles. How about you?

The results you’re getting are the results you should be getting. If you want different results, you must change what you’re doing! There is no prize without 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.

When Do We Learn the True Value of Teamwork?

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TEAMWORK … I’ve been exposed to that word, that concept, that strategy … for as long as I can remember. I’m sure you have as well.

It probably started for me as a Cub Scout and gained momentum as I grew into a Boy Scout. It was emphasized even more as I played high school football, basketball, and baseball. As I entered the military, it was immediately reframed as a critical life and death strategy.

After decades in the business world, I can safely say I’ve heard it mentioned most every week of my life. However, I often wonder if it hasn’t simply become a necessary “buzz word” that we’ve taken for granted and learned to ignore.

We see almost daily examples of the importance of TEAMWORK and the positive consequences which result. And yet, far too many organizations have relegated its importance at a time when it could easily mean the difference between success and failure for everyone involved! I wonder what those organizations are focusing on which is so much more important than developing TEAMWORK.

While I’m encouraged by the increasing number of requests for keynotes and seminars on the subject of TEAMWORK, I feel far too many organizations fail to realize the true need for TEAMWORK as anything more than a “buzz word.”

We even see revealing examples involving simple wildlife and yet fail to benefit from the obvious lessons provided for us. I was recently sitting with a close friend on my deck overlooking the lake as we witnessed a flock of geese flying by in perfect formation.

It immediately brought back memories of an age-old anecdote I’ve heard time and time again. I’m sure you’ve heard it as well. The question is: “Did you learn anything from the narrative? Did you apply the lesson to gain its obvious benefits? Did you close the “Knowing-Doing” Gap?

You might want to revisit this Generational Gem and even share it with those you currently team with. It’s a short video but offers a valuable lesson for us in today’s challenging, rapidly changing, chaotic environment.

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.

Lighten Your Load in Today’s Chaotic World

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As though we didn’t have enough to worry about with challenges from the economy, foreign affairs, war, jobs, immigration, and politics, do we really need the burden brought about by relationships? I’m talking about those connections with friends, family, loved ones, neighbors, and co-workers. They’re certainly many and varied, demanding skills and strategies that many of us have not been exposed to.

One of my favorite philosophers said it best, and his advice has led me through a myriad of relationship challenges over the years. The philosopher: Kenneth Donald Rogers, better known as Kenny Rogers. The message: “Know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em!”

The following anecdote may better explain the power of choice we each possess and the need to utilize it wisely.

SAND & STONE

A story goes that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the pool and started drowning, but the friend saved him.

After he recovered from near drowning, he wrote on a stone:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”

The other friend replied, “When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

It takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

Take time to live! Value who you have in your life.

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.