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.

Southwest Airlines: Destined to Crash or Gain Altitude?

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I hate to contradict myself, but I was shocked, yet not surprised, to hear that 76-year-old co-founder and chairman Herb Kelleher has announced that he will step down as chairman of Southwest Airlines in May of 2008. As if that weren’t enough of a shock to one of the most unique cultures in the business world, president Colleen Barrett, 62, will also step down two months later!

I said “shocked, yet not surprised.” Let me explain as that is an obvious contradiction. I was shocked because these two dynamic personalities have been the backbone and foundation of this airline since its conception 41 years ago. It’s indeed difficult to even mention Southwest Airlines without visualizing either Herb and/or Colleen.

I wasn’t surprised because this move is obviously a very intelligent, calculated strategy of an organization transition that began in 2001 and will be completed next year. Imagine that … a seven-year leadership succession plan! When was the last time you heard of anything like that being carried out by any organization in any industry? This is just one example of why this alliance of the incomparable continues to topple every challenge they face.

As a speaker and trainer, I’ve been sharing the Southwest story for decades. It gets better every year! Over the years, I’ve encountered many non-believers and non-fans as you might expect of any successful organization. However, there is a multitude of very valuable lessons to be gained through observation of the daily operations of SWA.

Herb Kelleher? Where do I start? I personally believe this man is crazy! Like a fox. Serving as an attorney to San Antonio businessman Rollin King, Herb was instrumental in the creation and growth of Southwest from three airplanes in 1971 to 500 today. Herb and Rollin developed their business plan on a napkin over lunch in a restaurant. Southwest now serves 63 cities in 32 states through the efforts of 33,000 very loyal and creative employees. However, Herb isn’t as well known for creating this colossal empire as he is for some of the following facts:

  • Dressing up as Elvis for magazine covers
  • Jumping out of overhead bins
  • Donning Leprechaun and Easter Bunny suits to serve refreshments with his flight attendants
  • Arm wrestling on local TV for the rights to a slogan
  • Riding a motorcycle given to him by his pilots
  • A bout with prostate cancer
  • A legendary fondness for Wild Turkey Whiskey and cigarettes
  • An employee loyalty and respect enjoyed by very few leaders in any business

Herb Kelleher is a one-of-a-kind, risk-taking, charismatic leader who will be studied in MBA programs for years to come.

Leaving with Mr. Kelleher is his longtime associate, Colleen Barrett, who started out as his legal secretary and worked her way up to president of one of the nation’s largest airlines. Ms. Barrett , 62, became Southwest’s corporate secretary in 1978, its vice president of administration in 1986, its executive vice president for customers in 1990, and president in 2001. She is highly respected and well-recognized in leadership circles throughout the world for her many accomplishments.

Both Herb and Colleen will remain full-time employees at Southwest’s Dallas headquarters for five years after they leave their current positions. Their formal titles have yet to be determined. This, of course, is a crucial part of the succession plan and informally converts it to a 12-year plan. Again unheard of in today’s business world … yet it reeks of business wisdom leading to assured success.

Gary Kelly, current CEO and vice chairman since 2004, signed a new contract through February 1, 2011. His first position with Southwest was controller, which he accepted in 1986. The carrier did not name replacements for Mr. Kelleher and Ms. Barrett, although Mr. Kelly probably would take over one or both of those jobs after the pair’s departure from management.

Obviously, I could ramble on for hours scanning the many volumes of the Southwest story. I’m certain it will remain “The Never-ending Story.” However, I strongly recommend that you add the following two books to your personal and/or corporate libraries. You’ll not only enjoy them immensely and learn a great deal, but will find yourself referring to them constantly!

NutsThe Southwest Airlines Way

It’s interesting to hear some critics predict the demise of this airline and culture as Herb and Colleen move on to other challenges. I think not. They’ve developed a culture of personal and corporate pride, creativity, and desire to succeed that will propel this organization to even greater heights in the future. It’s going to be interesting to watch.

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.

Like Them Or Not, You Won’t Forget These Commercials!

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While we’re waiting for that leadership list in next week’s USA TODAY, let’s review this week’s interesting list. In this edition they chose to focus on memorable commercials, and I must admit that I was somewhat surprised that of the 25 classics they identify, I vividly remember 23 of them. I don’t necessarily approve or enjoy all of the products and/or services they promote nor the companies they were created to represent. However, I do remember the commercials themselves, and many of them are 25 years old. There’s a valuable lesson to be learned here: Give special and constant attention to the image you’re creating in the minds of your current and potential customers.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a commercial. It may very well be the quality of your product and/or service, the appearance of your establishment, the actions of your employees, the way you answer the phone or respond to a question or complaint. All of these things will leave a LONG-LASTING impression on the psyche of those you depend upon for future success. For example, consider how many of these commercials you remember. Now consider whether you enjoyed them or not. Either way, they’re still in your memory. The same holds true with that image you’ve created in the minds of your customers. Let’s hope it’s a pleasant memory.

  1. Life Alert: “I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up!” (1990)
  2. Apple Macintosh (Buff woman wielding a sledgehammer to sell Macs.) (1984)
  3. Wendy’s: Where’s the Beef? (1984)
  4. Isuzu: Joe “Trust Me” Isuzu (1986 — autos)
  5. Energizer: Energizer Bunny (1989 — batteries)
  6. Bartles & Jaymes: “Thank You for Your Support” (1985 — Gallo wine coolers)
  7. California Raisin Advisory Board: “Heard It Through the Grapvine” (1986 — raisins)
  8. Budweiser: Croaking Frogs (1995 — beer)
  9. Bush Campaign: Willie Horton (1988 — political campaign)
  10. California Milk Producers: “Got Milk?” (1993)
  11. Partnership for a Drug-Free America: “This is Your Brain on Drugs” (1987)
  12. Ikea: Gay Men Shopping (1994 — furniture)
  13. McDonald’s: Nothing but Net (1993 — Michael Jordan and Larry Bird competing for a Big Mac.)
  14. Pepsi: Michael Jackson on fire (1984)
  15. Reagan Campaign: Morning In America (1984)
  16. Nike: Bo Knows (1989)
  17. Nike: Revolution (1987 — Beatles Music)
  18. Grey Poupon: Pardon Me, Would You Have Any Grey Poupon? (1984 — Dijon mustard)
  19. Federal Government: Crash Test Dummies. (1984 — seat belts)
  20. Playtex: Model (1987 — lingerie)
  21. Chevrolet trucks: “Like A Rock” (1991)
  22. New Coke: Max Headroom (1986)
  23. Pets.com: Because Pets Can’t Drive (1999 — sock puppet)
  24. Reebok: Dan & Dave (1992 — Olympic hype)
  25. Taster’s Choice soap opera (1991 — coffee)

Personally I think they could have added a few other classics in place of those they chose. Remember these?

  • The Clapper: “CLAP ON! CLAP OFF!”
  • Trix: “Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids!”
  • Pepsodent Toothpaste: “You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with  Pepsodent.”
  • Coke: “Mean Joe Green”
  • Eggos!: “Hey! L’eggo my Eggo!”
  • Frosted Flakes: “They’re Gr-r-reat!”
  • Lay’s: “Betcha can’t eat just one!”
  • Bounty: “The thicker, quicker picker-upper, Bounty!”
  • Life Cereal: “Hey, Mikey likes it!”
  • EDS: “Cowboys Herding Cats”
  • Lucky Charms: “They’re magically delicious!”
  • Tootsie Pop: “How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?”
  • Morton Salt: “When it rains it pours.”
  • Bell System: “Reach out and touch someone.”
  • Nestle Chocolate Bar: “Nestle’s makes the very best, N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestle’s makes the very best — CHOCOLATE!”
  • Coke: “I’d like to teach the world to sing.”
  • Alka Seltzer: “I can’t believe I ate the WHOLE thing.”
  • Toys R Us: “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up, I’m a Toys ‘R Us Kid!”
  • Pepsi: Little boy sitting on the beach gets sucked into the Pepsi bottle.
  • V8: “I could’ve had a V8.”
  • Taco Bell: Little Chiwawa saying “Here lizard, lizard, lizard.”
  • I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter: Starring Fabio
  • Burger King: “Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don’t upset us, — Have it your way!”
  • McDonalds: “Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun.”
  • Dr. Pepper: “I’m a pepper, he’s a pepper, she’s a pepper, we’re a pepper, wouldn’t you like to be a pepper too?”
  • America Beautiful campaign: A classic Indian views trash with a tear in his eye as the announcer said, “Please … keep America beautiful.”
  • Oscar Mayer Bologna: “My bologna has a first name it’s O-S-C-A-R.”
  • Charmin: Mr. Whipple saying, “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin.”
  • Kellogg’s Rice Krispies: “Snap, crackle and pop!”
  • Alka-seltzer: “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is!”
  • Band Aids: “I am stuck on Band-Aids ’cause Band-Aid’s stuck on me.”
  • Campbell’s Soup: “M’m! M’m! Good!”

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.

USA TODAY Spotlights Leadership

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For weeks now, I’ve suggested that you check out the Monday editions of USA TODAY as they offer a different list each week to celebrate their 25th Anniversary. You can find their full-page specials in the paper or online every week from now until September.

For those of you involved with or interested in leadership of any kind, I want to alert you to next week’s featured list of the “25 Most Influential Business Leaders.” Looking back over the last few years of headlines in this country, I wonder if they’ll be able to identify 25 leaders period — influential or not.  It should be a very interesting read. Make a note to check out that list next Monday in your copy of USA TODAY in the paper or online. Let us know if you agree with their choices.

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.

Gas at 17 Cents a Gallon?

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I always find it interesting to drive by my nearest gas station to see if the prices have dropped by 2 cents since yesterday or jumped by 30 cents as it so often does in my state of Michigan. Do you ever wonder how they figure out the cost of gasoline at your neighborhood pump? It’s always so easy to place the blame of high prices on some OPEC country in a faraway desert, but you might be surprised to learn who gets what when it comes to the bottom line.

Due to the fact that I find myself on opposite ends of the country each month, I’m continually surprised at how gas prices differ from one part of the nation to the next. However, when I recently got a look at gas prices around the world, I was astonished at the tremendous contrasts … prices ranging from 17 cents a gallon to $6.65 a gallon. Take a look:

Global Gas Prices Per Gallon

Most Expensive Per Gallon:
London, UK: $6.65
Paris, France: $6.62
Copenhagen, Denmark: $6.51
Oslo, Norway: $6.48
Berlin, Germany: $6.42

Least Expensive Per Gallon:
Caracas, Venezuela: $0.17
Tehran, Iran: $0.33
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: $0.45
Kuwait City: $0.79
Cairo, Egypt: $0.86

I guess I should be past the point of sticker shock and constant change by this stage of my life. I remember working in a service station in high school. For those of you who may wonder what a service station is, allow me to explain. That was a gas station where you actually got service. Hard to believe, isn’t it? While your tank was being filled with gas, an attendant would actually wash your windows, check your oil, wipe off your lights and license plate, and add air to your tires if they needed it. You got that kind of service regardless of the weather conditions, day and night. You sat comfortably in your car as all of these services were being rendered. Of course, you had to expect all of that. After all, you were paying 28 cents a gallon!

I can remember wondering if gas would ever reach the price of a dollar a gallon in my lifetime! Wow, how things have changed. Today, gas station employees are forced to sit on a comfortable leather stool directly behind the register and everything is calculated by a computer … right down to the correct change. If they ever get hungry, they’re surrounded by enough food and drink, in the guise of a convenience store, to last at least a year. We, as customers, have to pump our own gas, clean our own windows, check our own oil and fill it ourselves if needed, and, should you need air in your tires, today’s stations are more than happy to sell it to you! Air! Then YOU have to march inside to stand in line to pay. If prices keep rising, it won’t be long before you have to pause at the desk of the in-house loan officer in order to pay for a fill-up.

Looking back at my part-time job at the service station, I realize what terrific training that really was. We learned the importance of good customer service, speed, efficiency, product knowledge, use of various tools, and making change. It was a great learning experience and the only leather we ever saw covered the seats of some of the more expensive cars we serviced. Ah, those were the days!

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.

Little-known Facts about Well-known Leaders – Ray Kroc

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In researching this piece, I asked a number of people what came to mind when they heard the name Ray Kroc. I was surprised at how many people didn’t have a clue as to who he was. Others said they thought he created the McDonald’s fast-food chain, which, by the way, is incorrect. Why should anyone even be interested in this man who died in 1984 at the age of 82! Some would consider him ancient history.

On the contrary, calendar dates have nothing to do with what you can learn from this unique entrepreneur. He, indeed, has much to offer anyone striving for success.

Kroc did not create McDonald’s, convenience food, or the fast-food restaurant. In fact, like so many other great entrepreneurs, he wasn’t very creative at all. However, he possessed the very unique ability to recognize a successful concept, visualize the potential big picture, and take the necessary steps to implement a game plan to its fullest.

Let’s take a closer look at the man who has impacted millions of people all over the world:

  • Ray was born in 1902 in Oak Park, Illinois. Ironically, decades later, he would return to this neighborhood to establish the famous McDonald’s Hamburger University, the worldwide management training center, in nearby Oak Brook.
  • At the age of 15, this brash young man lied about his age to join the Red Cross as an ambulance driver, working with another future entrepreneur, Walt Disney. Upon completion of his training in Connecticut, he never left for Europe because the war ended. He then moved on to become a piano player before realizing there was little chance for a career tickling the ivories. In 1922, he became a salesman for the Lily Tulip Cup Co. by day as he continued to play piano at night for a local radio station.
  • In the course of selling paper cups, he encountered Earl Prince, who had invented a five-spindle multimixer milkshake machine and was buying Lily cups by the truckload. Fascinated by the speed and efficiency of the machine, Kroc obtained exclusive marketing rights from Prince. Determined to succeed, he crisscrossed the country peddling the mixer for the next 17 years.
  • Kroc discovered a remarkable restaurant in San Bernardino, California, owned by two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald, who had ordered eight mixers and had them churning away all day. Most of his customers used only one multimixer. Kroc saw the restaurant in 1954 and was entranced by the effectiveness of the operation. He had never seen anything like it. They were fast, efficient, cheap and extremely popular as customers lined up consistently for 15-cent hamburgers, 19-cent cheeseburgers, 20-cent milkshakes, 10-cent sodas and 10-cent fries.
  • While the brothers were content with their successful business, Kroc visualized the establishment of the golden arches all over the country. In another display of salesmanship, Ray Kroc convinced the brothers to make him their exclusive agent. In 1954, Ray Kroc opened his own McDonald’s drive-in in Des Plaines, Illinois. He officially established the McDonald’s Corporation. The rapid growth later proved to be much too ambitious for the brothers so Ray bought the brothers out in 1961 for $2.7 million — a fortune for the brothers but a mere pittance of what Kroc would amass decades later as the golden arches dotted the world’s surface! As he noted later about the purchase, “I was 52 years old. I had diabetes and incipient arthritis. I had lost my gall bladder and most of my thyroid gland in earlier campaigns, but I was convinced that the best was ahead of me.” Obviously, he was right. Ray Kroc was the first businessman to apply the principles of mass production on a large scale in a service industry.
  • By 1963, more than 1 billion hamburgers had been sold, a statistic that was displayed on a neon sign in front of each restaurant. That same year, the 500th McDonald’s restaurant opened and the famous clown, Ronald McDonald, made his debut. He soon became known to children throughout the country, and kids were critical in determining where the family ate. According to John Mariani in his remarkable book America Eats Out, “Within six years of airing his first national TV ad in 1965, the Ronald McDonald clown character was familiar to 96% of American children, far more than knew the name of the President of the United States.”
  • In 1974, Ray Kroc became a hero for reasons completely unrelated to business. He purchased the San Diego Padres baseball team and prevented them from moving to Washington, D.C.
  • Today McDonald’s is serving 47 million people a day through the efforts of 1.5 million employees in 31,000 locations in 119 countries on 6 continents! Can you imagine that kind of growth from one single location similar to the one pictured here?
  • Ray Kroc passed away from a heart ailment in January 1984, at the age of 82, just ten months before McDonald’s sold hamburger number 50 billion. Later that same year, The San Diego Padres went to the World Series.
  • Kroc was included in the TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential builders and titans of industry. For more information, read Grinding It Out:The Making of McDonald’s.

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.

Little-known Facts about Well-known Businesses – ACIPCO

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ACIPCO
American Cast Iron Pipe Company

Some will struggle with their attempt to pronounce the name (Ah-SIP-Co). Others may admit that they’ve never even heard of this organization. However, all of us have benefited from the products and services provided by the largest individual iron pipe casting plant in the world, nestled among the Appalachian foothills of Birmingham, Alabama.

ACIPCO produces 1,500 tons of products annually, including ductile iron castings, steel pipes and tubes, fittings, fire hydrants and valves for the waterworks industry as well as electric-resistance steel pipe for oil and natural gas pipelines. Their diversified product line also includes spiral-welded steel pipe in diameters up to 144 inches (Can you imagine walking through a 12-foot pipe?), fire pumps, centrifugally cast steel tubes, static castings and fabricated assemblies.

It may not sound exciting to the average person but try to imagine getting through a typical day of your life if we had no way to transport natural gas, oil or water.

Boasting seven production facilities across the nation and in Brazil, ACIPCO’s Birmingham headquarters has grown into the largest individual iron pipe casting plant in the world. It’s located on a 2,100 acre site that runs the length of 52 football fields and has nearly 60 acres under roof. It has to be seen to be believed!

I’ve had the rare opportunity to visit this facility to provide two keynote presentations to a very enthused, interactive staff of seasoned professionals. Prior to the presentations, I received a guided tour … conducted, I might add, by two very enthusiastic and obviously proud employees who knew the 100+ year history of every inch of the compound. I broke bread with staff members in the company cafeteria and found it intriguing to observe white-collar and blue-collar colleagues sharing conversation, laughter, camaraderie and nourishment as though they were home with their family. In fact, the majority of the employees I met considered ACIPCO to be their “home” and their fellow employees as “family.”

Culture, tradition, environment … call it what you will. It’s rare. It’s refreshing. It’s difficult to understand in this day and age of cynicism, unrest and distrust. However, knowing the history of this unique organization not only restores your faith in mankind but explains why you feel you’re entering Alice’s Wonderland as you pass through the front gate.

Consider the following:

  • They’ve located their headquarters in the city nicknamed “The Pittsburgh of the South” because Birmingham’s major industries are centered around iron and steel production.
  • ACIPCO was founded in 1905 and has long been recognized as an innovative manufacturer.
  • Fortune magazine has recognized ACIPCO as one of “The 100 Best Companies to Work For” the past eight consecutive years.
  • Temperatures in a pipe casting shop can reach 130 degrees. ACIPCO has installed individual air conditioners for its employees in parts of its Birmingham plant.
  • ACIPCO is renowned for offering its employees an “outstanding” pension plan, on-site training programs, tuition reimbursement, and a state-of-the-art wellness center for employees, their families, and retirees.
  • Workers at ACIPCO have one very good reason to stay. Collectively they own the plant and share in its profits — even after they retire. Founder John Eagan was a firm believer in running a business based upon the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Upon his death, Eagan created a trust that made employees beneficiaries. Last year, employees enjoyed bonuses of more than $29 million. Eagan’s philosophy and legacy have reigned for 102 years and continue to be the cornerstone for the company’s prosperity. As this organization celebrates 102 years of success, it is quite evident that the more than 3,000 employees not only believe but support and practice this philosophy.
  • One of ACIPCO’s most unique characteristics is their on-site health care facility, which provides primary care to 10,000 people — not only their employees but also all retirees. Having personally toured the facility, I can attest to the fact that it rivals anything you’ll find in any major city in the country. I also found it very interesting that they actually reward their employees for maintaining good health in areas such as proper weight, body fat percentage, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.
  • ACIPCO is proud to boast the title of producing the first 16-foot-length pipe in the world as well as being the first to provide cement lining of water pipe and pioneering the development of centrifugal pipe casting.
  • Add to that these other perks: wages that are 10 percent higher than the industry average; the employee suggestion system, which pays workers for good tips that result in increased efficiency of operations; and a continuing education program.
  • The company has also implemented a Threat Response Team to prevent the workplace violence that threatens many industries.
  • This summer the company is spending $70 million to add 61,000 square feet of space to house a state-of-the-art, electrically fired, pollution-friendly furnace that will be one of only two in the world. This venture could create 35 more jobs in the area.
  • They created an employee-at-large position, which was added to represent employees to management, and a continuous improvement program made up of current and retired employees.
  • A few years ago, ACIPCO established Eagan College, an expanded employee training program and the Eagan Center for Wellness with an employee participation rate that exceeds 80 percent.
  • While the industry is challenged with a turnover rate ranging from 80% to 100%, ACIPCO has a turnover rate of LESS THAN A HALF PERCENT PER YEAR!
  • In my pre-appearance research on this very unorthodox organization, I included conversations with Birmingham locals at the airport, in the taxi, at several restaurants, and in a major shopping mall. I began to believe that everyone I talked to had been coached before our conversation. It’s very evident that the city of Birmingham respects, supports, and appreciates ACIPCO’s presence.
  • I heard only one compliant, but I heard it several times. People wanting to go to work at ACIPCO must expect a long wait for a job opening. One gentlemen told me that everyone monitors the retiree announcements as well as the obituary page of the local papers because that’s the only way there’s going to be an opening at ACIPCO. I have a feeling that’s a complaint ACIPCO can live with!

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.

Business Briefs – July 9, 2007

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From time to time, we like to offer you a “big picture” update on recent business tidbits. Nothing in depth, just a quick overview to keep you “in the know.” For instance:

WENDY’S
Apparently, Wendy’s International, Inc., the nation’s third-largest hamburger chain with approximately 6,600 locations, is seriously in search of a buyer. By the way, McDonald’s ranks #1 in the industry with 31,000 locations, followed by Burger King with approximately 11,100 locations. Wendy’s was founded in 1969 by the late Dave Thomas in Dublin, Ohio. Last year they spun off their Tim Horton locations as well as their Baja Fresh Mexican Grills. Billionaire investor Nelson Peltz, chairman and chief executive fast-food chain operator of Triarc Cos., which operates more than 3,000 Arby’s Restaurants, mentioned last week that they are considering a bid for the popular Wendy’s chain. They are currently a major stockholder. In a related story, Peltz resigned last week as the Chairman and Chief Executive of Triarc. How this may impact plans for the Wendy’s purchase has not yet been revealed.

HILTON
Hilton Hotels Corp. has announced it has agreed to be acquired by The Blackstone Group LP in a $26-billion deal. As the famous Hilton granddaughter would say, “That’s Hot!” The Blackstone Group already has ownership stakes in LaQuinta Inns and LXR Luxury Resorts and Hotels. Hilton owns or operates 2,800 hotels and 480,000 rooms in 76 countries under such brands as Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites, Homewood Suites, Conrad Hotels, Hilton Hotels, and Hilton Garden Inns. The purchase will also include the Waldorf-Astoria collection, a super-luxe line that caters to travelers with champagne tastes. While the most legendary Waldorf-Astoria is a New York City landmark, they also boast locations in Saudi Arabia, Hawaii, and Hollywood.

CHRYSLER + CHINA = CHERY DODGE
China certainly knows how to maintain that trade balance. The next made-in-China export heading for our shores will arrive in the form of a CAR. Yes, it’s true. The Chrysler Group just signed a deal with China’s largest automaker, Chery, to launch a low-cost production venture. China has long sought an entry into our car market, and Chrysler has now opened that door for them. The Chinese A1 compact will sell for between $7,000 and $8,000 under the Dodge Brand. The first model should hit our docks in about 2 1/2 years.

AIRLINE INDUSTRY CONTINUES DIVE
I’ll spare you the details and will avoid singling out any particular airline since they’re competitively fighting for that illustrious title of “America’s Worst Airline.” Just know that the first five months of this year have been the worst on record since 1995! The U.S. Department of Transportation reports new numbers signifying the bleakness that most of us flyers have sadly grown to accept as “normal.” Fewer flights are taking off on time, fewer flights are landing on time, more flights have been stranded on the runway, more passengers have been bumped, passengers filed 675 complaints in May versus 449 a year earlier, and lost baggage numbers continued to climb. Based on current trends, don’t look for things to get much better in the very near future.

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.

A Guaranteed Smile

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Something odd happened to me today. It wasn’t earth-shattering. Certainly not news-worthy. However, it was well-timed, and it brought a smile to my face. That’s important in this day and age. The older I get, the more I believe that things happen for a reason. I’ve stopped questioning the reason and transferred that energy to appreciation.

Today I received an e-mail from an old friend I haven’t heard from in a long time. It was short, to the point and included an attachment. I was told I was missed, my friendship was appreciated, and it was hoped that I would enjoy the attachment. I usually don’t read these kind of “cutsey” attachments that folks tend to send on a regular basis. However, the note was so thoughtful I felt an obligation. I read this one. It produced a great smile, made me pause to think and made my day. I’m passing it along to you in hopes you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. I owe this to my friend.

Click here to find the entire list of “101 Ways to Make You Smile.” You’ll find each entry very short, very basic, and very obvious. Nothing new here. However, as I read through the list, I experienced several revelations:

  1. I couldn’t help but notice that I was already smiling as I imagined doing some of these things.
  2. I couldn’t get over the simplicity of each suggestion.
  3. I realized there were a good number of them that I had never actually attempted.
  4. I immediately felt better just thinking about doing some of them.
  5. I couldn’t help but think about how much I would appreciate it if someone did some of these things for me.
  6. I pledged to myself that I would do at least 10 of these suggestions by
    the end of the year.

I want to give you just a couple of examples, hoping you’ll be tempted to want to see the rest.

  • Let someone cut in front of you during rush hour traffic.
  • Call your parents.
  • Visit a retirement center.
  • Leave a “thank you” note for the cleaning staff at work.
  • Write a letter to a distant relative.
  • Recommend a good book to someone.
  • Dance with someone who hasn’t been asked.
  • Tell someone you mentioned them in your prayers.
  • Figure out someone’s half-birthday by adding 182 days and surprise them with a cake.
  • Ask someone about their children.
  • Brush the snow off of the car next to yours.
  • Tell someone which quality you like most about them.
  • Pay for a stranger’s cup of coffee without them knowing it.
  • Ask to see a store’s manager and comment on the great service.
  • Wave to a child in the car next to you.
  • Fill up the copier machine with paper after you’re done using it.
  • Tell someone you believe in them.
  • Ask an elderly person to tell you about the “good ole days.”
  • Wave to someone looking for a parking place when you’re about to leave a shopping center.
  • Compliment a coworker on their role in a successful project.
  • Tell a child you’re proud of them.
  • E-mail a friend some information about a topic they are especially interested in.
  • Bake some cookies for your local fire or police department.
  • Stop and buy a drink from a child’s lemonade stand.

Don’t forget — there are 101 suggestions. I’ll have you know that I’ve already accomplished three of the ten I pledged to complete by the end of the year. It’s quick and easy, and it really does put a smile on your face! Check it out!

Have a nice day!   

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.

Gender Gap in Pay, Recognition and Rewards

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Personally, I’m growing a bit tired of hearing about women making less money than men. While channel surfing among cable news stations last night, I came across a feature on the “Gender Pay Gap.” While acknowledging the fact that there is definitely a pay gap in today’s business world, I was surprised how much it differed from one area to another. They shared examples that were all over the map in comparing occupations such as professional athletes, medical personnel, engineers, law, science, etc. The percentage of difference ranged from as little as 29% to as high as 54%!

I’m aware of the fact that I’m not as highly educated as I’d like to be. However, I take great pride in the fact that I’m always trying to learn something new. In fact, I make it a point to learn at least one new thing every single day of my life. In that vein, I’d like to learn the thinking behind the majority of decisions that are made in this area. I realize that there are exceptions to every rule. Setting those few exceptions aside, I’d like to know the answer to the following dilemma:

Two professionals walk into my office.
Similar age. Similar education.
Comparable personality. Comparable attitude.
Similar goals. Similar desire.
Both have very similar leadership experience.
Both are very creative and innovative.
Both have a great track record.
Parallel family situations.
Equivalent potential.
Both appear to be an excellent fit with our culture.

Considering the fact that both candidates would make an equally excellent addition to our team, why would I pay one of them anywhere from 20% to 40% more than the other?

A male candidate does have some very obvious strengths and advantages over women. However, a female candidate has obvious strengths and advantages over men. We’re back to square one and none of those advantages equate to the percentage of difference noted above. I’ve never understood this discrepancy, and I doubt very much that I ever will.

This country has advanced in far too many areas over the decades to allow this travesty to continue. It shouldn’t even be a topic of discussion in this day and age. Instead, maybe we should focus on exposing the growing number of women who are currently successfully leading key organizations across industries. Based on the number of CEOs currently residing behind bars for a variety of reasons, there are obviously some great opportunities available today. The following women have undeniably set fine examples of leadership in today’s very competitive marketplace and are paving the way to what we definitely hope will someday be total equity in pay, recognition, and rewards … as it should have been long ago.

Angela Braly

Title: President and CEO
Company: WellPoint
Age: 45
Compensation: N/A

For the past two years, Angela Braly has been the executive vice president and general counsel at WellPoint. As of last month (June), she is now the President and CEO. In her previous position she took charge of the country’s largest Medicare claims processing business and was pivotal in the integration of WellChoice, which the company acquired in 2005. Note this: she’s now running the nation’s largest health insurance outfit, but she’s the only woman heading a Fortune 50 company!

Patricia Woertz

Title: Chairman, President and CEO
Company: Archer Daniels Midland
Age: 54
Compensation: $8.18 million

Patricia Woertz left Chevron after three decades in a very competitive industry. Some may have been surprised that she would turn to farming. However, since taking over ADM—the $37-billion food-processing giant—almost a year ago, her life is all about turning corn and soy crops into everything from syrup to ethanol. It appears that the move from oilfield to cornfield was no accident: Woertz aims to transform ADM into a leader in renewable fuels.

Indra Nooyi

Title: Chairman Elect and CEO
Company: PepsiCo
Age: 51
Compensation: $9.38 million

Indra Nooyi joined PepsiCo nearly 13 years ago, and the Indian-born CEO is running a much different company today. She wouldn’t have it any other way. She was instrumental in selling off restaurant businesses including KFC and Pizza Hut, and replacing them with brands like Tropicana and Quaker. After five years playing number-cruncher and dealmaker, she became CEO last October.

Brenda C. Barnes

Title: Chairman and CEO
Company: Sara Lee
Age: 53
Compensation: $4.94 million

Since 2005, Brenda Barnes has dealt with a number of challenges as she has added and deleted a number of products to the ever-popular Sara Lee brand. Before she took over as the company’s personal trainer, Barnes famously left her job at PepsiCo after 22 years of service and she took a six-year leave to raise her three children.

Carol Meyrowitz

Title: President and CEO
Company: T.J. Maxx and Marshalls
Age: 53
Compensation: $8.50 million

TJX stores like T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s are surefire destinations for bargain hunters. As the newly appointed CEO, this 24-year retail veteran has her hands full with a number of challenges. Carol Meyrowitz inherits a messy roster of lawsuits resulting from the millions of credit card numbers and other personal information stolen from the company’s computers.

Mary F. Sammons

Title: President and CEO
Company: Rite Aid
Age: 60
Compensation: $1.89 million

Sammons joined Rite Aid in 1999 as president in the middle of the accounting scandal. The organization is in much better shape today. Four years later when she took over as CEO, the company was still losing money, but it had survived bankruptcy. Today, she’s concentrating on assimilating the recent $3.4 billion purchase of Brooks and Eckerd.

Anne Mulcahy

Title: Chairman and CEO
Company: Xerox
Age: 53
Compensation: $10.69 million

Ann Mulcahy spent nearly 20 years at Xerox before taking over in 2001. She faced an overwhelming challenge stepping into the leadership role as the company was buried in $15 billion of debt and an SEC scandal. Observers were certain that Xerox was destined for Chapter 11. However, Mulcahy managed to dig out by drastically cutting the workforce and steadily increasing innovations; they’ve launched 100 new products in the last three years.

Patricia F. Russo

Title: CEO
Company: Lucent
Age: 53
Compensation: $4.75 million (2005)

Some believe Patricia Russo’s specialty might just be corporate recovery. In the late nineties she helped AT&T turn around its failing business-systems division, which eventually became part of Lucent. And after a quick stop at troubled Kodak in 2001, she returned the following year to revive Lucent. After two years of first aid, which included slashing jobs and streamlining costs, Lucent returned to profitability in 2004. Now she faces new challenges with the newly merged Alcatel-Lucent. She seems to thrive on challenges and has handled them well.

Andrea Jung

Title: Chairman and CEO
Company: Avon Products
Age: 48
Compensation: $13.32 million

Acting as Avon’s resident master artist since 1999, CEO Andrea Jung has faced many challenges, including slipping profits and increasing the number of salespeople. Makeovers—financial or physical, large or small—are always difficult. The fix, like any beauty regimen, is not cheap. It’s costing Avon some $500 million, and includes plumping the ad budget and spending more on research and development.

Susan M. Ivey

Title: Chairman, President and CEO
Company: Reynolds American
Age: 48
Compensation: $8.17 million

Susan Ivey is a 25-year veteran of the tobacco business. At Reynolds American, she oversees some of the most iconic cigarette brands, such as Camel and Kool. However, while she’s working on increasing the company’s 30-percent market share, she’s also dealing with states adopting smoking restrictions and increasing cigarette taxes.

Paula Rosput Reynolds

Title: President and CEO
Company: Safeco
Age: 50
Compensation: $6.14 million

After working in the energy industry for 27 years (five of those as CEO of Atlanta-based AGL Resources), Paula Rosput Reynolds made a career change to running insurance company Safeco. Despite making the switch last year, she’s already made some major decisions like moving the company’s headquarters to downtown Seattle and reducing expenses.

Margaret C. Whitman

Title: President and CEO
Company: eBay
Age: 50
Compensation: $3.10 million (2005)

For the last nine years, eBay has been Meg Whitman’s playground. Her background reads like a “Who’s Who” of Business Success as she served major leadership roles at Procter & Gamble, the Walt Disney Co., Stride Rite, FTD, and Hasbro, Inc. Meg Whitman took over the San Jose-based tech company and made it an industry darling. She continues to hold on as one of the longest serving CEOs in the tech world.

Christina A. Gold

Title: President, CEO and Director
Company: Western Union
Age: 59
Compensation: $4.90 million

Gold’s career trajectory has been unconventional. She spent 25 years at cosmetics company Avon and ran a Dallas-based telecom business before she landed at Western Union in 2002 as its president. Today, the money transfer empire is nearly double the size of its nearest competitor and boasts an 18-percent market share. And earlier this year, as CEO of the $4.5 billion company, Gold oversaw its transition from a subsidiary into a publicly listed company.

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.

Little-known Facts about Well-known Businesses – United Technologies Corporation

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UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

United Technologies Corporation (UTC) is one of those many organizations in the U.S. that impacts our lives every single day in a variety of ways while the majority of us who benefit from their products and services have never heard of them.

It’s certainly not that they’re in hiding. Not by a long shot. They have a beautiful corporate headquarters located in historic Hartford, Connecticut. They conduct business virtually everywhere in the world, boasting 4,000-plus locations doing business in approximately 180 countries in 30 different languages. They employ approximately 215,000 employees and are recognized as the 47th largest employer in the world on the 2006 Global 500 list, in Fortune.)

Boasting revenues of $47.8 billion last year, UTC is a diversified, American, multinational conglomerate generating more than 50% of their revenues outside the United States with 60% of their employees working abroad.

While you may not recognize the corporate name, you may very well be familiar with many of their products and services. Their business units include:

Carrier heating and air conditioning systems
Hamilton Sundstrand aerospace and industrial systems
Otis elevators and escalators
Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines
Sikorsky helicopters
UTC Fire & Security protection services
UTC Power
United Technologies Research Center

RANKING
20th largest U.S. manufacturer (2006 list, Industry Week)
43rd largest U.S. corporation (2006 list, Fortune)
55th largest publicly held manufacturer in the world (2006 list, Industry Week)
126th largest corporation in the world (2006 Global 500 list, Fortune)
Named “Most Admired” aerospace and defense company (2001-2006 lists, Fortune)

The core group of United Technologies companies was founded in 1929 as United Aircraft & Transport Corp. by the merger of Boeing, Chance Vought, Hamilton Standard, Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky Aircraft. As a result of the Air Mail Act of 1934, United Aircraft and Transport broke up into three independent companies: Boeing, United Aircraft, and United Airlines. United Aircraft changed its name to United Technologies in 1975. Otis Elevator was acquired in 1976, Carrier Refrigeration in 1979, and Sundstrand in 1999. UTC entered the fire and security business in 2001 by purchasing Chubb Security. In 2005, United Technologies acquired Boeing’s Rocketdyne division, which was merged into the Pratt & Whitney business unit.

The next time you’re riding an escalator, relaxing in air conditioning, or enjoying your airplane flight, you’ll know just who was responsible for your comfort and safety.

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.