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.

Circuit City Ordeal Continues

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Not long ago, I addressed the issue of the decision by Circuit City, the nation’s #2 consumer electronics retailer behind Best Buy, to fire 3,400 retail workers because they’re making too much money! Nearly every business magazine and newspaper in the country reported the story, providing the giant retailer with a great deal of publicity. Few reporters said yea or nay about the controversial decision. Most took a “wait and see” stance.

Upon reading the news release, I struggled to understand how anyone in a leadership role could compare the savings derived from such a strategy to the enormous loss of revenue that could possibly evolve from disgruntled customers who might feel this approach to be unethical. Add that to the possible long-term loss of sales resulting from a less experienced and less motivated staff and there could be trouble on the horizon. On the other hand, I could very well be wrong as I have never been the CEO of the nation’s #2 consumer electronics retailer. I must assume that all possible scenarios were closely examined and evaluated before such a crucial decision was made. However, I could be wrong there as well.

Here’s an interesting update. The Associated Press announced end-of-the quarter figures for both Best Buy and Circuit City:

Best Buy reported an 18.5 % increase in their quarterly profit with earnings of $763 million. Best Buy revenue rose 21 % to $12.9 billion.

Circuit City Stores, Inc. said it lost $12.2 million in this quarter.

Hmmmmmm …

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.

Are We Becoming a Nation of the Naive, the Apathetic, or the Ignorant?

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I’m in the heart of New York City this week, which is considered by some to be a business mecca of some renown. I was having dinner in the hotel restaurant earlier this evening when three nattily dressed, middle-aged, business professionals took the table next to mine. I had to assume that they were somewhat successful based on the cut of their clothes and the brightness of their “bling.” That might even lead one to assume that they might be well educated and somewhat experienced. However, I could be wrong.

I say that because I couldn’t help overhearing their very loud, intense, argumentative conversation. I kept reading my paper as I finished dinner when they almost came to blows. I was more shocked by the subject of their argument than I was by their near confrontation. They were debating whether Sanjaya Malakar’s continued presence on American Idol would lead to its inevitable demise!

I could easily understand contrasting views on the subject of politics, the war in Iraq, trade balance concerns, or the threatening nor’easter we’re experiencing here in the Big Apple at the moment. But Sanjaya’s assault on “Rappin’ Randy,” “Pouting Paula,” and “Sassy Simon”? Come on! By the way, they weren’t having a friendly gab session over drinks … they were at each other’s throats!

I guess I found it somewhat surprising that none of them seemed to grasp the reality that most anything they see on television has more to do with business than it does with entertainment. Everyday common sense would shed a fair amount of light on that Idol situation. This ratings leader has recently been accused of losing some of its luster after several very successful seasons so it’s quite evident they need to liven things up with some scandal. Now we must decide if Sanjaya’s longevity is the product of Howard Stern brainwashing his radio listeners to vote this young man to victory, an Internet web site conspiracy (VoteForTheWorst.com) to keep the least talented contestant in the competition to the end, or a strategy to give Simon Cowell an opportunity to pursue other interests after declaring that he will quit if Sanjaya should become this season’s American Idol.

Regardless of the truth you must admit that this is a “no-lose” situation for everyone involved as it creates coveted publicity for all and gives fans a reason to tune in every week to see the latest twists and turns. I doubt if we’ll see this young man take the title as it would cause many to question the credibility of American Idol. Should Stern and the popular Internet web site continue to influence the voting, you can bet that the producers will simply control the voting results. The reason is simple. This “cash cow” is producing hundreds of millions of dollars every season via advertising dollars, merchandising products, recording contracts, tour income and on and on. They’re not going to allow that tremendous cash flow to subside. This is a business, BIG business, not entertainment. Why do you think you continue to get “Yo, Dog,” “Crocodile Tears,” and “Thumbs Down” week after week? Relax, enjoy the performances, but don’t take it too seriously. These young people are very talented and put on a good show. Sit back, relax, and enjoy what they offer. And, more importantly, if you see these three businessmen having dinner in Times Square … find a table as far away from them as possible!

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.

Lift a Couch … Find a Fortune!

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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.

USA Today: Global Updates Daily Via Satellite

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Happy Birthday to USA TODAY!

In mid-September of this year, USA TODAY celebrates 25 years of service to readers all over the world. It is published via satellite at 36 locations in the USA and at four sites abroad. With a total average daily circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available worldwide. USA TODAY is published by Gannett Co., Inc. Often fondly referred to as the Nation’s Newspaper or McPaper, this colorful daily is published Monday through Friday and is one of very few to inform readers nationally and internationally with such in-depth news coverage.

To celebrate their 25th birthday, they will be offering a series of commemorative Top 25 lists. You can find their full-page specials in the paper or online every week from now until September. The first two have both offered a fine mixture of entertainment and education. Check it out for some great reading material.

The first week they focused on 25 years of changing trends that changed the USA. When you see the many changes all profiled, with photos, on one page, it’s mind-boggling. It truly makes you wonder how we handled so many cultural changes at the same time so successfully. It certainly speaks to the character, tenacity, and determination of our country and its people.

They feature 25 major changes in their first article. Allow me to give you a short sampling of their in-depth research in hopes of enticing you to jump on this weekly bandwagon.

Safety: Fear of terrorism has changed our lives in so many ways. Color-coded threat levels, removing your shoes at airports, no-fly lists, Columbine, Amber alerts, and “America’s Most Wanted” to name just a few. I find it amazing how quickly we adapted to these many changes and now seem to take them in stride.

Snuffing out smoking: In 1982, you could smoke just about anywhere you chose. Then the banishment began in offices, then airplanes, then restaurants, public places, and now there’s a possibility of adding your car and home to this growing list. And don’t forget the availability of the nicotine patch, nicotine gum, and multi-million dollar lawsuits against big-money tobacco companies.

Tech creates cult of “me”: This trend seemed to appear overnight, and it’s growing at a tremendous rate of speed. Look at the advances in computers and cell phones. Consider the revolutionary switch from cassettes and VHS to CDs and DVDs. The internet opened the floodgates. Many of us are still unsure about MySpace.com, Facebook, and Blogs. It’s all about customization and personalization. Shop on TV with eBay and Amazon.com. Confirm your travel plans via dozens of expert websites. Use your TiVo to record any program to be watched at a more convenient time. Do the same thing by downloading your favorite music on your iPod or MP3. Capture your most secretive moments to play back for the world on YouTube, take pictures with your cell phone, or take part in your favorite reality TV program.

Bigger is better: We preach smaller but live bigger … McMansions, SUVs, Minivans, Megachurches, big-box stores like Wal-Mart and Costco. Megaplex theaters offering 55-gallon drums of Coke and box cars of popcorn. And have you tried Hardee’s Monster Thickburger (1,420 calories)?

A nation divided: Reagan Revolution. Bill Clinton. Rush Limbaugh. Al Franken. Hanging chads. Voter fraud. Red and blue states. Iran and Iraq. Border disputes. Halliburton. Gay rights. Governor Arnold. What’s next? First female President? First African American President? Anything could happen!

Global warming: Real or imagined. Everyone’s talking about carbon footprints, The Kyoto Protocol, the shrinking polar ice cap, melting glaciers, monster hurricanes, El Niño, La Niña, and Al Gore.

Pick up a USA TODAY for many more details and an on-going offering of interesting articles like this. We can look forward to these weekly treats every Monday from now until September 10th.

As the nation’s best-selling newspaper, the USA TODAY brand also includes: USATODAY.com, which is an award-winning news and information web site that is updated 24 hours per day, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, which is a magazine for enthusiasts of pro football and baseball, and USA TODAY LIVE, which is the television arm of the USA TODAY brand.

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

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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.

Does Circuit City Carry Calculators?

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Nary a day goes by that I don’t run across something in the newspaper or on a TV newscast that boggles my mind, drops my jaw, and challenges any concept of conventional wisdom.

I constantly see absurd decisions being made by corporate leaders who, a year later, are receiving severance packages consisting of hundreds of millions of dollars and benefits that easily rival the most outrageous lottery winnings.

For instance, Circuit City, the nation’s #2 consumer electronics retailer behind Best Buy, has announced plans to fire 3,400 retail workers because they’re making too much money! Yes, the word was “FIRE,” and the reason was exactly as stated above. They’re also going to fire about 130 corporate information-technology employees.

Let’s take a closer look and, as we do, ponder the facts and think about the possibility of whether you would consider such a strategic move if you were in charge of this organization.

Circuit City will absolutely save a great deal of money as they replace those they fire by hiring lower-paid workers! There is positively no question about that fact. However, I do have another question. I’m pretty sure that Circuit City sells calculators. I’m not quite as sure if they know how to use them.

While they stand to savor a substantial savings, let’s contemplate what they stand to lose.

Consider these potential speed bumps:

How will this strategy affect their customer service levels as they replace 3,400 seasoned, well-trained employees with novice, inexperienced, less-paid stand-ins who lack product knowledge?

What caliber of new employee can they expect to attract after demonstrating how they’ve treated loyal employees who have put forth an effort to grow and prosper? Can these replacements anticipate pay raises and promotions or will achievement equate to possible termination? What’s the incentive for these rookies to strive for excellence? If there is no incentive, what level of service can we anticipate as consumers?

How about the remaining store associates who were not fired? What did this do to their morale, productivity, and aspirations of a career in their chosen field of endeavor? I can’t wait to visit one of their stores to be greeted by this bunch of “happy campers.”

By the way, those being fired will get severance packages and may apply for any open positions after 10 weeks. What’s the message here? “Even though you were fired, you’re welcome to come back as your dismissal had nothing to do with your performance. However, you’ll be returning at a lower pay rate — equivalent to those we recently hired with less experience and product knowledge than you have.” How many do you think will return?

When you consider the escalating cost of advertising, what do you think Circuit City will have to invest in order to compensate for the tremendous negative publicity they’re currently receiving in newspapers, magazines, radio and television newscasts, and Internet reports? This story spread world-wide within minutes of its release and received very little positive response. It’s difficult to calculate the loss of public trust and image. How many customers are now willing to return to Circuit City? Some will question the level of service they can expect. Others will express dismay in the treatment of those fired. Some will challenge the wisdom of leadership decision-making skills. Many will simply decide to “wait and see.” All because Circuit City didn’t pro-actively utilize their very own HP 12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition Financial Calculator.

I have one last question: Do you think the Best Buy CEO will send the Circuit City CEO a formal “Thank You” note or will he simply remain safely hidden in the wings serenely smiling as he surveys the most recent stock market results? We’ll never know.

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.

212 – The Extra Degree

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A few weeks ago, I directed you to the web site of “Simple Truths” to view the short, three-minute movie called “The Dash … Making a Difference With Your Life.” I hope it was as thought-provoking for you as it was for me. It certainly makes you re-evaluate your current priorities. More than 30 million people around the world have viewed it since its appearance on that site, and more than 20,000 a day continue to watch it as a result of folks passing it along as I did to you.

The following week I again directed you back to that same web site to view still another three-minute inspirational video called “The Nature of Success.” I found this one to be inspirational, energizing, and insightful as well.

Well, apparently good things come in threes as I just received another invitation to return to their web site to observe a third video. This one is titled “212 – The Extra Degree.” Again, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality, inspiration, and impact of what I witnessed. I found this one especially interesting as it reminded me a great deal of a familiar theme we share in many of our training seminars and keynote presentations … Sweat the Small Stuff. Little things do make a big difference, and we witness examples of this simple fact every day. It’s the “small stuff” that really makes an impression on us when it comes to making the decision to spend our hard-earned dollars on products and services of any kind. It’s also the “small stuff” that disturbs us to the point of deciding to take our business elsewhere on occasion.

This particular video is based on the fact that at 211 degrees water is hot; at 212 degrees it boils and turns to steam, and steam has enough energy to power a locomotive. It’s that one extra degree that makes all the difference. Some might consider one single degree as being “small stuff.” However, look at the impact it can have! If you enjoyed the first two videos, you’ll want to see this one as well. It’ll only take a few minutes, it’s absolutely free, and it’ll provide you with some serious content to ponder and share with others. Give it a look-see, you won’t regret 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.

Untold Treasures Await Us. Stop and Smell the Roses.

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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.

Business Briefs – March 29, 2007

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Based on the feedback we receive from those attending our time management and stress management seminars, it’s quite evident that the majority of us appear to have less and less spare time to focus on newspapers, magazines, and television/radio newscasts to catch up on the latest business news. Internet surfing is even more time consuming.

To address that growing concern, we’d like to occasionally 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:

  • The Borders Group appears to be in the midst of some major changes as a result of losing $73.6 million for the three months ending February 3. They plan to remodel their U.S. superstores, jump back into online bookselling, and close 300 of their 564 Waldenbooks stores by the end of next year. They’re also giving serious consideration to selling off most of their international businesses.
  • The latest fund-raising trend among state governments appears in the form of privatizing their state lotteries. Illinois is the latest state to jump on this growing bandwagon. Governor Rod Blagojevich figures the sale of their lottery could raise as much as $10 billion. It currently generates approximately $650 million a year in profit on revenues of $2 billion, which is being spent on education. The new owner will receive all revenue and profit for 75 years. Two years ago, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley sold off a 7.8-mile tollway for $1.83 billion. Indiana is currently investigating the sale of their lottery as well.
  • Time Magazinereports that consumer spending currently powers 70% of the U.S. economy! Interestingly enough, average DAILY purchases by U.S. consumers include:
    • 1,900,000 Krispy Kreme original glazed donuts
    • 87,431 Slim-Fast Optima multi-pack shakes (hopefully by those buying the donuts!)
    • 20,826 Dell notebook computers
    • 88,163 Apple iPods
    • 50,051,507 12 oz. cans of Pepsi
    • 125,000 Barbie dolls
    • 628 Toyota Camry 4-cylinder LEs
    • 2,400,000 Burger King Whoppers
  • According to a recent study conducted by the University of Michigan, a person should take three half-hour naps at work each week in order to lower the risk of heart-related death.
  • It is estimated that U.S. businesses are losing close to $150 billion per year due to lost productivity as a result of fatigue.

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.

Border Business

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Have you tried to keep up with the dissension over the proposed U.S.-Mexico border fence? Maybe it’s too far from your home to be concerned. Maybe you feel you have absolutely no impact on the final outcome. Maybe that’s exactly what some people in Washington D.C. want you to think. I don’t want to debate the “should we – shouldn’t we” aspect of the fence. That’s far too political and certainly can’t be settled here. I just want you to be aware of some of the most current data surrounding this issue and remind you that YOU’RE PAYING FOR IT!

I’ve very curious as to why no one in this entire country can agree on what should be done, how it will be done, when it will be done, and what it will cost. There seems to be a different story every day. As a result of the continuous chaos surrounding this controversial issue, I did a little research. The following facts, overwhelming at first glance, came from two sources: The Congressional Research Service and the Congressional Budget Office. After browsing these eye-opening facts, you might want to consider contacting your Senators or Representatives to tell them how you feel. Don’t use the excuse that you don’t know who they are or how to reach them.

Visit the U.S. Senate website to learn who your Senators are and how to reach them, or to do the same for your Representatives, visit the U.S House of Representative website. With two simple clicks, you’re talking business to those who had better listen. They recently saw strong evidence of what can happen if they don’t listen to those of us who sent them to D.C.

Now, sit down in a comfortable chair, buckle your seat belt, and try to digest the following:

Last year the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the proposed border-fence would cost about $3 million a mile — or $2.1 billion for the entire 700-mile barrier!

Did those numbers knock you out of that comfy chair? Listen to this. A new study by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service says the cost could easily be up to 25 times more than any previous estimate. That would be a figure approaching $50 billion! What few people bother to challenge is the fact that our shared border with Mexico is 1,933.4 miles long, and thus far the only plans proposed are for a 700-mile barricade! Let’s hope border-hopping illegals don’t figure out how to walk around the fence! And let’s not even discuss the fact that the fence has a life expectancy of only 25 years!

Again, we’re not discussing “fence – no fence” here. What I can’t understand is how two supposedly legitimate organizations made up of what I would assume to be loyal, educated, experienced participants can focus on the same project and arrive at conclusions so diametrically opposed: $2 Billion and $50 Billion! That’s not even close and, until the truth is revealed and verified beyond a shadow of a doubt, the credibility of both organizations is at stake!

I think it’s safe to say that any organization inside the Beltway (I-495) is capable of manufacturing facts and figures, which inevitably support and promote their own personal agendas. Until that focus is redirected to an agenda benefiting all Americans, regardless of party affiliation, the chaos will continue, and WE will continue to foot the bill.

In the meantime, consider the following facts of interest concerning the U.S.-Mexico border:

  • The U.S.-Mexico border is the world’s busiest.
  • The U.S. employs over 12,000 border patrol agents.
  • More than 90-million vehicles cross the border every year.
  • Two of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., Laredo and McAllen, Texas, are on the border.
  • Trade between the two countries averages $795 million per day.
  • A record 473 migrants died at or near the border in 2005, primarily due to a heat wave.
  • The border patrol also rescued 2,750 illegals that same year.
  • California shares 140.4 miles of the border with Mexico.
  • New Mexico shares 179.5 miles of the border with Mexico.
  • Arizona shares 372.5 miles of the border with Mexico.
  • Texas shares 1,241 miles of the border with Mexico.

Let’s hope this very political issue doesn’t join the ranks of so many other fiascos evolving from opposing bureaucratic agendas. Your call can make difference. Pick up the phone and demand accountability and share your personal view.

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.