The more I search this nation for examples of superior customer service, the more I find just the opposite.

What in the world has happened to the concept of people taking pride in their products, services, and the company for which they work? It’s fast becoming a thing of the past!

Then, of course, when I least expect it … out of nowhere … emerges a perfect example that restores my faith in what can and is being done to raise the bar in a crucial area which is quick becoming a dying art … customer care, concern and service!

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is seldom a favorite choice for organizations to offer training to their employees. It’s simply a hectic, transitional, and often stressful time that many consider non conducive to employee training.

However, this past holiday season I had the opportunity to spend a training day with an organization whose unconventional thinking has continued to pay off in the areas of growth, productivity, and continued success!

Due to the nature of its business, you may not have heard of this organization, but EBS Healthcare is the global leader in birth to 21-year-old programs and the largest provider of services to the pediatric population. It constantly demonstrates an unparalleled commitment to providing the highest quality services, training, mentorship, and support. It is known for its dedication in advancing the field and its passion for developing the best and brightest clinicians possible. Through its family of services it is positively impacting the lives of children. Its comprehensive programs include:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Special Education
• School Psychology
• Nursing

This particular seminar was my third opportunity to work with this unique Pennsylvania-based organization as I have spent time with them in Florida and Las Vegas over the past few years. On each occasion, I discovered more interesting aspects of this culture of pride, enthusiasm, focus on quality and growth, and a rare dedication to the satisfaction of each and every client it serves.

When you walk into a room where members of this organization are gathered, you can feel it in the air, hear it in the words, see it on the faces, and marvel at the results. What is it that thrives within a culture like this? What makes them stand out from the rest? There are others who posses these qualities and traits, but they are far and few between.

I guess sharing another day in this environment led me to the age-old question I posed in the title of this article. “What came first?… the chicken or the egg?”

Here’s an organization that already boasts “Raving Fans” all over the globe.

Its continuous training efforts continue to spark its growth and success.

They respect and cooperate with one another as a team at levels I seldom see.

They listen to and communicate with their clients for the benefit of everyone involved.

And yet they still assemble regularly in training sessions similar to the one I facilitated to enhance and support their efforts in all of the crucial areas noted above.

Obviously, they’re already doing these things and doing them better than most.

So did the respect, support, and involvement of employee training come from the heart of the culture OR did the culture result from the “continuous and never-ending improvement” derived from the pursuit of on-going training? The chicken or the egg—that is the question.

I’m not really certain the answer is that important because here we find one of those rare organizations which has mastered the marriage of the culture and continuous search for knowledge to discover and experience the success which follows.

These rare organizations exist in most every industry but they are, indeed, few and far between. Our country is in dire need of many more cultures like this in order to restores to the level of success we once enjoyed as a global leader.

Are you taking steps to achieve such lofty goals?

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.

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Some of life’s best lessons emerge daily and seldom appear in textbooks. Look around, read the news, watch TV, and get online. They say “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear!” Well, in this country, that can happen every day. Simply be ready.

Let me give you an example I found in today’s paper. The headline read: “Ford likely to show $8 billion annual profit — its biggest in a decade.”

That was the headline, but the lesson lies in the back-story and a little time on Google. The effort is certainly worth the small investment of your time as it can impact you and your organization in a very substantial way.

Let’s recognize a few facts here that make that headline REAL news.

• Ford Motor Company LOST $30 billion from 2006 to 2008!
• Less than two years ago, Ford was burning through several billion dollars of cash per quarter!
• Crosstown rivals, GM and Chrysler, went bankrupt during the Auto Industry crisis of 2008-2009. Ford was the only one of the Detroit Big Three that did not ask for a government loan!
• While GM and Chrysler expect to be dramatically downsized as a result of bankruptcy, Ford is poised to emerge as the largest U.S. automaker and shows signs of a remarkable recovery.

This sounds like a fairy tale which defies all conventional wisdom. How and why did it happen and how can YOU benefit from learning the answers to these questions. It’s actually very simple and basic. One might even say it’s common sense if not for the fact that common sense isn’t very common in today’s chaotic business environment.

Here’s how it happened.

In 2006, William Clay Ford stepped down from his responsibilities as President and CEO of Ford Motor Company. That must have been a very difficult decision for the great-grandson of the company’s founder Henry Ford.

William Clay Ford remained as Executive Chairman of the Board but named Alan Mulally to take on the leadership roles as President and CEO.

Mulally arrived in Detroit after serving several leadership roles at Boeing during his illustrious 37-year career, culminating with his role of President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Many people questioned the wisdom of bringing an “airplane guy” into the automotive world. He was asked how he was going to handle something as complex and unfamiliar as the auto business. He quickly replied: “An automobile has about 10,000 moving parts, right? An airplane has two million and it has to stay up in the air!”

Since his arrival in the Motor City, many astute observers have declared that Mulally’s success has had little or nothing to do with his knowledge of airplanes or cars but rather his unusual knowledge, respect and focus on people.

Granted, education and experience played key roles in the many crucial decisions he made in leading Ford out of a disastrous circumstance. They are all documented in great detail and will be religiously studied for decades in leadership and management annals worldwide.

However, probably overlooked, but just as critical to his success, has been his ability to inspire, lead, and communicate with people at every level of the business world.

Study his interactions with:

• Ford’s Board and leadership team.
• The United Auto Workers.
• Supervisors at every level.
• Front-line employees.
• Vendors.
• Government officials.
• Current and future customers.
• Investors.

Allan Mulally is truly gifted with people skills which have turned around one of the largest organizations in the world while impacting a global industry, hundreds of thousands of employees and customers worldwide as well as a vast number of major cities around the globe.

Think about that as you strive to enhance your leadership skills to obtain future success for your organization as well as yourself. Focus on critical people skills as you train your future leaders. It’s quite evident that many organizations could benefit greatly from the valuable lessons learned at Ford. Have you?

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.

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In today’s chaotic environment, limiting this list to just ten reasons may seem a bit restrictive. I say that because our enthusiastic media is kind enough to provide us with dozens of reasons every day. Listed below are the TOP TEN reasons you should delay that critical pursuit of what you consider to be success.

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. There is absolutely NO reason why you should delay pursuing your success … regardless of how that may be defined for you personally.

While many others may provide you with dozens of what they may call good reasons, you don’t have to accept any of them … and certainly shouldn’t.

In fact, it’s much easier and more productive to create a list of reasons why you SHOULDN’T delay that life-changing pursuit. Let’s face it — You aren’t getting any younger! Are you willing to wait for the possibility that things may get better soon? Take action! Close that knowing-doing gap.

There IS a strategy that will help you do just that. We cover it in great detail in our goal-setting seminar, On Your Mark, Get Set, Goal! Below you’ll find a brief outline of those crucial Dynamic Dozen steps that will guide you in your pursuit of success!

1. Desire (no true desire = no pursuit)
2. Belief (essential for success)
3. Write it down (programming your subconscious)
4. Determine benefits (WIIFMs – “What’s In It For Me”)
5. Analyze present position (essential for developing journey to desired destination)
6. Set deadlines (critical discipline)
7. Identify obstacles (to develop strategy to overcome them)
8. Clearly define needed knowledge (required for strategy application)
9. Clearly identify people, groups and organizations you’ll need (network strength)
10. Visualize your goal as accomplished (see it to believe it)
11. Create a strategy (based on previous 10 steps)
12. Make it happen with determination and persistence (close the knowing-doing gap)

Now begin your pursuit and make 2011 the foundational year that leads to the success you seek!

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.

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Apparently, as a culture, we are quickly learning to adapt to the need of expanding our comfort zones and taking calculated risks. I’m sure much of that has evolved from the current chaotic state of existence in the U.S. today.

Last week, I shared the importance of realistically dealing with the three stages of your comfort zone. I was a bit surprised at the number of comments I received from readers on a subject which many avoid at all cost.

One of our subscribers, wishing to remain anonymous, shared the following observation of those afraid to risk.

Do you feel a little nervous when contemplating the execution of a risk—however so slight? Are you afraid to commit due to the uncertainty of the outcome? Do you have a fear of failing? Do you find yourself tending to wait until all possible risks have been minimized before setting out in a new direction?

Though caution and common sense are certainly important, sometimes taking a risk simply can’t be avoided. The avoidance of taking that risk may very well be more detrimental than actually taking the risk. Consider the following possibilities:

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement.

To expose feelings is to risk revealing your true self.

To place your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk rejection.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying.

To hope is to risk disappointment.

To try is to risk failure.

However, risks MUST be taken in today’s environment. The greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing!

Those who risk nothing, do nothing, have nothing, and become nothing. They may avoid present suffering and sorrow, but they will not learn, feel, change, grow, love or live. Chained by their fear, they are slaves who have forfeited their freedom. Only a person who risks is free.

The pessimist complains about the wind;

The optimist expects it to change.

And the realist adjusts the sails!

Is fear preventing you from taking a necessary risk today? You might want to seriously consider the alternative.

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.

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An intricate segment of our Leadership Boot Camp focuses on the importance of risk-taking and the expansion of comfort zones. There was a time when inclusion of these topics may well have been debatable. However, today’s chaotic environment requires that we take calculated risks as we continually strive to expand our current comfort zones. Failure to do so will inevitably lead to catastrophe for both individuals as well as organizations.

Ironically, most of those in leadership roles today have received very little, if any, training, exposure or preparation concerning either of these crucial areas. Expertise in these areas is usually acquired “under fire” in “real time” situations.

That must change in the future if the U.S. is to return to its lofty station of world leadership.

An old poem by Richard Armour makes a good point:

The bride, white of hair, is stooped over her cane
Her faltering footsteps need guiding.
While down the church aisle, with a toothless smile,
The groom in a wheelchair comes riding.
And who is this elderly couple you ask?
You’ll find, when you’ve closely explored it,
That here is that rare, most conservative pair,
Who waited ’til they could afford it!

Sensible thinking? Maybe. However, how many wonderful experiences have you missed in your life because you were waiting until everything was perfect? General George Patton said, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed some day.” This is excellent advice in this day of rapid changes and constantly changing scenarios. We no longer have the luxury of long-term planning.

Are you reluctant to take a risk? Maybe even afraid? Are you cautious to commit because of an uncertain future? Afraid of failing? You may not wait an entire lifetime before making a major decision, but do you tend to wait until all possible risks are minimized before setting out in a new direction?

Our life can be divided into three crucial areas in relation to our future success.

1. Comfort Zone
2. Learning Zone
3. Panic Zone

Everything you do falls into one of these critical zones. Your acknowledgment, management and manipulation of these crucial areas can and will determine your future success.

The key lies in identifying and enhancing your current comfort zone, constantly utilizing and expanding your learning zone, and therefore diminishing your panic zone. This is a never-ending process which cannot be ignored if you seek continuous grow, contentment, and prosperity.

Consider the three zones … determine where you are in relation to various aspects of your life, and create an action plan to accommodate necessary changes.

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.

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There are so many reality shows on television today that most of us don’t even notice when new ones emerge almost every week. However, let’s imagine for a moment, that YOU were the focus of a reality show scheduled for prime time on the nation’s most popular network.

Let’s say the premise was this: You were asked to develop a list of life goals and then given 100 days to pursue them. In addition, a full camera crew would follow you 24 hours a day, every day for every one of the 100 days.

I’m sure, if you’re honest with yourself, you can easily imagine exactly what would happen. Not even knowing you at all, I can safely predict three things that would definitely occur:

1. You would START doing the things you really need to do in order to reach those goals.
2. You would STOP doing the things you know you shouldn’t be doing because they’re preventing you from reaching those goals.
3. You would MAKE monumental performance gains and change your life within a mere 100 days … just a little over three months!

Why do we both know these three things would happen? It’s actually quite simple. They would happen as a result of the discipline of ACCOUNTABILITY.

Accountability serves and protects your character, credibility and commitments. It ensures that what you want to accomplish gets accomplished. Throughout every area of your life it’s important to understand that ALL unfinished goals, projects and relationships are the result of broken promises, unfulfilled commitments, and lack of accountability … to yourself as well as others.

If we all know that #3 listed above would actually happen, why in the world don’t we just pretend that we’re being followed around by a camera crew? I can’t think of a more opportune time to put forth such a simplistic and powerful effort.

Gary Ryan Blair, otherwise know as “The Goals Guy”, has inspired millions of people to learn more about the tremendous power of goal setting. Gary offers handbooks, e-learning, training, teleseminars, keynote speeches, coaching and a free weekly newsletter.

Go to Gary’s website today ( http://www.goalsguy.com/home.html ) and take a look at the wealth of information he offers to assist you in your journey to personal and professional success. Share the power of goal setting with your co-workers, family and friends. You can and will make a difference in this country at a time when we need it more than ever before.

Note: Looking for a great Christmas present for your children and/or grandchildren? Introduce them to the powerful strategy of goal setting. It will impact them for the rest of their lives in a most positive way!

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.

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The older I get, the easier it is for me to be empathetic. It wasn’t always that way. For more years than I’d like to admit, I was stubborn and bull-headed. For the longest time, it was “my way or the highway!” I still have flashes of that attitude. It doesn’t hurt to stand your ground from time to time. However, today I also strive to be more empathetic when needed.

The dictionary offers a number of definitions for empathy but the following pretty well sums up the concept: “The ability to put one’s self into the psychological frame of reference or point of view of another, to feel what another feels.”

Now, in my view, that doesn’t mean that I have to agree with someone else’s point of view. It simply means that I try to understand how they feel about something. It goes a long way in helping me better communicate with that person.

I’m also a people watcher. I’ve found that it’s a tremendous way of learning people skills and discovering how we all differ in our thinking. I’m fortunate in having many opportunities to people watch. I spend a lot of time in airports in the midst of thousands of people from different locations. I do a lot of work in many large cities populated with people from locations far and wide.

At a recent leadership seminar, I was sitting at a table during a break having a Coke with 8 to 10 participants. Somehow the conversation turned to voting, and it didn’t take long for things to get heated. Half the group felt it was a privilege and responsibility to vote and that every citizen should do so at every opportunity … local, state and federal.

The other half of the group felt voting was a choice, and it came with more negatives than positives. I must admit that I’ve always leaned toward the philosophy of the first group. However, it was interesting to listen to, and empathize, with those sharing the alternative philosophy.

Here are a couple of reasons they shared:

• “I don’t vote because registering places my name on the jury duty list, and I can’t afford to take time off work for jury duty at $12 a day! I have a family to feed.”
• “I don’t vote because I don’t approve of or agree with either candidate. If you had a choice of voting for a proven thief or a proven liar … which would you choose if you didn’t want either leading your city, state or country? Would you vote for one of those two simply because you had the privilege of voting.”
• “Why is it we have 50 choices for Miss America and only two, neither of which I approve of, for the highest office on earth—President of the U.S.?”
• “Why should I take the time off work to vote when the last three elections have proven that my vote meant nothing. The election was decided by those in power—not the popular vote.”
• “We can put a man on the moon and transplant a living heart, but we can’t properly count votes for something as critical as President of the U.S.!”

Listening to these comments and watching the sincerity with which they were shared, I suddenly had a greater respect for empathy. I didn’t have to agree with any one of those positions, but I could understand where they were coming from.

Last year more people voted for American Idol than they did for President of the United States! Maybe it’s time for those in power to be more empathetic and strive to address some of these issues that currently prevent so many from exercising this critical right to vote.

Instead, we see them on TV screaming at each other and calling each other liars. Maybe this would be a good time for some empathy.

By the way, as for those on break during the seminar … neither side budged an inch!

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.

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For some time now, there has been controversy surrounding the popular theory which suggests that we “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.”

Richard Carlson, Ph.D., was considered to be one of the foremost experts on happiness and stress reduction. As the author of 30 popular books including the runaway bestseller, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff … and it’s all small stuff, he showed millions of people how not to let the small things in life get the best of them.

Apparently, Carlson’s advice struck a nerve with readers worldwide as his book was an instant success!

• The book made publishing history as USA Today’s #1 bestselling book for two consecutive years.
• The title spent more than 100 consecutive weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.
• The book is considered one of the fastest selling books of all time.
• In 2004, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff was voted one of the top ten most-read books in the past decade!
• 26 million books have been published in 35 languages in over 130 countries.

However, in spite of all of this success, Carlson’s advice was often misunderstood. His focus to readers was how not to let the small things in life get the best of them. That advice, of course was right on the money. Many people, however, interpreted the message to be more along the lines of “don’t waste your time and energy on details.” This interpretation certainly IS NOT the author’s message, and those who have adopted this philosophy have done themselves and others a major disservice.

In today’s chaotic and competitive environment, attention to detail has been the decisive factor determining success or failure for many organizations across industries. It will certainly continue to do so.

Think about some of the things that aggravate customers today—sometimes to the point where they take their business elsewhere.

• Having to hunt down a waiter for more coffee or the check.
• Not receiving a genuine welcome or prompt greeting.
• Waiting too long on hold when making reservations.
• Waiting too long for service.
• Having to stand in line.
• Personnel lacking product knowledge.
• Phone calls transferred several times.
• Unclean silverware or glass.
• Apathetic personnel.
• A filthy bathroom.
• Lack of eye contact.
• Lack of a simple smile.

I think you would have to agree that all of these examples could be considered “small stuff,” “details,” “the basics.” Yet more people switch loyalties and alliances for reasons similar to those listed above than they do for what may be considered as major concerns.

The “big stuff” occurs less often, demands immediate attention, and is seldom repeated. The “small stuff” is seldom noticed by those who should address such issues, seldom seems to be addressed, contributes to a lasting “image,” and is often discussed among customers who have little tolerance for such lack of concern.

Note that successful organizations in all industries today are indeed training their people, communicating a philosophy, and focusing on the importance of “sweating the small stuff” to insure customer satisfaction and future success. Big things happen when you do the little things right!

If asked, how would your employees respond to the need to “sweat the small stuff”? Do you 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.

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In our continuing effort to encourage the closing of the knowing-doing gap, we recommend that everyone maintains an open mind and willingness to learn life’s lessons whenever and wherever possible.

Wisdom from the past or present can be applied to everyday problems, challenges, speed bumps and even opportunities. We need only be open to the power of re-framing. Constant repetition permits us to become more proficient in applying the wisdom of others, past or present, to deal with our current day needs.

As an example, let’s travel back to the time of Noah and the great flood to see the many valuable lessons we can adapt to today’s challenging times.

Let’s count the lessons we should have learned from Noah:

1. Don’t miss the boat.
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
3. Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.
4. Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
5. Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
6. For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.
7. Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
8. When you’re stressed, float a while.
9. Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
10. No matter the storm, there’s always a rainbow waiting.

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.

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Change is exciting. Change is threatening.

Change is good, and change is bad.

We usually discuss change in terms of how it affects the way we conduct business in today’s challenging, chaotic environment. We seldom take the time to think about how change has impacted family life.

Generational differences can be humorous at times and debilitating at other times. Maybe we should consider the possibility of resurrecting some of yesteryear’s basic values in the hope that they may still have some positive influence on today’s young people.

When you look back at those who survived the 40s to 70s, you suddenly realize these generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem-solvers, inventors and leaders ever!

In fact, the past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. Those responsible for these great accomplishments had freedom, failure, success and responsibility and actually learned how to deal with it all. Of course, that was before lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good. Today, we protect our young generation from the very elements which made us so strong.

There are those today who really can’t understand how many of us born in that period even survived our childhood. Think about it.

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn’t get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no child proof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. I can even remember hitchhiking everywhere before I got my own car.

As infants and children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

I remember riding in the back of a pick up truck on a warm day and considered that a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose. We never could have imagined paying for water in a fancy imported bottle from the grocery store.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and NO ONE actually died from this. In fact, I remember sharing my ice cream cone with trusty dog, Scout.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren’t overweight—and for good reason: WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were OK.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendos, X-boxes, Wii games, or iPods. We were lucky to have 12 channels much less 300 on cable, no video movies or DVDs, no surround-sound or CDs, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chatrooms.

WE HAD FRIENDS, and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend’s house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn’t had to learn to deal with disappointment. We kept score at every game. We were allowed to lose. I remember the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Not everyone got to play an equal amount of time. Imagine that!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we got in trouble at school was unheard of. They actually sided with the teacher!

Our adult neighbors pulled us out of the road, scolded us, smacked us on the butt and sent us home when needed because it took a village to raise a child. You certainly won’t find that today.

We tried. We failed. We tried again. We succeeded. We learned. We survived. We thrived.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn’t 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.

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