Ancient Secret Finally Revealed

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Author John Gardner once said: “Most ailing organizations have developed a functional blindness to their own defects.” We seem to have more ailing organizations today than at any time in our recordable history. Today, there are a multitude of businesses who are involved with a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or simply going out of business.

“Functional blindness” appropriately describes many of today’s company policies. Some are so antiquated it causes one to pause and wonder if anyone ever reads the manual any longer. Where did these ludicrous thoughts, posing as policy, originate?

The National Association of Human Resource Absurdities conducted extensive research in the 50s in hopes of answering that very question. Their findings were both revealing and authenticated via multiple experiments and findings. However, they chose to conceal their findings for the simple reason that they felt society was not ready for such a revelation.

Fifty plus years later they have apparently decided that the business world has matured to the level that the truth can and must finally be accepted. For those of you who may doubt the authenticity of the research results, please feel free to conduct your own experiment. It’s actually very simple.

Begin with a cage containing five monkeys.

Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it.

Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana.

As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result, and all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon the monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth.

Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey. After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that’s the way it’s always been done around here.

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.

Project Hope Creep

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Professional Speaker Jeffrey W. Drake has made presentations on subjects such as communication styles, creative problem solving, goal setting, leadership, project management, stress management, teamwork, and time management.Our custom-designed “Project Management: From Concept to Completion” seminar contains many basic tools for project managers. Project managers have many challenges to deal with. One area of challenges frequently addressed is that of project creep.

There are many excellent books on project management in the marketplace. One particular book, Effective Project Management by Wysocki, Beck, and Crane, very clearly addresses the project creep area and in particular the topic of hope creep.

Project management is much more than procedures. Effective project managers know how to work with the people in their project team. Hope creep can be a major problem for the project manager. A project manager may assign team members to be activity managers within the project.

Team members are typically nice people, and they may not want to give the project manager any bad news about the slow progress. The team members “hope” they can catch up by the next report period or project team meeting to be back on schedule. As a result, the project manager needs to check the accuracy of the status reports and closely monitor progress at project team meetings.

About Jeffrey W. Drake

Jeffrey W. Drake, Ph.D., is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm specializing in custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Jeff has made presentations ranging from leadership to empowered teams and project management to communication styles for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, and manufacturing. For more information on Jeff's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

The Need to Read

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Mark Twain once said: “The person who does not read good books has absolutely no advantage over the person who can’t read. At all!”

Reading is a primary source of new knowledge and skills for more success in life.

This is the “Information Age.” Half of what we know today, we did not know fifteen years ago.

The amount of knowledge has doubled in the last fifteen years and is said to be doubling again every eighteen months.

95% of all the books in America are purchased by only 5% of the people. The other 95% of the people purchase the other 5% of the books. (They probably don’t read them; they don’t have the time; they give them away as gifts.)

The average person reads at approximately 200 words per minute.

The average person, reading just 15 minutes per day, can read one book per month, 12 books per year.

The average person retains only 5% of what is read once, after 30 days. Therefore, take notes, file your data for easy access at a later date.

We receive more information in one day than people in the early 1900s received in their lifetime. So if you feel you don’t have the time to read, try “driving a book.” You’ll be amazed at how productive this method can be.

Commuting distances and times are still growing each year, with the average commuter now spending about 90 minutes per day in the car, just getting to and from work … 45 minutes each way. Therefore:

90 Minutes a Day is:
Approximately 7.5 Hours a Week
X 50 Weeks a Year (two weeks vacation) =

 375 Hours Per Year Or
47 8-Hour Days

Today, you can find a wide variety of books on audio cassette or CD, providing you with the opportunity to listen to your favorite book while driving to and from work every day. Consider how many books you could listen to in 47 eight-hour days! That’s how you gain a competitive edge rather than falling victim to the stresses of your daily commute!

For those of you who would rather read your book than listen to others read it to you, there is still another choice for you. Remember the very helpful Cliff Notes we all used in high school as we denied their existence? Well, today there are several companies who are doing the same thing with current best sellers. Check out www.summaries.com and www.bizsum.com for examples!

Today’s typical 200- to 300-page book can cost you anywhere from $20 to $40 and can take up to 20 to 25 hours to read! These new services have condensed the content to no more than eight pages which take about an hour to read and can cost as low as $1.92 per book when purchasing in quantity and even FREE on other sites!

Increasing reading speed and comprehension is an essential tool in today’s competitive environment, and it is the most immediate and easiest time management tool to increase your career success. As our challenges change so do our opportunities to cope with them. Take a moment to do a little research, and you’ll certainly reap some great benefits.

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.

Wendy Weeps

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The nation’s third-largest hamburger chain, known for its square hamburger, chocolate Frosty dessert, unique commercials, Dave Thomas, and his red-headed, pig-tailed, freckle-faced daughter is now owned by Atlanta-based Triarc Companies, known to most as Arby’s. Triarc will pay about $2.34 billion in an all-stock deal for Wendy’s, based in suburban Dublin. Wendy’s now operates about 6,600 restaurants in the United States and abroad while Triarc operates 3,700 Arby’s restaurants.

The deal comes as Wendy’s struggles with declining profits and weak sales compared with rivals McDonalds Corp. and Burger King Holdings Inc. In the past year, Wendy’s has spun off its Tim Hortons coffee-and-doughnut chain and sold its money-losing Baja Fresh Mexican Grill. Triarc also owns shares of Tiffany & Co. and The Cheesecake Factory Inc., according to regulatory filings.

Wendy’s has failed to connect with consumers in several advertising campaigns since founder Dave Thomas’ death in 2002. Thomas, always wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and red tie, became a household face when he began pitching his burgers and fries in television commercials in 1989.

Triarc also said expansions for both brands are planned for the U.S. and overseas and that the company will look at a dual-concept unit in high-cost real estate markets. Triarc said it will also change its name to include the Wendy’s name.

Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas opened his first restaurant in 1969. Thomas, who died in 2002, became a pitchman for his burgers and fries in 1989. The deal caps two chaotic years for Wendy’s in which it has sold or spun off operations, slashed its corporate staff and had its wholesome image tarnished by a woman who falsely claimed she found part of a finger in her chili.

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.

If I Had It to Do Over

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The majority of the Generational Gems we’ve shared with you thus far were revealed to me in my late 20s and early 30s. I firmly believe that had I been exposed to this wisdom a mere decade earlier, it would have altered my career path in a much more productive way.

That’s why we’ve decided to share these gems with you … in the hopes that you may find them educational, entertaining, humorous and worthy of being passed on to younger generations. Maybe, just maybe, exposure to one of these gems might just cause someone to pause, consider other options, re-frame their thinking or simply be a little more open-minded to a different approach.

Today’s gem is another that has been passed down from generation to generation and happens to be created by my favorite author … “Anonymous.” It has certainly stood the test of time because of its simplicity and the vivid images it thrusts upon every reader.

There is a legend of three horsemen crossing the desert in the middle of the night. Suddenly, out of the darkness came a thunderous voice commanding them to dismount and fill their pockets with pebbles. After they had obeyed and remounted, the voice declared, “Tomorrow at sun-up you will be both glad and sad.”

When dawn came, each of the three horsemen reached into their pockets and discovered not pebbles, but diamonds. Then they were both glad and sad — glad they had taken as many as they had, sad that they had not taken even more!

And so it is with opportunities! Life presents us with many possibilities. We sacrifice far too many for reasons we no longer remember … fear, uncertainty, timing, lack of education or experience, possibility of failure and the list goes on. You can change that pattern TODAY.

Take a calculated risk! ACT outside that proverbial box! Expand your current comfort zone. Try something new! Find a mentor. Ask questions. Do research. Take a class. Benchmark. Read. Observe. Listen. In short … take action! Although each of these activities appear simplistic in nature, their value as critical strategies cannot be denied.

To avoid the regrets of the three horsemen who missed an opportunity, consider adapting the above strategies in your search and recognition of the many opportunities which await all of us. Hopefully you’ll never have to utter those sad words: “If I had it to do over.”

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.

Key to Success? Ya Gotta Get Up!

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I recently received a note from the wife of a gentleman who attended one of my keynotes last year. After the program he and his wife were browsing our website, and she was drawn to one of our features, “When The Going Gets Tough.” She said she was attracted to the inspirational content and the brevity of each anecdote which allows her to fit it into her class schedule on a regular basis.

She noted that her students have enjoyed hearing and discussing these various accounts and found them a means of encouragement for those times when things simply aren’t going as well as hoped.

At one time or another we’ve probably all enjoyed telling our children or grandchildren how difficult it was growing up back in the day — walking to school in a snow storm, uphill, both ways; having to actually walk up to our TV sets and physically turn a knob to change channels or adjust the volume; having to cope with a party line or actually dialing our telephone; and having to use a camera rather than a cell phone to take pictures.

While things may have seemed tough as we look back, I shudder to think what today’s young people will have to deal with in the coming decades. A quick glance at our current media gives you an idea of how rapidly things are changing: we’re about to have our first black President, female President, or oldest President in our history; jobs are quickly becoming our largest export, our national debt is growing to unequaled heights, reality TV has taken over the airways, and more people voted for American Idol than they did in our last Presidential election! Makes my childhood snow storm look like spring break in Aruba!

Ya Gotta Get Up!Our young people are destined to fall from time to time. Probably more so than we did. Sometime they will be pushed down. Some will try to hold them down. Our message to them is simple: “Ya gotta get up!” That will be their key not only to survival but to attaining success in their chosen endeavors.

Today’s generation must study examples of those in our past who have fallen many times and managed to go on to fulfill their dreams. That what this series is all about. When you study successful people, you’ll see that they’ve made plenty of mistakes and experienced many challenges, but when they were knocked down, they kept getting up … again and again. For instance,

  • Dr. Seuss’s first children’s book was rejected by 23 publishers.
  • Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team as a sophomore — no potential!
  • Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he finally succeeded.
  • Apple Computer was rejected by Hewlett-Packard and Atari.
  • Coca-Cola sold only 400 Cokes in its first year!
  • Walt Disney was once fired by a newspaper. The reason? Lack of ideas!
  • Beethoven’s violin teacher declared him hopeless as a composer!
  • IBM, GE, and RCA all rejected the Xerox machine!
  • Parker Brothers turned down Trivial Pursuit!
  • Helen Keller, totally deaf and blind, graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College, and went on to become a famous author and lecturer.
  • An MGM executive advised against investing in Gone With The Wind saying “Forget it. No Civil War picture ever made a nickel!”
  • Another famous MGM memo emerged after the first showing of The Wizard of OZ … it read: “That rainbow song’s no good. Take it out!”

Everyone seems to enjoy and appreciate learning how well-known people from all walks of life have overcome obstacles to achieve their current level of success. On our web site, we currently offer a total of seven segments under the title: When The Going Gets Tough. Within those seven segments, you’ll find a total of 41 short, interesting, anecdotes that will certainly add a little inspiration and encouragement to your daily grind. There is much to be learned from observing the efforts of others as they strive to succeed. We feature snippets concerning both individuals and organizations.

In the future, all additions to this series will appear here on the blog for your convenience. Share these stories with your children and grandchildren as there is much to learn from the tribulations and triumphs of those who have attained great notoriety. Current and future leaders can also benefit from revisiting these interesting revelations.

Check our first blog installment as well as those on our website. We look forward to adding future examples as well.

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 Champion’s Philosophy

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Can you imagine being born in a major league baseball city and years later actually playing pro ball for your home town? That alone would be a great achievement, and that’s exactly what happened to Pete Rose. However, “Charlie Hustle” didn’t stop there.

Pete went on to become the all-time Major League leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562) and at bats (14,053). He won three World Series rings, three batting titles, two gold gloves, one Most Valuable Player award, the Rookie of the Year Award, and made 17 All-Star appearances at an unequaled five different positions (2B, LF, RF, 3B & 1B). Pete earned his nickname of “Charlie Hustle” in every game he played. He’s the only player I ever saw who would sprint to first base even when being walked and his signature move was his thrilling headfirst slide into a base. In short, Pete Rose, was an inspiration to fans both young and old. He went on to manage the Cincinnati Reds for six years after retiring as an active player.

Like so many of today’s great athletes, Pete’s career will forever be viewed under a cloud of accusations. Rose agreed to permanent ineligibility from baseball after being accused of gambling on baseball games while playing for and managing the Reds.

This issue will be debated as long as fans discuss the sport. However, what can never be argued is this man’s ability, accomplishments, tenacity, discipline, determination, personal drive, and hustle. Here’s an example which we should be able to adopt to our personal and business endeavors.

Pete was being interviewed in spring training the year he was about to break Ty Cobb’s all time record. One of the many reporters in attendance asked: “Pete, you’re only 78 hits away from breaking the record. How many at-bats do you think you’ll need to get 78 hits?” Without hesitation, Pete stared at the reporter and very matter-of-factly said, “78.” The reporter laughed and quickly replied, “Ah, come on, Pete, you don’t really expect to get 78 hits at 78 at-bats do you?”

At that point, Pete calmly shared his philosophy with the group of reporters who were anxiously awaiting his reply to this seemingly boastful claim. “Every time I step into that batter’s box, I expect to get a hit! If I don’t expect to get a hit, I have no right to step up to the plate in the first place!”

“If I go up to bat hoping to get a hit,” he went on, “then I probably don’t have a prayer of getting a hit. It’s my positive expectations that has gotten me all of the hits I’ve gotten so far. Without it, I may as well stay in the clubhouse!”

Pete expected no less from all of those he managed later in his career. This is certainly a message we should take to heart ourselves while making certain we pass it on to future generations. It is truly a philosophy of a champion!

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 Proven Strategy for Reducing Stress

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In today’s stressful world, picking up the newspaper, turning on the TV, or going to the Internet can cause tremendous stress. There are simply too many issues affecting us today which are beyond our sphere of control. As a result, stress levels are soaring.

However, fear not, as recent research by the Association of Critical Stress Factors has produced a long-awaited strategy which guarantees not only a reduction in your stress level but also actually provides a certain level of personal satisfaction and joy.

Sit in a comfortable chair.
Turn on soft, soothing music.
Relax as you close your eyes.
Visualize yourself near a refreshing country stream.
Feel the warmth of a radiating sun on your face.
Enjoy the cool, refreshing afternoon breeze.
Imagine birds singing in the crisp, cool mountain air.
Know that nothing can bother you in this safe, pleasant location.
No one on earth knows this secret place.
The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.
The cool water is fresh and clear.
You can easily make out the face of the person whose head you are holding under the water.
There now, feeling better?

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 Going Crazy?

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Every now and then I read something in the newspaper that leads me to believe that I’m being “punked.”

The following comments recently appeared in The Washington Times. I had to verify it via a number of other resources. Let me remind you that this is another decision that was suggested, agreed upon, and carried out by the people that WE have sent to Washington, D.C. to represent our best interests. You may have to read it twice to believe it!

“The United States has outsourced the manufacturing of its electronic passports to overseas companies — including one in Thailand that was victimized by Chinese espionage — raising concerns that cost savings are being put ahead of national security, an investigation by The Washington Times has found.

Lawmakers said they were alarmed by The Times’ findings and plan to investigate why U.S. companies weren’t used to produce the state-of-the-art passports, one of the crown jewels of American border security.

Officials at GPO, the Homeland Security Department and the State Department played down the many obvious concerns, saying they are confident that regular audits and other protections already in place will keep terrorists and foreign spies from stealing or copying the sensitive components to make fake passports.”

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.

The Guy in the Glass

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This enduring narrative was written in 1934 by Dale Wimbrow, an author, songwriter, artist, writer, singer, and painter. He left this world at the very young age of 58 in 1954. In honor of their love and respect for their father, his son and daughter have given permission to any and all to share this particular poem as long as it’s duplicated precisely as it was written and their father is credited.

Over the years, many thought the last word in the first line was a typo and therefore simply changed it from “pelf” to “self,” which appeared to be the obvious replacement. The author actually meant to use the word “pelf,” which means money, wealth, or riches … and that word obviously makes sense. The author’s offspring also points out that, over the years, many people have renamed the poem “The Man in the Glass” but go on to point out that their father’s original title utilized the term “Guy” rather “Man.”

After what seems like an eternity of exposure to our current Presidential candidates, I can’t help but wonder how each of them might respond to this classic poem. I can easily surmise how they might verbally comment to potential voters, but it would be interesting to know how each would truly respond to this powerful challenge. What do you think?

And how about you?

The Guy in the Glass
When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that guy has to say.
For it isn’t your Father or Mother or Wife,
Who judgement upon you must pass.
The feller whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the guy staring back from the glass.
He’s the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
For he’s with you clear up to the end,
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.
You may be like Jack Horner and “chisel” a plum,
And think you’re a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.
You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you’ve cheated the guy in the glass!

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.