Monthly ArchiveJanuary 2007
Fact-A-Day from Harry K. Harry K. Jones on 30 Jan 2007
Fact-A-Day from Harry K. - January 30, 2007
In the spirit of C.A.N.I. (Continuous And Never-ending Improvement), here are this week’s new facts—one for each day of your coming week. Pass them on to others to keep the spirit alive or invite your friends and family to visit our blog where they can also view previous entries.
IT’S SUPER BOWL WEEK!!
- The first Super Bowl game was played in January 1967 as the AFL-NFL World Championship Game.
- After both leagues merged in 1970, the Super Bowl became the NFL’s championship game. Since then, the game has been played annually on a Sunday following the playoffs, originally early to mid January, then late January, and in 2002, the first Sunday in February. This became a permanent change for the 2003 NFL Season.
- No network footage exists of Super Bowl I. It was taped over, supposedly for a soap opera.
- The Vince Lombardi Trophy is made by Tiffany, awarded to the winning Super Bowl team, takes 72 man hours to produce, and costs $12,500. The NFL also pays for up to 150 rings for the winning Super Bowl team at $5,000 a piece (plus adjustments for extra gold or diamonds) and 150 pieces of jewelry for the losing Super Bowl team, each to cost up to half the price of the Super Bowl ring.
- Four teams have an undefeated record in Super Bowl play—the 49ers (5-0), Giants (2-0), Bears (1-0) and Jets (1-0).
- More Americans watched the Super Bowl last February than bothered to vote in the 2004 presidential election.
- The National Retail Federation estimates that about 44 million people attend 7.5 million Super Bowl parties on game day, making it a bigger excuse for a party than New Year’s Eve.
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
Technorati Tags: facts, learn, life-long learning
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Resources Harry K. Jones on 29 Jan 2007
Lucky Seven Spreads Wealth
Christopher M. Knight’s Top7Business is a resource that you’ll want to revisit on a regular basis because it offers an unending, ever-growing source of business information on just about any subject you might be interested in. Article-writing and marketing expert Christopher M. Knight has drawn upon the expertise of more than 100 unique contributors to provide business building tips, secrets, suggestions, and strategies to build your business … regardless of what it may be. Entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, CEOs, chairpeople, coaches, start ups, home-based businesses, and multi-million dollar organizations visit this site regularly for brief seven-point lists on a vast array of business subjects designed to assist them in building and growing their businesses in the shortest period of time.
Knight created Top7Business in 1998 in hopes of finding a way to impact and provide value for millions of people, and this web site and corresponding e-mail newsletters have become the vehicles to that end.
I can’t even begin to scratch the surface of the many actual titles you’ll find on this site. However, here’s a list of the categories you can browse in search of the list that will meet your personal need(s). I found a category that offered only one list and another that offered 124 lists. Take a look for yourself. It’s well worth your time. One visit and you will return.
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In addition to finding a wealth of information, you may be interested in checking out the many discussion forums, submitting your own lists, or signing up to receive new lists as they’re generated. Why not take a moment and check it out right now?
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
Technorati Tags: business
Resources Harry K. Jones on 24 Jan 2007
Tips for Business Meetings, Banquets, or Luncheons
Since the first of the year, we have experienced a marked increase in the number of web site visitors to the page on “Meeting Planning - Luncheon and Banquet Tips.” We’re not sure if this is a seasonal phenomenon, whether it’s the result of increased web traffic, or a combination of the two.
Regardless, we felt we should certainly add this information to the “Resources” area of our blog. The article is short and precise but focuses on the critical aspects that are often overlooked when planning business meetings, banquets, or luncheons. The article shares room set-up and timing issues that one might think would be obvious. However, I’ll bet you remember more meetings for what went wrong or for lack of preparation than you do for those that ran smoothly.
Got a business meeting, banquet, or luncheon on your planning schedule? Visit the page on “Meeting Planning - Luncheon and Banquet Tips“ to take advantage of some critical tips that will insure your success, reduce your stress, and impress those attending your event.
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
Technorati Tags: business meetings, banquets, luncheons
Fact-A-Day from Harry K. Harry K. Jones on 23 Jan 2007
Fact-A-Day from Harry K. - January 23, 2007
In the spirit of C.A.N.I. (Continuous And Never-ending Improvement), here are this week’s new facts—one for each day of your coming week. Pass them on to others to keep the spirit alive or invite your friends and family to visit our blog where they can also view previous entries.
- “The Alphabet Song,” “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” and “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” are all sung to the same music: a 1765 French song titled “Ah! Vous dirais-je, Maman.”
- Lemon Pledge has more lemons than Country Time Lemonade.
- The world’s largest manufacturer of female apparel is Mattel, which makes Barbie clothes.
- It took more than 1,800 years to complete the Great Wall of China.
- The fastest-growing plant on earth is bamboo, which can grow as much as 35 inches a day!
- In the 1950s, the Rocket Chemical Company was working on a product for the aero-space industry that would reduce rust and corrosion by removing moisture from metals. It took them 40 tries to come up with a workable Water Displacement formula. Therefore, they named it WD-40!
- When World War I broke out in 1914, the Becton Dickinson Company had to stop importing German elastic bandages and start making them in the United States. They held a contest to give the new product a name. The winner was a group of doctors who called it ACE for All Cotton Elastic.
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
Technorati Tags: facts, learn, life-long learning
Resources Harry K. Jones on 22 Jan 2007
Fast Company: A Vital Voice of the Changing Business Industry

It doesn’t matter if you’re a globe-trotting corporate CEO or a frustrated cubicle dweller dealing with the day-to-day business challenges on the front lines … you should be reading FAST COMPANY. This magazine has been an informative and vital voice of the changing business industry since 1995.
I often poll audiences at seminars or keynotes to see how many people are aware of this tremendous resource, and I continue to be amazed at the results I get. A good number of those in attendance have never heard of the magazine even though it’s been around for well over a decade. Those who acknowledge their familiarity with FAST COMPANY go on to share that they have been reading it faithfully for years and find it an extraordinary asset for a variety of reasons.
FAST COMPANY is a full-color monthly business magazine that reports on innovation, digital media, technology, change management, leadership, design, and social responsibility. As our competitive global business environment has continually changed, so too has this cutting-edge publication. For instance, I often review past issues in my research on various projects. I recently came across a June 2000 issue that contained 419 pages. That was very typical in those early years. The average copy today will average anywhere from 12 to 15 pages. However, you still have access to a vast amount of material via perpetual linking suggestions and access to a state-of-the art web site. I have witnessed constant changes in page size, number of pages, format, design, features, and leadership. It’s obvious that these changes were not made for the sake of change but rather to keep abreast of publishing challenges in this day and age of rapid change and on-going chaos. I salute them for doing what more businesses and organizations should be doing … changing with the times. Some of those changes, of course, were a result of earlier mistakes. They’ve been criticized by many for a variety of reasons. However, they’ve made changes, tried new approaches, bounced back and continue to improve. For instance:
- Fast Company is a beacon to new industries, especially those tied to the internet.
- Regardless of your industry, you’ll find smart attitudes and information that provide the particulars of leadership and organization.
- There seems to be something for everyone as they offer current news, cultural commentary, business reporting, and entrepreneurial insights.
- You’ll find on-going tips and strategies for working in teams.
- You’ll read very candid interviews with leaders of today’s leading-edge companies.
- It’s thought provoking, explores all sides of complex issues, but never tells you what to think.
- You’ll discover practical tools and tactics from must-have gadgets to how to handle an ever-growing volume of e-mail.
- You’ll find out what’s happening all over the cover from Wall Street, Silicon Valley, Harvard, and even Las Vegas.
- It’s been dubbed the Fortune Magazine for today’s generation.
- It’s considered the bible for those working for themselves.
- Fast Company debunks old myths and discovers new legends.
- It features smart people working in smart companies while still having serious fun.
As if all that weren’t enough, check out the web site at www.fastcompany.com. You can read the entire magazine online before taking advantage of all the other bells and whistles. In addition, check out such other feathures as the archives, dozens of online guides (collections of previous articles), the blog, podcasts, readers network, the Fast 50, the Fast companies database, and events.
It also has a variety of resource centers that include: leadership, innovation, talent and careers, sales and marketing, learning, design, networking, travel, and technology. Talk about one-stop shopping for information. This is it. There are many other features, but you should check those out yourself. You won’t regret a visit to this site.
You can also take advantage of all the benefits available to those who join “The Company of Friends,” which is Fast Company magazine’s readers’ network. It’s a global online and offline community of self-organizing groups of forward-thinking business leaders and innovators. Members help each other improve their career, companies, and communities. There’s no charge at all and you can learn more about it by going to www.fastcompany.com/cof and checking out their FAQs.
Bottom Line … Fast Company is the magazine for a generation of business leaders with high expectations of their companies—and even higher expectations for themselves. You owe it to yourself to at least take a glance at this potential powerhouse of information.
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
Technorati Tags: business
Resources Harry K. Jones on 19 Jan 2007
Tips for Choosing a Great Book
Over the holiday break, I received a call from a client who wanted to chat about our book reviews. She said her husband used our reviews to determine the best books to purchase for his key clients as gifts for special occasions. During our conversation, she asked me a question that actually caught me a bit off guard. She asked, “How do you decide which books to spotlight on your web site?” I really hadn’t given that much thought before. I started sharing some of the factors I took into consideration and soon had an interesting list. I thought the content might be useful to some of you who enjoy reading and would rather not waste your time and money by making a poor choice of reading material.
Please keep in mind that these guidelines are what I use in choosing a book to review. They may very well fail to meet your needs. I must choose titles that I feel will benefit our vast variety of clients by meeting their individual needs. You, of course, must determine your own content needs and desires. However, once you’ve done so, you might find these tips helpful in finalizing your decision.
Once I focus on the content I’m looking for, I then take the following areas into consideration.
The Author
Does he/she have a reputation of knowing the subject matter? Does the author have a writing style I enjoy reading and can easily comprehend? Has the author written other books that have been readily accepted by the reading public? (Note: I’ve also read many excellent books that have been written by first-time authors. Be flexible here.) Does the author utilize some of the techniques I describe in this article?
A Catchy Title
Obviously you don’t buy a book for the title alone. However, once you know the content you’re looking for, the title reveals much about the content. I’m looking for a title and subtitle that immediately tell me what the book is about while still telling that this author has a sense of humor and creativity that can immediately catch my eye. Chances are good that if I find those characteristics in the title, I’ll find them between the covers as well. Humor and creativity will certainly enhance my read. Examples: Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers, Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos, and Waiting for Your Cat to Bark?
Jacket Content
The author has limited space to attract my attention and convince me to purchase his/her offering. What they do with the front and back of the jacket cover can make a big difference to many potential readers. Title, subtitle, color, design, print size, use of graphics/pictures, and quotes from noted authorities in the same field can combine to draw me in or send me on my way. Inside, the front and rear jacket flaps should give me a good idea of what lies within, the style and credentials of the author, and the credibility of the content.
Table of Contents
A quick glance at the table of contents is very important to me as it’s much like examining the blueprint of a major project. It’s an excellent indicator of whether this content can and will meet your particular needs and desires. It can be an excellent book without meeting your personal criteria, but will that be useful to you?
The “BIG THREE”
Every author should be well aware of the fact that his potential readers fall into one of three categories when it comes to reading styles. We are dominantly auditory, visual, or kinesthetic. Auditory readers are very comfortable and best comprehend content by simply reading the words or having the words read to them. They may very well get more from a book recorded on cassette or CD. Visual readers interpret the message better if the words are accompanied by pictures, graphics, charts, etc. Kinesthetic readers master content much more successfully by utilizing the “hands-on” approach to learning. They especially enjoy exercises at the end of each chapter, assignments, links to web sites for further study, etc. Knowing the BIG THREE should encourage any author to include something for each style of reader. I’m constantly amazed when I find a book by a reputable author that is nothing but the printed word from cover to cover. He/she obviously has not provided something for the latter two styles.
A quick flip of the pages will tell you if the author has considered the various styles of potentials readers. In addition to what I mentioned above, look for various sizes and styles of font, bullet points, steps, chapter summaries, stories, analogies, notable quotes that easily stand out, icons, lists, boxed content, color, book lists, appendix, index, questionnaires and maybe even a CD or DVD attached to the back cover. That author should be doing everything necessary to meet your needs as well as providing an enjoyable experience for you.
Not every book will meet every one of the guidelines mentioned here. However, the more you find available to you as a reader, the more you’ll enjoy your learning endeavor. If you’re one of the growing number of people today who would like to be able to read more but simply can’t find the time, be sure to check the Resources area of our blog and read the article titled “Read 52 Books Next Year!” You’ll be amazed at how easy it really is!
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
Technorati Tags: books, business books
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Look-Listen-Learn Harry K. Jones on 18 Jan 2007
Good Customer Service = Customer Retention = Great Profits!
This article is a prime example of what we can gain from utilizing the “Three L’s” (Look-Listen-Learn) if we simply maintain an open mind and an intense focus on facts.
J.D. Power and Associates recently released the 2006 “Top Loyalty Ratings” for the Automotive Industry. (NOTE: Check our Resources page for a detailed description of this respected reference.)
This list reflects the top ten automotive manufacturers that are doing the best job at retaining customers. Please note that of the top ten car models listed, only three are American made, and those three are ranked 6th, 7th, and 9th!
Top Loyalty Ratings
1. Toyota - 63.9%
2. Lexus - 63.2%
3. Honda - 60.3%
4. BMW - 56.5%
5. Scion - 56.3%
6. Cadillac - 55.5%
7. Chevrolet - 55.3%
8. Mercedes-Benz - 53.6%
9. Ford - 53.3%
10. Hyundai - 51.6%
This is so important in today’s very competitive global marketplace. It’s been proven time and time again that customer satisfaction has a great deal to do with customer retention. It’s long been said that it’s much easier and less expensive to maintain your current customers than it is to attract new customers from your competition. No wonder, then, that Toyota, which makes more profit than any other automaker, tops J.D. Power’s Customer Retention Study.
Although this study reflects conditions in the auto industry, you’ll find very similar results in most other industries as well. A strong customer service focus leads to much greater customer retention which, in turn, reduces cost and increases profits. Bottom line—SUCCE$$. Again the age-old, time-tested refrain of ”This isn’t rocket science!” comes to mind.
Here’s the real “brain-buster.” If the above formula is continually proven to be true across industries, why are customer service levels at an all-time low? Why is there less customer service training taking place at a time when it is needed more than ever before? Why is this type of training one of the first things to be cut from a shrinking budget when it should be the last? Answer these questions, share your answers with me, and we’ll co-author a best-seller that will lead us both to a national book tour and an early retirement!
Ramblings of a mad man—yes and no. “Mad” as in insane—I think not. In fact, anything but! ”Mad” as in “fed up,” “angry,” “enraged,” “furious,” “irate,” “incensed,” and “not going to take it any more”?—yeah, pretty much—along with millions of other customers who have been ignored, abused, disrespected, insulted, and led to believe we are of inconsequential value and really contribute little or nothing to the success and/or longevity of the business.
Think back over the past month as we approached the busy holiday season. Think about your visit to a retail store, restaurant, theater, hotel, airport, hospital, insurance office or anywhere you may have spent your hard-earned income. Reviewing all of your experiences, what percent would you consider ”excellent” service? What percent would you consider to be “average” and what percent would you deem “unacceptable”? It’s a pretty safe bet that your experience reflects that of the rest of the nation.
While it’s pretty effortless to take shots as those we just reviewed, I would challenge you to openly and honestly “re-frame” your thinking and answer the following question. If I were to call or visit your place of business and be asked to rate the level of service I received, what kind of results do you think would surface?
Try it—and be brutally honest. Then ask your peers to do the same. Then your leadership team. Then a few of your customers. The results should instinctively lead to some immediate discussion producing a game plan for doing more of what you’re doing well, eliminating what you’re doing wrong, and/or adding what’s needed. Do nothing, and you’ll discover how simplistic it is to accurately predict the future of your organization.
Remember the formula?
GOOD SERVICE = CUSTOMER RETENTION = GREAT PROFITS = SUCCE$$!
Apply the “Three L’s” (Look-Listen-Learn). Review it, discuss it, benchmark those who do and do not model it, apply it, repeat it, celebrate it, live it, and reap the benefits! Ignore it … and pay the price!
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
Technorati Tags: customer service, customer retention
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Fact-A-Day from Harry K. Harry K. Jones on 16 Jan 2007
Fact-A-Day from Harry K. - January 16, 2007
In the spirit of C.A.N.I. (Continuous And Never-ending Improvement), here are this week’s new facts—one for each day of your coming week. Pass them on to others to keep the spirit alive or invite your friends and family to visit our blog where they can also view previous entries.
- Ferdinand Porsche, who later went on to build sports cars bearing his own name, designed the original 1936 Volkswagen.
- The first VTR (Video Tape Recorder), made in 1956, was the size of a piano.
- The first ballpoint pens sold in 1945 were priced at $12.00 a piece, which is equivalent to $130 today.
- The average person sees more than 25,000 TV commercials in a year.
- Beauty fact: Some lipstick contains fish scales.
- The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache.
- Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, leeches and maggots are categorized as medical devices.
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
Technorati Tags: facts, learn, life-long learning
Resources Harry K. Jones on 12 Jan 2007
SoYouWanna: Unique Site Offers a Wealth of Information
Over the holidays, I stumbled across a unique web site that has already paid research dividends for me. The site is www.SoYouWanna.com. It claims that this service “teaches you how to do all the things nobody taught you in school.” The opening page tells you just about anything you’re going to want to know about the site. It’s very easy to navigate and offers a wealth of information.
Although the site provides what seems to be an endless supply of information, all of it is broken down into sections for speed and convenience. Those categories are:
- apartments
- beauty & fashion
- bizarre
- education
- entertainment
- etiquette & custom
- food & drink
- games and hobbies
- health & fitness
- lifestyle
- money
- shopping
- sports
- technology
- travel
- work
Once you’ve identified your category of interest, simply click on the heading, and you will find a number of questions to focus on. Place a mental SYW (So You Wanna) in front of each question, and you’re on your way. Click on your question of choice, and you’ll be whisked away to a detailed answer, broken down into key steps which are identified at the top of each article in the event you want to skip ahead to a particular point. In addition to the details, you’ll find a number of links to other sources of related information.
To illustrate the diversity of topics, here are just a very few examples:
SYW (So You Wanna) …
- Find cheap airline tickets
- Fake an appreciation for art
- Go whitewater rafting
- Give a massage
- Buy a cell phone
- Design your own web page
- Write a business plan
- Host a wedding shower
- Cure a hangover
- Be a movie extra
- Use feng shui
- Improve your complexion
- Change your name
- Get a pilot’s license
- Use eBay without getting ripped off
- Flatten your abs
This is just a small sample of what you’ll find on this site that I think you’ll want to add to your resource options. The site even has an area called “Mini-Wanna’s” for those of us who want to learn how to do incredibly specific things or are incredibly lazy and refuse to read the full length SYWs.
So If You Wanna learn how, go to SoYouWanna.com, and you’re on your way.
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
Look-Listen-Learn Harry K. Jones on 11 Jan 2007
Inspirational Stories for Today’s Youth
Most “Baby Boomers” are familiar with Horatio Alger’s stories of people who have overcome unsurmountable obstacles to achieve success in many areas of life. However, generations to follow have become less and less acquainted with this tremendous source of motivation and inspiration. Over several decades, I’ve collected a number of these stories to pass on to my grandchildren. I often revisit the collection when I, myself, am facing a challenge or simply having a bad day. They often humble me very quickly, forcing me to count the blessings I currently possess and “reframe” my outlook on current situations.
I think today’s youth would benefit greatly from exposure to these inspirational anecdotes. On our web site, you’ll find seven installments offering 40 diverse narratives I think you’ll find enlightening, educational, and inspirational. Some focus on individuals (JFK, Elvis, Walt Disney, Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, Beethoven, Edgar Allen Poe, Katie Couric, the Beatles, Jay Leno, Helen Keller, and many more) while others highlight organizations (Kinko’s, the Gap, FedEx, Home Depot, Xerox, and Chicken Soup for the Soul). Based on reader response, we’ll definitely be adding to this series of essays on a regular basis. Look them over and then be sure to share them with others who will benefit from reflecting on our rich heritage.
Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.
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