AchieveMax® Blog

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 original Wright brothers plane had an airspeed of 30 miles an hour.
• The windmill originated in Persia (now Iran) in about 644 BC.
• A one-and-one-half pound lobster is about 9 years old. A lobster’s age is roughly its weight multiplied by four, plus three years.
• Americans consume about 20 billion hot dogs a year.
• Thomas Edison patented 1,093 inventions.
• A car with closed windows is one of the safest places to be during a lightning storm. The electricity flows through the car’s metal and into the ground.
• The average life span of a housefly is 10 to 21 days.

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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The AchieveMax® team takes great pride in the fact that we strive to keep our material current and relevant in our effort to assist our clients in their journey to “Achieve the Maximum®.” In my personal role as a communicator, keynote speaker, and trainer, it is imperative that I read a great deal of material daily in the form of books, magazines, newspapers, and web sites. I also watch a lot of TV and listen to the radio whenever possible.

Needless to say, that means I come into contact with an enormous number of very negative news stories. I fully understand that. Negativity sells. However, being exposed to it in heavy doses can take its toll. It can cause you to become a cynic, lose your enthusiasm and positive attitude, and cause you to soon expect the worst of any situation. Exposure to the daily news, in any form, can be extremely damaging to your mental and emotional health. For instance, today alone I discovered the following:

• Al-Qaeda grows in Iraq
• No dominant leaders emerge from either political party
• Britney, Paris, Lindsey, and Nicole continue wicked ways
• Baseball icon: steroids and home runs
• NBA referee fixes games
• NFL star faces jail for dog fighting
• MySpace deletes 29,000 sex offenders
• Gas prices expected to climb again
• Coffee lovers prepare to pay more

The list goes on and on, but I think I’ve proven my point. Regardless of the subject matter: No good news!

Then it happened! The clouds opened. The sun illuminated the landscape. I swear I heard the soft, throaty strains of Diana Krall in the background, supported by gentle wind chimes and the sounds of flowing fountain waters. All was well in the western world as I discovered a shocking news story hidden in the middle of my local paper! The shock emerged in the fact that the story was a good news story!

I truly believe this report would fall into a category that anyone would enjoy … a category which would definitely uplift and inspire any reader, brighten your day, and restore your faith in the human race. It makes you appreciate the fact that our future generations are currently in training and responding beautifully in their efforts to some day make this a better world than what we see today. Let me quickly summarize the article and see if you agree.

Visualize, if you will, a petite 4-year girl selling lemonade in her driveway as her parents conducted a garage sale. Cute, but nothing unusual at first glance. Now let’s examine motive. Little Sierra Bellingar was selling lemonade to raise money to purchase a wig for her 5-year-old leukemia-afflicted cousin Kayli who lives in a neighboring community. The loving cousins were constant playmates until Kayli, in and out of the hospital, grew weaker and weaker and found her capacity to fight off infections greatly diminished.

Sierra was informed that her favorite cousin would soon lose her hair and longed for a wig like the one worn by her favorite TV star Hannah Montana. This inspired Kayli to get creative and develop a plan of action. She’s 4 years old! She made signs and, with her parents’ help, built herself a colorful stand. Over a very warm, sunny, and love-filled weekend this diminutive entrepreneur raised $1,300!

Sierra wasn’t the only hero in this story. Many times over the weekend the line for lemonade was 10-people deep. And while the price was more than reasonable, many people paid as much as $20 a cup to support Sierra in her heroic quest. Neighborhood children emptied their piggy banks to contribute to this wonderful cause. There was a constant flow of friends, neighbors and complete strangers as word of the crusade for a wig spread like wild-fire.

Stories were shared throughout the weekend by those who have lost loved ones, cancer survivors, and those currently living with cancer. Sierra missed many of the stories as she was busy pouring lemonade, collecting donations, and offering hugs of reassurance to those who couldn’t hold back the tears. Final result … she raised enough to buy the Hannah Montana wig in addition to a more practical wig for everyday use. The additional funds will go toward medical expenses not covered by the health insurance. Kayli even mustered enough strength to stop by for a while which thrilled everyone in attendance.

What a weekend … two terrific youngsters, supportive parents, a caring community, compassionate strangers, a cooperative weatherman, delicious lemonade, and a fairy-tale ending. What more can you ask for … maybe a few more inspirational stories like this in our future news mix. By the way, I think our future is in pretty good hands.

Note: The original story was reported very eloquently and in more greater depth by John Schneider in the Lansing State Journal.

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: inspiration, motivation, inspirational, motivational, good news

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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: Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher, Colleen Barrett, leadership, management

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

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

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

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

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

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, USA Today, commercials

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

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

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: leadership, leaders, USA Today

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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 world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade is not held in Ireland. It’s held in New York City.
• A nanosecond is one billionth of a second. The prefix nano means “one billionth of.”
• Mr. Potato Head was the first toy ever advertised on network TV. The year was 1952.
• The best-selling musical instrument in the world is the harmonica.
• The letter E is the most commonly used letter in the English language. The letter T is the second most used letter.
• “Gunsmoke” holds the record for the longest-running scripted series on TV. It debuted in 1955 and aired for 20 years.
• The Hawaiian Islands were originally known as the Sandwich Isles. They were named for England’s Earl of Sandwich—the same person the food item was named after.

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

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

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

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

Least Expensive Per Gallon:
Caracas, Venezuela: $0.17
Tehran, Iran: $0.33
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: $0.45
Kuwait City: $0.79
Cairo, Egypt: $0.86
 
I guess I should be past the point of sticker shock and constant change by this stage of my life. I remember working in a service station in high school. For those of you who may wonder what a service station is, allow me to explain. That was a gas station where you actually got service. Hard to believe, isn’t it? While your tank was being filled with gas, an attendant would actually wash your windows, check your oil, wipe off your lights and license plate, and add air to your tires if they needed it. You got that kind of service regardless of the weather conditions, day and night. You sat comfortably in your car as all of these services were being rendered. Of course, you had to expect all of that. After all, you were paying 28 cents a gallon!
 
I can remember wondering if gas would ever reach the price of a dollar a gallon in my lifetime! Wow, how things have changed. Today, gas station employees are forced to sit on a comfortable leather stool directly behind the register and everything is calculated by a computer … right down to the correct change. If they ever get hungry, they’re surrounded by enough food and drink, in the guise of a convenience store, to last at least a year. We, as customers, have to pump our own gas, clean our own windows, check our own oil and fill it ourselves if needed, and, should you need air in your tires, today’s stations are more than happy to sell it to you! Air! Then YOU have to march inside to stand in line to pay. If prices keep rising, it won’t be long before you have to pause at the desk of the in-house loan officer in order to pay for a fill-up.
 
Looking back at my part-time job at the service station, I realize what terrific training that really was. We learned the importance of good customer service, speed, efficiency, product knowledge, use of various tools, and making change. It was a great learning experience and the only leather we ever saw covered the seats of some of the more expensive cars we serviced. Ah, those were the days!

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: gasoline, gas, gas prices, customer service

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• Life-long Learning
• U of M Credit Union Finds Things that Make Members Go AHHHHHH!
• Good Customer Service = Customer Retention = Great Profits!
• Exceptional Customer Service Again Threatened
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In researching this piece, I asked a number of people what came to mind when they heard the name Ray Kroc. I was surprised at how many people didn’t have a clue as to who he was. Others said they thought he created the McDonald’s fast-food chain, which, by the way, is incorrect. Why should anyone even be interested in this man who died in 1984 at the age of 82! Some would consider him ancient history.
 
On the contrary, calendar dates have nothing to do with what you can learn from this unique entrepreneur. He, indeed, has much to offer anyone striving for success.
 
Kroc did not create McDonald’s, convenience food, or the fast-food restaurant. In fact, like so many other great entrepreneurs, he wasn’t very creative at all. However, he possessed the very unique ability to recognize a successful concept, visualize the potential big picture, and take the necessary steps to implement a game plan to its fullest.
 
Let’s take a closer look at the man who has impacted millions of people all over the world:

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

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: Ray Kroc, McDonald’s, leadership, leaders

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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 United States has 5% of the world’s population, but 25% of the world’s prison population and 70% of the world’s lawyers.
• The federal government owns 32% of all land in the United States.
• For four years in the 18th century, there was a state called Franklin (named after Ben Franklin) that was later incorporated into Tennessee.
• The average person drinks about 16,000 gallons of water in a lifetime.
• The city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, has more than 720 bridges.
• In the U.S., more than 100 million birds a year die by crashing into windows.
• Countries that changed their names:
  • Persia changed its name to Iran.
  • The Dutch East Indies changed its name to Indonesia.
  • The Gold Coast changed its name to Ghana.
  • British Honduras changed its name to Belize.
  • Rhodesia changed its name to Zimbabwe.
  • Siam changed its name to Thailand.
  • Abyssinia changed its name to Ethiopia.
  • Belgian Congo changed its name to Zaire and back to Congo.

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

ACIPCO
American Cast Iron Pipe Company
 
Some will struggle with their attempt to pronounce the name (Ah-SIP-Co). Others may admit that they’ve never even heard of this organization. However, all of us have benefited from the products and services provided by the largest individual iron pipe casting plant in the world, nestled among the Appalachian foothills of Birmingham, Alabama.
 
ACIPCO produces 1,500 tons of products annually, including ductile iron castings, steel pipes and tubes, fittings, fire hydrants and valves for the waterworks industry as well as electric-resistance steel pipe for oil and natural gas pipelines. Their diversified product line also includes spiral-welded steel pipe in diameters up to 144 inches (Can you imagine walking through a 12-foot pipe?), fire pumps, centrifugally cast steel tubes, static castings and fabricated assemblies.
 
It may not sound exciting to the average person but try to imagine getting through a typical day of your life if we had no way to transport natural gas, oil or water.

Boasting seven production facilities across the nation and in Brazil, ACIPCO’s Birmingham headquarters has grown into the largest individual iron pipe casting plant in the world. It’s located on a 2,100 acre site that runs the length of 52 football fields and has nearly 60 acres under roof. It has to be seen to be believed!
 
I’ve had the rare opportunity to visit this facility to provide two keynote presentations to a very enthused, interactive staff of seasoned professionals. Prior to the presentations, I received a guided tour … conducted, I might add, by two very enthusiastic and obviously proud employees who knew the 100+ year history of every inch of the compound. I broke bread with staff members in the company cafeteria and found it intriguing to observe white-collar and blue-collar colleagues sharing conversation, laughter, camaraderie and nourishment as though they were home with their family. In fact, the majority of the employees I met considered ACIPCO to be their “home” and their fellow employees as “family.”
 
Culture, tradition, environment … call it what you will. It’s rare. It’s refreshing. It’s difficult to understand in this day and age of cynicism, unrest and distrust. However, knowing the history of this unique organization not only restores your faith in mankind but explains why you feel you’re entering Alice’s Wonderland as you pass through the front gate.
 
Consider the following:

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

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: ACIPCO, American Cast Iron Pipe Company