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Monthly ArchiveSeptember 2007



Generational Gems for Future Leaders Harry K. Jones on 27 Sep 2007

The Parable of the Pebbles

Here’s a time-honored “gem” that should be revisited regularly by any “future leader” who strives to grow in this era of constant change and challenge.

“The Parable of the Pebbles” by Anonymous

A man was out in the desert when a voice said to him, “Pick up some pebbles and put them in your pocket, and tomorrow you will be both sorry and glad.”

The man obeyed. He stooped down and picked up a handful of pebbles and put them in his pocket. The next day he reached into his pocket and found diamonds and rubies and emeralds. And he was both glad and sorry. Glad that he had taken some and sorry that he hadn’t taken more.

And so it is with education.

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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Look-Listen-Learn Harry K. Jones on 26 Sep 2007

Low Cost of Creativity

Look-Listen-LearnThis past year we’ve observed a significant increase in the number of requests for creativity training. I’d like to say it was to due to the sudden realization that a creative staff provides a decisive edge in this very competitive global environment. I’d like to say that, but I don’t believe it.

While the observation is indeed true, that’s not why most organizations are finally facing the fact that they should provide creative tools, training and strategies for their people. They’re doing it out of desperation. They’ve run out of options, and they’ve seen the positive return on investment for others who saw the light early on.

One of the concerns I hear from time to time involves the high cost of adapting and maintaining a creative culture. This of course is a misconception. In fact, the opposite is true and has been proven time and time again. Let me share an example.

I just returned from a weekend at Big Cedar Lodge located 10 miles south of Branson, Missouri, on the 43,000 acre Table Rock Lake tucked into the wooded hillsides of the Ozark Mountains. This popular luxury vacation paradise is like none other I’ve had the opportunity to visit. Our client brought their entire leadership steering committee to this scenic vista to enhance their team skills. Those in attendance had a wonderful experience and constantly voiced their appreciation for the opportunity. I’m certain the price tag was substantial although the organization viewed it as an investment rather than a cost.

It was quite obvious to even the most casual observer that Big Cedar Lodge was a contradiction in creativity. Over the years, they’ve spent millions of dollars to create this Utopia. You can see the evidence at every turn:

  • A Jack Nicklaus signature golf course.
  • Dogwood Canyon Nature Park.
  • Waterfalls at every turn.
  • Table Rock Lake and its 745 miles of shoreline nestled into the Ozark Mountains.
  • Swiftly moving streams designed to flow across the winding roads of the property.
  • A full-service marina, spa, and gift shop, and several choices for fine dining, along with horseback riding, pontoon boating, canoes, paddle boating, carriage rides, live entertainment, basketball, ping pong, tennis, bass and trout fishing and trails suited for walking, biking, or hiking. Tours are available by bike, jeep or horseback.
  • Choice of tastefully decorated lodges staggered throughout the Ozark Mountains, cozy cottages nestled in the dense forest, or rustic log cabins decked out with the latest technology and authentic wilderness decor.

I was assigned to an exquisite log cabin which gave new meaning to the word “rustic.” Constructed of rough-hewn logs, these comfortable retreat cabins offer the ultimate in personal space and total seclusion. Tucked away amidst the dense timber overlooking Table Rock Lake, the interior design of this unique cabin offered a lavish wilderness atmosphere. It came complete with a beautiful limestone fireplace, a large Jacuzzi bath, a bed the size of a football field, a full kitchen with refrigerator, stove, microwave, and dishwasher, a large 50+ inch flat screen TV, high-speed Internet access, a gigantic gas grill on a wrap-around deck, a FREE over-stocked mini-bar and a dozen very realistic looking animals placed strategically around the cabin and highlighted by recessed accent lighting.

Believe it or not, I’m trying to make a point here other than the fact that a situation like this causes one to pray for a flight delay, preferably a two- or three-day delay. This place offers anything and everything money can buy. However, it balances your experience with a large number of things that money can’t buy! Each of those particulars are a by-product of “creative thinking.”

While every attendee I chatted with sang the praises of this fabulous resort, I seldom heard the above amenities mentioned. I’m certain, beyond the shadow of a doubt, all of the above were greatly appreciated. However, what I did hear mentioned over and over again were experiences which I’m certain will be repeated to others as they return home. For instance:

  • Rustic signs displaying a 12 1/2 mph speed limit.
  • Immediate no-cost transportation all over the extended property.
  • Singing around cozy bonfires offered nightly.
  • Gingerbread Wish cookies left on your bed stand each night with a copy of a local custom and instructions on how to have your wishes granted through a cookie ceremony.
  • A beautiful complimentary gift basket in every cabin containing 4 large bottles of water, two bags of chips, a bag of popcorn, caramel corn, and several other snack foods.
  • The most pleasant, polite, informed, guest-focused staff I’ve ever encountered. After placing my wake-up call, the very pleasant operator requested my permission to call me right back to make certain the phone ring was loud enough for me. In 40 years of coast to coast travel, I have never had that happen.
  • After my program on Saturday, I stopped by the executive offices to let them know how pleased I was with their property, staff, culture and environment. In chatting with one of the managers, I learned that the majority of the novel practices I mentioned were created and initiated by staff members. The costs were very minimal, the response was phenomenal, and the return on investment immeasurable. Creativity, brainstorming, and innovation were obviously intricate ingredients in this very unique culture.

Those returning home from Big Cedar Lodge will have tremendous memories of an unforgettable experience. While the beauty and ambiance will not be forgotten, they will be sharing with others the creative differences they encountered … the unique remembrances which made this particular getaway stand out from all others. The “creative edge” provided by the involved staff deserves much of the credit for providing those distinctive memories … recollections which will translate into much free advertising and marketing as well as what I am certain will be a great deal of repeat business.

Does that “critical creative culture” exist within your organization? It could very well be the decisive factor in achieving future success in today’s competitive marketplace. Take a moment to visit our web site to review the following program content which may be useful in the development of such a culture for your organization:

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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Fact-A-Day from Harry K. Harry K. Jones on 25 Sep 2007

Fact-A-Day from Harry K. - September 25, 2007

Fact-A-Day from Harry K.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.

  • An ear of corn almost always has an even number of rows (twelve, fourteen, or sixteen).
  • Philadelphia, York, Lancaster, Baltimore, Annapolis, Princeton, Trenton, and New York City were the cities serving as the seat of government for the fledgling United States of America before Washington, D.C., became the nation’s permanent capital in December 1800.
  • The steam rising from a cup of coffee contains the same amount of antioxidants as three oranges.
  • Morphine was named after Morpheus, the Greek God of dreams.
  • The average lifespan of an NHL hockey puck is 7 minutes. Those that don’t fly into the stands are removed because they warm up from friction and bounce on the ice. Game pucks, chilled to -10 degrees Fahrenheit for maximum performance, are kept in a freezer in the penalty box.
  • If you could drive from the Earth to the sun at a speed of 60 miles per hour, it would take about 177 years to get there.
  • Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) created more than 800 oil paintings and 700 drawings. Today, one of his paintings may sell for millions of dollars. During his lifetime, however, he was poverty stricken and sold only one painting.

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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Generational Gems for Future Leaders Harry K. Jones on 24 Sep 2007

The Starfish Story

Here’s another classic “gem” we all grew up with. Make it a point to pass it on to at least one “future leader” in hopes of keeping the story alive for future generations.

The Starfish Story
adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young man paused, looked up, and replied, “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”

“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference for that one.”

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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Moment with Melanie Melanie L. Drake on 20 Sep 2007

Beginner Business Blog: Top Reader Plugins for Your WordPress Business Blog

web marketing and communications consultant Melanie L. DrakeIn a previous article in this series, I discussed plugins for WordPress, which are tools to extend the functionality of WordPress, that will help you as a webmaster of a WordPress blog. This article will discuss a number of plugins to help your readers enjoy your blog and web site.

1. FeedBurner FeedSmith

The FeedBurner FeedSmith plugin makes it easy to redirect 100% of traffic for your feeds to a FeedBurner feed you have created. FeedBurner can then track all of your feed subscriber traffic and apply a variety of features you choose to improve and enhance your original WordPress feed. Some of the FeedBurner functionality includes the reader’s ability to easily e-mail articles, subscribe to the feed, and add the articles to Digg, Del.icio.us, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Newsvine, or Netscape (Propeller). Feedburner also allows your readers to subscribe to your feed via e-mail instead of through an RSS reader.

2. Gregarious

Gregarious, a social bookmarking plugin, allows users to submit and comment on web sites. The Gregarious plugin allows for seamless integration between your Wordpress blog and social bookmarking sites such as Digg, Del.icio.us, Reddit, and more. It also allows your readers to e-mail your articles to a friend. If you are not using Feedburner, Gregarious is a good alternative to give your readers easy access to social bookmarking sites and e-mail functionality.

3. Include Me In That

I searched for months for a plugin like Include Me In That. Since our site is now a decade old and information is plentiful, I wanted to help our readers find similar articles of interest and to unite content from our blog on WordPress and our web site newsletter, which the blog basically replaced. This plugin allows you to include external HTML files in any post. You just add some code into the post in the position you want the file to appear. You can see this plugin in action at the end of many articles in the blog. I am also using it for the author information at the end of each article so that if I need to change something in the biographical information, I only need to do it once to change it on all pages of the blog. I did experience a few issue with Feedburner when implementing the plugin and found that simple text files or html files with minimal html coding work the best. It did take a few days to set up all the files and add the code to the pages, so if you don’t have much time, I’d suggest the following plugin.

4. If You Liked That

Before I found Include Me In That, I was using If You Liked That. At the end of each post, this plugin inserts links to a user-selectable number of other posts in the same category as the main post. This is a simple tool for you to add to help your readers find related content. Although I use Include Me In That now instead of If You Liked That, I’d recommend this plugin for its ease of use. 

5. SimpleTags

The SimpleTags plugin allows you to create a list of Technorati tags at the bottom of your post by providing a comma separated list of tags between the [tags] tags. These tags help your readers find additional blog articles on the same topic as your article. If you are using Windows Live Writer, you can set your tags for various web sites such as del.icio.us, Flickr, IceRocket, Live Journal, and Technorati instead of using this plugin.

Melanie L. Drake is a consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

“Beginner Business Blog: Top Reader Plugins for Your WordPress Business Blog” is part three in a series of blog articles designed to help you start your own business blog.

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Business Briefs Harry K. Jones on 19 Sep 2007

Today’s Leaders Must Develop a Sense of Urgency

Business BriefsGlance back over the past five years, and I think you’ll quickly be able to identify at least a dozen major instances in the news that demonstrated a very obvious absence of anything resembling a “sense of urgency.” It’s becoming commonplace in politics, sports, the economy, environment, business, healthcare, safety, entertainment, and the list goes on and on. This needs to change and change immediately.

What’s taking us so long to respond to Katrina? It’s been two full years, and certain areas of the Gulf Coast look as though the storm came through last night! We’re talking about the most powerful nation on the face of the earth! It seems as though the larger and more powerful we become, the longer it takes to respond to anything. Whatever happened to “take action,” “quick response,” “a stitch in time,” “pro-activity,” “close the knowing-doing gap,” and “listen to the whispers, and you’ll never hear the screams”?

I guess I mention this concern for a selfish reason. I live in Michigan. As you well know, we have major problems based on, in and around the Big Three Automakers. It’s impacting our state, our businesses, and our residents in too many ways to mention. In addition, our second strongest industry, tourism, has taken a major hit due to the rising expense of traveling to and through our state. Now, as if that weren’t enough, we may be in danger of losing one of our greatest assets.

The following news article is shocking for a couple of reasons. First, the Great Lakes are losing 2.5 BILLION gallons of water a day! Second, the government is looking into it! Now think about a “sense of urgency” and what comes to mind as you attempt to link that phrase to the previous two statements.

Great Lakes leaking from “drain hole”

There’s a “drain hole” in the Great Lakes basin that’s hemorrhaging almost 2.5 billion gallons of water a day and must be patched up by the Canadian and American governments, environmental groups said.

The Great Lakes dominate this true-colour satellite image made available by NASA.Navigation dredging, riverbed mining and shoreline alteration on the St. Clair River near Port Huron, Michigan, and Sarnia, Ontario, have affected the flow of the Great Lakes and is draining water into the Atlantic Ocean at a rate that’s three times greater than original estimates, said Mary Muter of the Georgian Bay Association.

Muter said water levels in lakes Michigan and Huron and the Georgian Bay have fallen 23.6 inches since 1970.

The loss of water is senseless and will negatively affect water quality in the Great Lakes, as well as boating, fishing and commercial shipping, said John Jackson, program director for Great Lakes United.

“We think it’s really important that the governments do some serious study to figure out the cause and to figure out what we can do,” Jackson said.

The International Joint Commission is preparing a major study of Great Lakes issues, including the drain hole in the St. Clair River, but governments can’t wait for that research to be done because it could take years, Muter said.

“We’ve spoken with federal politicians and they are totally supportive of this concern and that the IJC move to address it in a timely matter,” she said.

“But even if they come out with recommendations for what needs to be done in the St. Clair River, it will have to come back to both our federal governments for funding and approval to proceed, and if we have to wait five years we will lose another 4.7 inches of water from lakes Michigan, Huron and Georgian Bay.”

“It certainly is a concern for people around the lake and its many users, and the government is concerned about this as well, but I wouldn’t characterize it as a panic situation at the present time,” he said, adding that water levels on lakes Michigan and Huron are not at record lows.

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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Fact-A-Day from Harry K. Harry K. Jones on 18 Sep 2007

Fact-A-Day from Harry K. - September 18, 2007

Fact-A-Day from Harry K.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.

  • There’s only one city in the United States named merely “Beach.” It is found in North Dakota, which is a land-locked state.
  • Americans fill in 54 acres of crossword puzzle space every day.
  • Constantinople, Edo, and Ft. Dearborn are former names of Istanbul, Tokyo, and Chicago.
  • On June 26, 1974, the first product ever scanned in a retail setting was a 10-pack of Wrigley’s gum. The pack of gum, now on display at the Smithsonian Institution, just happened to be the first item lifted from the cart of the shopper. The Uniform Code Council assigns bar codes, also known as UPC symbols.
  • In an emergency, the liquid inside a young coconut can be used as a substitute for blood plasma. It was done during World War II when blood supplies were low.
  • According to the American Heart Association and Johns Hopkins University, a 150-pound person burns 71 calories watching TV for an hour, and 64 calories sleeping for an hour. Even at eight hours, sleeping burns fewer calories.
  • American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first-class.

Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a firm specializing in 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. To contact Harry, please fill out our blog feedback form.

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Generational Gems for Future Leaders Harry K. Jones on 17 Sep 2007

New Category: Generational Gems for Future Leaders

Generational Gems for Future LeadersI recently shared my passion concerning the responsibility we have to make certain future generations have access to the wonderful lessons, anecdotes, allegories, parables, and narratives we’ve experienced and enjoyed over the decades. Anyone in business for any substantial length of time has had the benefit and privilege to hear words of wisdom from some of the greatest leaders, writers, consultants, speakers and authors in the world.

The responsibility is now ours to pass on these “gems” to a new generation of future leaders who will certainly need any and all tools they can find to attain the success they pursue. Far too many of us avoid repeating this knowledge for fear it’s nothing more than repetition or may not apply in today’s culture. That will certainly be decided by those who hear it. This wisdom has existed for ages, and I feel certain it will continue to inspire if we all do our part to pass it on.

Therefore, we’ve decided to create another category on our blog to share much of the wisdom that has passed the test of time and inspired generations of those engaged in the pursuit of business success.

If you’d like to share a particular piece that may have inspired you at some point in your career, please pass it on to us. Also consider checking back with us from time to time in hopes of discovering some of our “old favorites” you might want to pass on to family, friends or staff.

Let’s begin with one that we could all use in this age of constant chaos and challenge.

Shake It Off and Step Up

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer’s well. The farmer heard the mule “braying” or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened. He enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back … HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.

“Shake it off and step up … shake it off and step up … shake it off and step up!” he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought “panic” and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You’re right! It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL!

What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him … all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT’S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity … THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US!

- Author Unknown

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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Need a Lift? Harry K. Jones on 14 Sep 2007

I Quit!

Motivational speaker Harry K. Jones 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.It’s funny how things happen sometimes. A friend recently sent me one of those cute “smile makers” that seem to manage to get you though your day.

The unique thing about this one was the timing. It was waiting for me upon my return from an unbelievably tough three days on the road! I won’t bore you with the details — just knowing it involved airplanes pretty much sums things up. It involved mechanical problems, weather delays, worthless food/hotel/taxi vouchers, three major airlines, and “no room at the inn” — all resulting in 17 of us having to spend the night sleeping in tremendously uncomfortable chairs or on the floor in the Dulles International airport in Washington D.C.

When I finally dropped my luggage just inside my door at home, I collapsed into an unconscious state feeling pain from head to toe. In awakening several hours later, a hot shower and a change of clothes brought me back to reality. I checked my current newspapers, magazines, and e-mail to find the usual growing level of CHAOS. However, I also found the following commentary, which really made a lot of sense. I had to smile as I thought how nice it would be, if only for a week or two, to be able to return to the uncomplicated life of a 6 year old. Take a minute and see if you don’t agree.

“My Resignation as an Adult”

I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of a 6 year-old again.

I want to go to McDonald’s and think that it’s a four-star restaurant and then be able to afford a movie afterwards.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a sidewalk with rocks and bask in the sun.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree with a drippy ice cream cone and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer’s day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn’t bother you, because you didn’t know what you didn’t know and you didn’t care. All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset. I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again. I don’t want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So … here’s my checkbook and my car keys, my credit card bills and my 401K statements. I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you’ll have to catch me first, cause … TAG, YOU’RE IT!!

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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AchieveMax® News Melanie L. Drake on 12 Sep 2007

Professional Speaker Harry K. Jones Quoted in Recent Credit Union Publications

Professional speaker Harry K. Jones was recently quoted in two credit union publications, the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) News and Credit Union Times.

The Credit Union National Association News article, “Mid-America CU Association Hosts its First Idea Institute,” discusses Harry’s recent presentation to the Mid-America Credit Union Association entitled ”Blue Jeans and Tennis Shoes: Using Out-of-the-Box Thinking.” The article states:

AchieveMax®, Inc. consultant, speaker and facilitator Harry Jones challenged attendees to take a different look at things by reframing, closing the knowing/doing gap and adjusting their sails.

“Today’s typical member wants only two things,” he said. “They want good feelings and solutions to problems. As credit unions, that is what you were built on.” To give members what they want, credit unions must create a culture to attract good people, work as a team, and continually improve, he said.

The Credit Union Times article, “On-Site Coverage: Create a Purpose for your CU that Everyone Knows, Understands, and Lives By,” includes information on Harry’s recent presentation, “Productive Chaos: Riding the Wave of Change,” for the Maryland & District of Columbia Credit Union Association:

Be sure staff knows your credit union’s purpose and can articulate it in their own words, Harry Jones advised attendees of the MDDCCUA Annual Conference here today.

Then ensure there are shared values in reaching that purpose with buy-in from everyone in the organization, board of directors to the teller line. Without aligning everyone’s goals, a credit union will have a hard time achieving them.

Part of the chaos is just normal change. “There’s been a lot of change out there. Your members have changed, their business has changed, their needs have changed, their expectations have changed,” he noted. Has your credit union is the critical question.

Both articles are available in full at the links above.

Melanie L. Drake is a consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

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