AchieveMax® Blog

“In tough economic times, you must cut advertising, reduce marketing, and decrease or even eliminate training to reduce expenses.”

I was going to say that the above strategy has emerged as a growing trend in many industries. That would be inaccurate. It’s almost become an axiom for many organizations. (AXIOM: In traditional logic, an axiom is a proposition that is not proved or demonstrated but considered to be self-evident. Therefore, its truth is taken for granted and serves as a starting point for deducing and inferring other truths.)

I must admit it’s a somewhat uncomplicated strategy and takes little or no effort to execute. It does appear to produce immediate savings at first glance but has produced very little evidence of success as a long-term strategy.

In fact, many studies have produced results contradicting this long-time belief. Consistently, successful organizations across industries have actually increased their focus and investment in advertising, marketing, and training as economic pressures increased.

Considering today’s very competitive global marketplace and the many growing challenges we must deal with during this election year, what would you be willing to pay if you knew you could:

• increase productivity
• increase profitability
• increase employee satisfaction
• improve internal customer service   
• improve external customer service
• increase sales and service levels
• reduce the number of customer complaints
• increase employee feedback
• reduce absenteeism
• decrease the need for supervision
• boost personal confidence and job satisfaction
• increase creativity and innovation levels
• cause employees to feel valued, appreciated and committed to your business with everyone in your organization on the same page at the same time utilizing corporate strategies to achieve organizational goals.

All of the above results can be classified as ROI (Return on Investment) or ROL (Return on Learning). Research reveals that proper staff training, at every level, can achieve all of the above. You must first realize that there is no cost involved. It’s obviously an investment … in your people, your organization, and your future success.

We have discovered, time and time again, that successful organizations simply share the same message of strategy and direction with every level of the organization.

A recent Franklin-Covey survey discovered that most employees who leave their job cite the lack of skills training and development as the number one reason they decide to move on. No way to learn, no reason to stay. It’s that simple.

Which brings us back to the main point: employee training and development is vital to your business success. It increases your bottom line—and reduces staff turnover.

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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As you may or may not know, Midnight Muses focuses on a variety of subject matter which evolves from the innermost recesses of my mind during the most productive time of my day.
It’s going on 1 a.m., and my mind is in full gear pondering much of the political news with which I’ve been recently inundated.

Wait — don’t jump ship. I’m as fed up with politics 24/7 as much as you are, and I’m certainly not looking forward to seven more months of the same before election day. However, I can’t help but recognize the many correlations between politics and business as well as a unique opportunity to gain some very valuable insight.
     
One of the most obvious similarities lies in the importance of customer service and satisfaction — a concept I seldom, if ever, have heard mentioned in the political arena. Yet both parties are currently running on the premise that customers (voters) from coast to coast are overwhelmingly dissatisfied with their current level of service. Neither party seems to be able to conceptualize that simple reality.

If I were a political consultant today, I think I’d feel obligated to recommend that my candidate take a short time out to analyze the life and philosophy of the woman many leading publications and media notables have recognized as “one of the most influential people of the 20th century,” Oprah Winfrey! She’s the multiple-Emmy-Award-winning host of the highest rated talk show in television history, an influential book critic, an Academy-Award winning actress, a magazine publisher, a book club creator, the creator of a new radio channel on XM Satellite Radio, a spiritual icon, a philanthropist, a TV and movie producer, and an online guru. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the most philanthropic African American of all time and the world’s only black billionaire for three straight years. Oprah co-founded the women’s cable television network, Oxygen, and is also the President of Harpo Productions (Oprah spelled backwards).

While all of this is indeed very admirable, why should a politician have the slightest interest in Oprah? Well, they shouldn’t … unless or until they realize the fact that this woman came from tremendously humble beginnings and reached heights of unequaled accomplishments in a wide variety of endeavors.

Her secrets are many but a few of the most critical are somewhat obvious and should be replicated by anyone with aspirations of attaining the presidency.

1. She has the uncanny ability to know what her customers (readers, viewers, listeners, etc.) want, and she strives to surround herself with the expertise to produce what they want. She listens and responds appropriately. Kind of unique in political circles, wouldn’t you say?
2. She makes as many, if not more, mistakes than most in her efforts to attain success and growth. Those many mistakes, while debatable by many, have been documented and analyzed ad naseum.

Some of the more prominent miscalculations might include:

• The support and promotion of Dr. Phil.
• The promotion of many Scientology celebs.
• The support and promotion of several dishonest authors.
• Rachael Ray overkill.
• Support of a children’s book written by a white supremacist.
• Allegations against a staff member of her South African all-girl academy.
• Her You Tube Channel.
• Her strong endorsement of the controversial self-help program, “The Secret.”
• Hip-Hop Town Hall Meeting.
• And the list goes on …

The key factor here, that often goes unnoticed, lies in her strategy and willingness to put herself “out there” in order to make a difference. She makes choices. She takes calculated chances. She believes in the importance and benefits of action. A quick glance at her track record would lead one to believe that she’s a firm believer in the age-old adage that “It’s not what happens to you in life — it’s how you react to it that matters!”

While many would disagree that everything listed above was a miscalculation, most everyone admires Oprah’s choice of response to such situations. She faces the facts, evaluates the circumstances and consequences, takes the appropriate action to rectify the problems, learns from the experience and moves on better equipped for her next task. What a concept! Wouldn’t that be a fantastic strategy for each and every politician vacillating within the beltway in Washington, D.C.?

Last month Barack Obama appeared live on the David Letterman Show to deliver Dave’s Top Ten. The category was “Top Ten Barack Obama Campaign Promises.” The 10th Promise got the most laughs as he smiled into the camera and said: “#10. “Three Words. Vice President Oprah!” It received a tremendous response from the audience and was obviously a stroke of comedic genius. However, I wouldn’t be afraid to bet just about anything that if Oprah were to join Obama, or just about any other candidate on a ticket, they would win by a landslide! And it wouldn’t be because she’s politically astute. It’s because she can assess needs, create excitement, encourage involvement, creatively visualize, and make things happen … indeed a successful combination which voters are hungry to experience.

Laugh and scoff if you will, but think about it for a minute. Oprah has no experience whatsoever in politics. There’s no question there. Where she excels, and has proven it many times in the past, is in the areas of leadership, gaining commitment, earning respect, developing productive teams of loyal devotees, demonstrating creativity, taking action, and accomplishing feats that others only dream of. Can she rally the masses, be they military, allies, citizens, or politicians? As reported on the front page of USA Today, Oprah conducted session #1 of a ten week web seminar based on the best selling book A New Earth. Co-hosting this ambitious undertaking with the book’s author, Eckhart Tolle, Oprah has thus far registered over 700,000 for this ground-breaking event!

Now quickly take a roll call of every politician you can think of, past or present, from either side of the aisle. Name one that has demonstrated the attributes, strengths, capabilities, and potential listed above. Go ahead, take a minute.

Any politician at any level would benefit greatly from simply observing and then emulating this classic leader. Maybe she should consider running alone.

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.

Culture Is Contagious

I recently returned from facilitating my second annual Leadership Boot Camp at Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation (CFSC) in Nashville, Tennessee. CFSC is the financial arm of Caterpillar Inc., a Fortune 50 company, a technology leader and the world’s largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, natural gas and diesel engines, and industrial gas turbines.

Living in Michigan, it’s always nice to be able to head south to a warmer, snow-less climate during the icy month of February … except this year. I arrived on the same day the Music City received their first snowfall of the year — all day long! At least it made me feel at home as I always do when I share time with the good folks at Caterpillar Financial.

During my four-day stay, I was again constantly reminded how pleasurable and also unique it is to be able to work in a very positive environment … generated, of course, by a rich, enduring culture. I must assume that the majority of those who work there might take this privilege for granted. I say that only because everyone in the building acts as though this unconventional environment is a natural thing experienced by all organizations everywhere. Little do they know.

On the surface, this business doesn’t look any different than any other. They boast an exquisite 11-story, 312,000-square foot building as the world headquarters for Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation. This eye-catching structure is situated across the street from Vanderbilt University and just a few blocks away from Nashville’s treasured Music Row.

At the entrance, a paved-stone circle drive surrounds a red granite-clad fountain pool containing a fountain sculpted by a California artist. The backdrop for this fountain is the revolving building entrance door with a canopy in the shape of a bulldozer scoop, which recalls Caterpillar’s origins as a heavy equipment manufacturer.

Entering the decorative two-story granite-clad lobby, you find a fully restored 1930 Caterpillar tractor prominently displayed in a place of honor. Stand under a state-of-the-art technically transparent umbrella apparatus, and you can hear the history of the tractor as well as the organization.

The building includes an on-site, fully staffed, state-of-the-art fitness center with locker rooms and an aerobics room. The 7-story concrete-frame underground parking garage can accommodate 1,200 cars. The fantastic all-purpose dining room offers employees just about anything they might want for breakfast and lunch daily, and a gift shop offers a nice variety of Caterpillar souvenirs and trade-marked merchandise.

Their training facility offers an environment for just about any type of training you might envision, and I’m almost certain their experienced technical support staff hides outside every room entrance waiting to address your every need. However, two years running I’ve had no need to call on them for assistance. Regardless, they check in regularly to see if all is well.

By the way, at a time when most organizations feel totally justified in reducing their training schedules for a myriad of reasons … every classroom, large and small, was filled with attendees from all over the world. My program was graced with employees from Australia, Japan, Germany, the U.K., China and, of course, many states within the U.S. The opportunity to network was easily as valuable as any program content. Those classrooms were filled with enthusiastic, focused employees because CFSC views employee development not as a cost but as a critical investment. Evidence of that view can be found in their ROL (Return on Learning) practices. Again, evidence of a unique culture.

It was quite obvious to me, whether they noticed it or not, that everyone enjoyed being there. Everyone wore a smile as they greeted each other in the cafeteria, in elevators, every level of the parking garage, in hallways and classrooms — everywhere. During my recent stay, I had 14 people from last year’s program stop by my training room to say “hi” and wish me well.

From what I’ve been told, what I’ve witnessed and what I’ve researched about CFSC, it’s quite obvious that they have a sincere and dedicated focus on “excellence.” They speak often of their “never-ending journey to excellence.” It was decided early on that excellence was going to define company culture and be its guiding principle.

Their business model integrates excellence into its vision, mission, critical success factors, and Values in Action. That’s as it should be — but seldom is in so many organizations.

Caterpillar Financial maintains a constant focus on process improvement. Tools such as 6 Sigma, a highly disciplined, data-based methodology, helps them prioritize and manage projects, design products, and improve processes. Ninety-seven percent of employees are trained in 6 Sigma procedures for designing new processes!

Specially trained employees called Black Belts, experts in the 6 Sigma process and team facilitation; Green Belts, subject matter experts; and Yellow Belts, trained in basics of 6 Sigma, comprise teams of employees that implement these procedures.

Since 1993, CFSC also has been using the Baldrige performance excellence criteria as the overall framework to assess the organization and guide improvement efforts.

Investment in employee recognition programs, such as Eye-on-Quality Awards and CAT Bucks — which allow employees to instantly recognize other employees — increases annually.

They also recognize employees with incentive pay, which is paid quarterly and directly aligned with company goals. This, of course, certainly goes a long way in helping them meet their strategic goal of attracting and retaining skilled employees.

The overall Employee Satisfaction Index has risen consistently and employee retention is following that trend as well. Ninety three percent of employees participate in the Caterpillar Healthy Balance program, which earned a national C. Everett Koop Award for Wellness Promotion and the Wellness Councils of America “Well-Workplace Award.”

The majority of what I’ve shared above is known and spoken in most of today’s competitive organizations across industries. There’s little or nothing new here. The difference I discovered, appreciated and greatly respected is that it’s not only spoken at Caterpillar Financial … it’s supported, practiced, and continually growing in this unique culture!

It’s a rare pleasure and privilege to witness this vibrant culture placing smiles on the faces of so many employees. However, don’t let me mislead you. They have their problems and challenges as so many other organizations do. We discussed several of them during our Leadership Boot Camp program. The difference I found lies in the fact that they view these speed bumps and barriers as opportunities and treat them as such. That makes the difference.

The crowning touch to my most recent visit was a very pleasant surprise indeed. At the close of the program, I was approached by a Black Belt participant who presented me with a “CAT Buck” for what he explained was his appreciation of my performance during the Leadership Boot Camp. I’m proud to say that I have since laminated and framed that special token, and it is currently hanging in a very honored spot on the wall of my office!

I’m scheduled to return to Nashville in August of this year for another Leadership Boot Camp, and I’m certainly looking forward to sharing that environment, working within that powerful culture and especially seeing those enthusiastic smiles!

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.

As I look back over my life, I must admit that I’ve had more than my share of ideas. I would venture to guess that I’ve had more ideas than the average person. I can attribute that to a number of unusual reasons. I’m pretty confident that I can hold my own with just about anyone when it comes to the quantity of ideas I’ve generated. Quality? That’s another story altogether! Over the years, I’ve come up with some pretty successful ideas. I’ve had many more that were somewhat average and, of course, and I’ve lost count of those that were left on the cutting-room floor.

As I reminisce, my greatest regret lies in the fact that I pursued far too few of those ideas. I’ve allowed conventional wisdom, popular opinion, and majority thinking to deter my pursuit. I’ve been intimidated and/or disheartened by those with more experience, more education or more authority. If I had the tremendous blessing of a “do-over,” I wouldn’t relinquish anywhere near the number of ideas that I have in the past. I wouldn’t permit others to disillusion or deter my efforts.

I fully realize such strategy wouldn’t necessarily guarantee success but I am confident that it would enhance my chances many times over. I can do little or nothing to obtain that “do-over” so I’m not going to don my “Monday morning quarterback” attire to protect myself from self-pity and regret. However, I can certainly resolve to be more persistent and diligent as I pursue any future ideas I may generate.

We’re surrounded by many examples of those who were focused, disciplined, and determined to pursue their vision, dreams or ideas. I’ve found increased inspiration in recalling some of the many mentors who have taken action to reach their goals. It would have been helpful to be exposed to these lessons much earlier in my career. Consider sharing a few of the following examples with others who might benefit from the knowledge.

Ray Kroc’s Idea Led to McDonalds

Selling multi-mixer milkshake machines all over the country, Ray Kroc met brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1954. He was so enthralled with the concept and success of their innovative hamburger operation that he tried to convince them to build more locations nationwide. It was his hope to provide them with milkshake machines. They weren’t interested. A year later he purchased the name and concept, started franchising and built McDonalds into the most successful fast food operation in the entire world.

Pierre Omidyar’s Idea Led to eBay

Pierre was a developer services engineer fascinated by the technical challenges of online commerce. One evening over dinner his fiancé mentioned an old hobby: collecting and trading Pez candy dispensers. It fueled an idea he had to create an efficient marketplace online. For Pierre Omidyar, it started as an experiment, which became a hobby, which eventually became … eBay.

Fred Smith’s Idea Led to Federal Express     

Fred Smith was disappointed in 1965 when his Yale professor gave him a “C” on his economics term paper detailing a new business idea. It was based on a very simple observation: he envisioned a unique hub-and-spoke delivery network to keep pace with the developing computer industry. Undeterred, Fred moved forward with his “dumb” idea. In 1973, Smith launched his “C”  idea as Federal Express using his own money. He established the company as the delivery service of choice for modern businesses.

Walt’s Idea Led to the Disney Empire

Walt was a misunderstood artist. The people at work laughed at his silly ideas. He was always in his own little world, fantasizing about his “strange” sketches. He lost his job. But he didn’t lose his dream. Unfazed, Walt went forward to create his magical world of … Disney which today include theme parks, movies, radio, television, cruise ships, resorts, music, toys, apparel, accessories, clothing, footwear, food, health and beauty, publishing, technology, etc.

Bill Gates’ Idea Led to Microsoft

At age 14, Gates formed a venture with Paul Allen, called Traf-O-Data, to make traffic counters based on the Intel 8008 processor. That first year he made $20,000. He enrolled at Harvard in the fall of 1973 intending to get a pre-law degree. Microsoft was started out of Bill’s dorm room where he wrote small software projects. He was so successful he eventually left without his degree.

Maxine Clark’s Idea Led to “Build-A-Bear”

Known as the “Chief Executive Bear,” Maxine Clark is the former President of Payless Shoes and the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, which she created in 1997. This teddy bear theme allows kids from age 3 to 103 to create their own personalized teddy bears, and other stuffed animals, from start to finish. The hands-on process allows the customer to pick the animal, stuff it, give it a heart and a name! Maxine says the idea for the store came to her while she was shopping for Beanie Babies with a 10-year-old friend. Today, there are more than 370 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide including the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Australia, and Africa.

Sam Walton’s Ideas Led to Wal-Mart  

His early retail career began as a manager trainee for JCPenney and continued with the Ben Franklin organization. This experience led to Walton’s Five & Dime and finally Wal-Mart. Sam Walton’s many unique ideas in areas such as construction, purchasing, pricing, marketing, transportation, technology, etc. has led Wal-Mart to the proud title of the largest retail organization in the world, employing 1.9 million associates worldwide in more than 4,000 stores in the U.S. and more than 2,900 throughout the rest of the world.

Colonel Sanders’ Idea Led to KFC 

Colonel Sanders started his business, Kentucky Fried Chicken, as a senior citizen. His social security checks weren’t enough to live on so he jumped in his Cadillac and drove around the country selling his “secret recipe” to small restaurants. The Colonel’s secret flavor recipe of 11 herbs and spices remains a trade secret. He perfected his method of cooking chicken. His idea has grown to become one of the largest quick service food service systems in the world with more than a billion “finger lickin’ good” Kentucky Fried Chicken dinners served annually in more than 80 countries and territories.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s Ideas Led to Google

Page and Brin, two 35-year-old billionaires, met in 1995 in a group of potential new students touring the Stanford campus. Legend has it that they were not terribly fond of each other when they first met. They soon found a common interest: retrieving relevant information from large data sets. Their initial idea was simply to create a search site that “didn’t suck.” They had three new ideas: index more of the Web, use links to rank search results, and have clean, simple web pages with unintrusive keyword-based ads. Google was first incorporated in 1998.

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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• Creativity Speakers and Creativity Training
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• Low Cost of Creativity
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• Got an Idea? Passionately Pursue It!
• Grilled Cheese?
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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 Chicago River is always dyed green on St. Patrick’s Day.
• If you want to remember your dreams, write them down as soon as you wake up. After 5 minutes, 50% of the dream fades from memory; after 10 minutes, 90% is gone.
• An octopus lays about 100,000 eggs at a time.
• Starfish have anywhere from 3 to 50 arms—and one eye at the end of each arm.
• Grocers got their name because they sold goods by the gross.
• There are more bagpipe bands in the U.S. than there are in Scotland.
• There are 158 verses in the Greek national anthem.

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.

Questions often arise at this time of the year as to whether true “March Madness” takes place on the nation’s round ball courts or rather in corporate cubicles and board rooms from coast to coast.

Consider the daily discussions of team selections and bracket comparisons. Now contemplate the actual number of hours which will be spent organizing, operating, and participating in the office pools surrounding each game and level of competition.

The outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas says employers could see as much as $1.7 billion dollars in lost productivity over the next few weeks, as the tournament proceeds. The calculation includes estimates on participation in the pools, worker wages and the amount of work-time possibly spent on basketball-related activities. Some businesses are trying to limit the ability of workers to stream video on their work computers to keep their systems from seeing too much bandwidth wasted.

Under normal circumstances, $1.7 billion can obviously make a dramatic impact on the business environment. However, consider today’s critical economic status in most every industry and that $1.7 billion presents an even greater threat and “March Madness” takes on an all new meaning.

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.

Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (the Spring Equinox occurs March 20). That means little or nothing to most of us. We just know that Easter comes every April − last year it was on the 8th.

However, this year Easter will fall on March 23rd. This is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! Only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!) Moreover, none of us has ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier! Kind of shocking, isn’t it? Even more so, it’s historic!

Here are the facts: 

• The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). I’m going to miss that one.
• The last time it was this early was 1913. I missed that one as well. In fact, you’d have to be 95 years of age, or older, to have been around for that one.
• The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. Therefore, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

Change seems to be impacting just about everything. I hate to say “nothing is sacred” because Easter certainly is … but change doesn’t seem to care.

Be sure to take time to enjoy your Easter Sunday with your loved ones. Time flies.

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.

This story has been around for a very long time and really proves a point in a very humorous but realistic way. After a great deal of research, it was revealed that the story is not actually true. Nevertheless, it’s a great story, creates a fantastic punch-line visual, and makes a very important point.
 
It consists of an “alleged” transcript of an actual radio conversation between a U.S. naval ship and Canadian maritime contact off the coast of Newfoundland in October 1995.
 
Americans: “Please divert your course 15 degrees North to avoid a collision.”

Canadians: “Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees South to avoid collision.”

Americans: “This is the captain of a U.S. navy ship; I say again divert your course.”

Canadians: “No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.”

Americans: “THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES’ ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, THAT’S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.”

Canadians: “We are a lighthouse; your call.”

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.

It’s intriguing how easy it is to find examples of creativity in our everyday lives. We’re surrounded by evident situations which have evolved from creative thinking; however, we, for some reason, simply neglect to recognize and/or acknowledge them.
 
Many examples are not necessarily related to business and/or organizations. You can find a great number of individuals who have demonstrated creativity in very unique ways. For instance:
 
William James Adams, Jr. is of Jamaican descent and is a very talented, highly revered, sought-after musician, songwriter and producer. He is also an American hip hop musician, songwriter and founding member and frontman of a Grammy award-winning American hip hop/pop group from Los Angeles who have sold an estimated 30 million albums and singles worldwide. Still don’t know William?
 
Before joining the famed musical group, William attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. In 2001, he began designing his own signature clothing line which made its official debut in 2005 at the Magic apparel trade show in Las Vegas. Still in the dark? Maybe this will help.

He was recently cast as John Wraith in the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a prequel to the X-Men film series.

In January 2008, this talented entertainer wrote a song, “Yes We Can,” in support of the 2008 U.S. Presidential campaign of Barack Obama, which in turn became a wildly popular music video. The lyrics of the song are composed almost entirely of excerpts from Obama’s speech following the New Hampshire presidential primary election. The video features appearances from numerous well-known celebrities.
 
He recently appeared as a guest on the very highly rated CBS prime-time television special “Celine Dion: That’s Just the Woman in Me.” He shared the stage with Grammy Award nominee Josh Groban and the five-time Grammy Award winner and multi-platinum recording artist Celine Dion. The program was taped before a live audience at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles.
 
On his own, William has established himself as one of music’s top producers. He has collaborated on tracks with Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Kelis, Nas, The Game, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Sergio Mendes,
Carlos Santana, The Pussycat Dolls, Busta Rhymes and the Black Eyed Peas, and Fergie. Still no clue?
 
The work of this rapper and producer helped steer the Black Eyed Peas, one of the most intriguing acts in hip-hop, and later made them one of the most popular acts on the charts. He is better known by his stage name — will.i.am! Not only have they sold millions of albums worldwide but have also won three Grammy awards and have been nominated for 10 total. He also has his own label called will.i.am music group which has enabled him to work closely with a wide variety of very talented and well-known artists.
 
The story goes that while William was very proud of his name, he wanted a moniker that would relate to the reality that his talent and potential was unique from so many others in a very competitive business.  Therefore, he merely made a very positive statement of his self-esteem and pride by strategically inserting a couple of common periods within his highly regarded birth name.

William became will.i.am.

A very simplistic, creative decision that has certainly served him well. In that same vein his world renowned group chose their popular name because “Black Eyed Peas” are food for the soul. They felt they were too.

Creativity doesn’t have to be overwhelming, expensive, or complex. Sometimes, “simple” does the job!

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.

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 is one slot machine in Las Vegas for every eight inhabitants.
• The game “Simon Says” was originally called “Do This, Do That.”
• Tokyo is the most heavily populated urban area in the world with a population of 34 million.
• The most densely populated city in the world is Manila with 108,000 people per square mile.
• Tribune Tower, home of the Chicago Tribune newspaper, has exterior walls that are embedded with authentic pieces of famous buildings including Westminster Abbey, the Alamo, Hamlet’s castle, the Great Pyramid, the Taj Mahal, Fort Sumter and the Arc de Triomphe.
• Nearly 3/4 of all the fresh water in the world is in Canada.
• Your brain is more active when you’re dreaming than it is when you’re awake.

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.