In high school, I was a reporter and photographer for our school newspaper and year book. I remember those days with such fondness because I so enjoyed what I was doing. In fact, I had every intention, at that time, of pursuing journalism as a career. Those were the days when a newspaper actually reported the news rather than manufacturing it. You never saw a newspaper that backed one political party over another. They served and defended the everyday citizen against large corporations and our own government.

Times have changed drastically and obviously not for the better. Today, newspapers have diminished in both size and stature. Many have merged, others have reduced their printing schedule from 7 days a week to just 2 or 3, almost all have reduced their page numbers, and many more have disappeared altogether.

The changes don’t stop there. Consider the quality of the news today. I understand the need to report what’s going on as we struggle through some of the greatest challenges this country has ever faced. However, I don’t understand why 9 out of 10 stories printed today must be negative. And don’t tell me that there is no good news to report. There are plenty of very positive things happening in this country today that deserve to be on the front page of every paper from coast to coast. I also don’t believe in the argument that people don’t want to read positive stories. Those making that claim work for newspapers.

I share these beliefs because I have again come across a heartwarming story that will put a smile on the faces of anyone yearning for good news. I recently heard, for the very first time, the phrase “Certified Therapy Dogs.” My first thought was something along the lines of a seeing eye dog, but I couldn’t have been farther off base.

In our country today there are more than 30,000 dogs that have become certified as therapy dogs. These wonderful animals help people recover from strokes, accidents, or domestic violence. Research shows that the comfort they provide patients helps heal them and improve their quality of life.

Click on this link to see a short video about a loving dog named Baxter, and you’ll see how these animals change lives in miraculous ways. They bring tremendous comfort and joy to autistic children, nursing facilities, hospitals, schools, special needs classrooms, and other facilities by invitation or prior approval.

 

I read about one of these wonderful animals in Parade Magazine. They told the story of a black lab named “Boo” who lives in New York with his owner. Apparently, a previously unresponsive 94-year-old woman at a care facility spoke her first words after visiting several times with the lab. Suddenly one day as “Boo” arrived for his regular visit, she calmly said, “Hello Boo.”

Isn’t it interesting that even “man’s best friend” can demonstrate leadership when the need arises?

Research shows that the comfort these animals provide patients helps heal them and improve their quality of life. This is the kind of story we need to see more of. It’s quite obvious that today’s media has no intention to return to the “good news” stories we need so badly in these trying times. The task now falls to us to carry the torch … to share this story and so many others like it with as many people as we possibly can in hopes of restoring the faith so many have lost. We can make a difference. I brought this particular story this far. Now it’s up to you to see that others have access to some much-needed “good news.” Let’s let Baxter and Boo know they have our support and appreciation by passing this video on to others. Thanks!

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

Wait! Don’t tune out. This article isn’t about dangerous animals, the City of Detroit, or a football team. As always, the focus is on leadership and the by-product is CLASS.

I’ve been a proud Detroit Lions football fan since I could waddle across my yard with a football under my arm. That was way back in the days that Bobby Layne led the team as quarterback as one of the last players to wear a helmet without a face guard. Today, the Lions are led by a 21-year-old young man, Matthew Stafford, with a $78 million contract, making him the highest-paid player in the team’s history.

Consider this:

• The Lions have won just four NFL Championships in 79 years of play.
• They have the second-longest NFL championship drought behind the Arizona Cardinals.
• The Lions have yet to qualify for the Super Bowl.
• The team has qualified for the playoffs only nine times in the more than 50 years and has won only one playoff game in that span.
• The Lions hold the second longest regular season losing streak in NFL history, losing 19 straight games going all the way back to 2007.
• The 2008 Detroit Lions became the only team in NFL history to lose all 16 regular-season games.
• They have a rookie quarterback in Stafford and a new coach in Jim Swartz.
• They proudly boast one of the most beautiful stadiums in the nation in Ford Field. I’ve had the privilege to speak there and a tour of this facility will leave you breathless.
• Record-wise, the Lions have been losers for decades.

I, like so many others, have been a Lions fan through all of this tragedy.

So why my reference to CLASS? You’d better sit down. The Lions have broken that remarkable losing streak the last weekend in September by defeating the Washington Redskins 19-14.

Needless to say, the players and the fans reacted as though they had just won the Super Bowl! You couldn’t hear anything for what seemed forever. They danced, they hugged, they laughed, they screamed and sang as they relished the joy of victory!

Now the CLASS appears. The team finally made their way into the locker room. They quickly quieted down, and as a team they dropped to one knee and shared a prayer of thanks. They then decided as a team to return to the field to celebrate this unbelievable milestone. They talked, shook hands, and hugged thousands of fans who had gathered on the field. Later, they said they simply wanted to thank the most patient fans in the game of football for their loyalty and support since 2007. Will they win their next game? Will they have a winning season? Who knows? In fact, who cares? On this day, they conquered the world and nothing was more important to the Lions or their fans.

Frosting on this scrumptious cake? You bet! As thousands of proud fans finally filed out of that beautiful, state-of-the-art football stadium, you could hear a low, thunderous, but growing, two-word chant … SUPER BOWL! SUPER BOWL! SUPER BOWL! Those are true fans supporting a CLASSY football team! Losers on the field for now but winners in our hearts forever!

By the way, the Lions one-game winning streak ended the following Sunday in Chicago by a score of 48-24 … but we’ll be back!

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

The Jerry Lewis Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Telethon has been on the air for 44 years. I vividly remember watching it with my parents decades ago as it was somewhat of a family tradition. Years later, I remember continuing this emotional tradition with my own children. One year I even had the privilege of hosting several television remote segments of the telethon from a 24-hour marathon at our local Marriott hotel.

This year I had occasion to watch a great deal of the telethon as I worked on a project in my home office. As always, there was an abundance of talent offering a variety of entertainment in an effort to raise funds for “Jerry’s Kids.”

Due to my focus on the computer, most of the telethon was little more than background noise which served to keep me awake as the hours began to mount. Suddenly, a sound emerged from my TV which simply couldn’t be ignored. I quickly glanced at the screen to see four young girls singing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” I was instantly mesmerized by their performance. Obviously, the live audience in Las Vegas felt the same way as they gave this group a standing ovation for several minutes.

The name of the group was The Cactus Cuties, and they certainly were! The four young ladies hail from Lubbock, Texas, where they got their start at the Cactus Theater. A large number of young talented kids have been performing there since 1994. The original Cactus Cuties came together in 2001 and consisted of seven talented youngsters between the ages of four and seven. None of the four existing “Cuties” on this year’s telethon was in that original group.

Today, even at this young age, these “Cuties” generate a beautiful harmony and charismatic presence that have led them to evolve into seasoned veterans. Many of their songs can be seen on YouTube and their arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” garnered five million hits in only three months, touching hearts all over the world. In addition to the telethon, they have been featured on The 700 Club, numerous NBA, MLB, and NFL games, and many high-profile military events. In December of 2008, they received an invitation from The White House to appear before President and Mrs. Bush.

At one time, there were as many as 19 Cactus Cuties, but through the years for various reasons, the group has evolved and been molded into the existing four members, Baylee Barrett (age 14), Andi Kitten (age 12), Blaire Elbert (age 12), and Madeline Powell (age 9). These four girls have been members of the Cactus Cuties for just shy of six years.

In a society which forbids our children to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school, these youngsters are instilling a pride and feeling of patriotism in the hearts of millions of Americans … something which has been so obviously lacking in our current chaotic environment.

I watch their performance and feel secure that our future is in good hands. At the same time, I feel enormous guilt at the burden placed on their generation by the greed and stupidity of ours. Watch this short video of an earlier performance when there were five members, and if you don’t experience a lump in your throat, a tear in your eye, or a flutter in your heart—seek help immediately!

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.