GOALS — A simple 5-letter word that genuinely strikes fear, trepidation and loathing in the hearts and minds of millions of people all over the world. The question is WHY?

Studies have forever verified the fact that goal-setting has enhanced levels of productivity, achievement, and profitability for both individuals and organizations alike. Plain and simple! No questions asked!

Why then do so many people fear this most productive process?

Why then don’t more businesses teach, encourage, and support a process that has proven to be so beneficial?

I’ve met CEOs, Ph.D.s, entrepreneurs, and time-tested leaders who, although familiar with the goal-setting process, choose not to take advantage of it.

In fact, extensive national studies all agree that:

• Less than 5% of the population set goals!
• The vast majority have no goals at all!
• Less than 1% of those who do have goals, write them down!

Consider the value here. If you set goals, you have an definite advantage over 95% of the population!

If you write those goals down, programming your subconscious as a keyboard programs a computer, you have a major advantage over those few who do set goals!

The question remains: “Why don’t more people take advantage of the vast benefits provided as a result of utilizing such a simple but powerful strategy?”

Studies have revealed several reasons why people don’t set goals:

• People simply don’t understand the importance of goal-setting.
• People don’t know how to set goals.
• People have a fear of failure.
• People have a reluctance to meet expectations.

These reasons obviously outweigh the many benefits provided by the goal-setting process.

Pause for just a moment to take a look at the last year of any aspect of your life … business or personal. I think, if you’re honest, you’ll have to admit that you’ve experienced a great deal of change.

To cope and conquer the challenges of this constant change, successful goal-setting will be essential to both individuals and organizations.

Consider the simple process of strategic planning … in essence, fancy words for goal setting. Doesn’t it make sense to establish a big picture strategic plan for your organization and then follow through by having your middle management level do the same? This plan would reflect the chosen strategy for supporting the larger focus. The front-line staff should then create individual goals describing how they plan to support the corporate focus.

Organizations that have chosen this simplistic multi-level approach to strategic planning have enjoyed tremendous success! Ironically, this productive approach is based on the simple process of goal-setting.

Sadly, far too many businesses and organizations have yet to expose and involve their employees to this essential process. Our “On Your Mark, Get Set, Goal!” program does just that. Call us at 1-800-886-2629 for more information about this powerful program. In fact, set a goal to call us within the next 48 hours!

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.

I find it both interesting and educational to watch how organizations react to a crisis of any kind. I don’t have to go into detail as to the many challenges we currently face in this country … especially in the business world.

However, upon close examination, there is an obvious pattern to how the business world reacts to these challenges. “Losers” and “also-rans” have a tendency to “play-it-safe,” “sit tight,” and “wait for business to return.” I see it every day.

Over the past year, I’ve also witnessed many of those companies cease to exist … falling victim to their own strategy. Some of the companies are well-known and have been around for some time.

On the other hand, you can witness the “winners” and “survivors” utilizing a different strategy. I like to call it “throwing more darts.” It’s actually very simple. When things stall and aren’t going well, they simply try new options. They add new products and services. They change the way they used to do things. They look for new opportunities or enhance existing strategies.

They often fail, but they keep trying until they discover a winning strategy. They feel that the more “darts” they throw at their target of success, the better chance they have of hitting it. They don’t feel that “sitting and waiting” is an option. It leads to destruction and death.

Don’t take my word for it. Watch the news. Note that leaders in every industry are constantly “throwing more darts” in their attempts to rebound, grow, and thrive in today’s challenging business environment. When they do hit a speed bump, it’s usually a temporary set-back because they continue to pursue their goals. They don’t dwell on set-backs … they continue their journey to success.

Ford and GM have enjoyed a tremendous comeback in recent months after experts predicted their demise. They did so by eliminating a herd of sacred cows in their efforts to discover successful alternatives to long-term challenges.

Starbucks is expanding its product line to grocery stores worldwide, recently established its first of many locations on cruise ships, and is now pursuing the challenge of bringing instant coffee to more than 500,000 hotel rooms across the country! Now that’s throwing darts!

McDonalds is investing more than a billion dollars to remodel its stores nationwide to include comfortable couches, fireplaces, big-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi to lure customers at a time when its competitors are merging, selling, or going out of business as they play it safe waiting for business to return.

Two weeks after Netflix announced major price increases, Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, started streaming many movies the same day they come out on DVD. It now offers 20,000 titles that can be viewed on almost any device with Internet access, from computers to televisions to Sony’s PlayStation3 and other Blu-Ray disc players.

The strategy is obvious. The more darts you throw—the better your chance of hitting your target. Try new darts. Remodel your existing darts. Try a new method of propelling your darts. You may even want to change your target. Many will miss their mark. Throw more. I can promise you this—you’ll never hit the target with the darts you don’t throw! Think about it! Then take action!

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.

I finally have to throw in the towel. I’ve had it. I can no longer keep up with the unbelievably rapid change in my life today. Just about the time I master what I thought was a real challenge, five more appear in my life! I’m exhausted just thinking about the changes we’ll be facing in the next five years.

I lost my grandfather 35 years ago. I seriously cringe at the thought of having to explain to him, should he come back for a visit today, even a few of the many changes which have occurred over those years. I wouldn’t know where to start.

However, I know it’s not just me. I observe many others struggling as well. On the other hand, I’m amused and impressed at how many people adapt so quickly and comfortably to any change they may encounter. Maybe you’re one of those fortunate “adapters” and don’t even realize it. Check out the following list to discover your current status. Answer honestly.

YOU KNOW YOU’RE LIVING IN 2011 WHEN …

1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.

2. Your grandmother clogs up your e-mail inbox asking you to send her a JPEG file of your newborn so she can create a screen saver.

3. You didn’t give your valentine a card this year, but you posted one for your e-mail buddies via a web page.

4. Your daughter sells Girl Scout Cookies via her web site.

5. You text your son to let him know it’s time to eat. He returns a text back from his bedroom asking, “What’s for dinner?”

6. You haven’t played solitaire with real cards in years!

7. You chat on-line regularly with strangers all over the country, but you haven’t spoken to your next-door-neighbor in over a year.

8. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 4.

9. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home.

10. You e-mail your colleague at the desk next to you to ask if they’re ready to go to lunch.

11. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends is that they do not have an e-mail address.

12. You hear most of your jokes via e-mail rather than in person.

13. Every commercial on television has a web-site address at the bottom of the screen.

15. You buy a computer and a week later it’s out of date and now sells for half the price you paid.

16. You consider second-day air delivery painfully slow.

17. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn’t even have the first 20, 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go back and get it.

18. You get up in the morning and go online before getting dressed for work.

19. You’re reading this and nodding and laughing.

20. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

21. You are too busy to notice there was no #14 on this list.

22. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn’t a #14 on this list.

How’d you do?

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.

Isn’t it odd how you can see “something” day after day and soon take it for granted as being part of your life? Even stranger is the fact that when that “something” suddenly goes away, we quickly forget it ever existed.

Consider, for example, the many places we spend money every day … hotels, restaurants, airlines, retail establishments, etc. These are place that we visit weekly, sometimes even daily. They often seem to be here today and gone tomorrow. Assisting our “instant amnesia” is the fact that new businesses spring up almost instantaneously to replace those that have disappeared. How many of the following do you remember?

HOWARD JOHNSON’S

Fondly known as “HoJo’s” by many loyal patrons, the first “orange-roofed” restaurant opened in 1929 and specialized in ice cream and fried clams.

From there, Howard Johnson grew it to become one of the largest restaurant chains in the world. When the company went public in 1961, there were 605 Howard Johnson restaurants, and at one point, the count reached 800 coast to coast. When Marriott Corporation bought the chain in 1985, the lodging and dining operations were essentially divided. There are now only three original Howard Johnson restaurants left (one in Maine and two in New York).

TOWER RECORDS

The first Tower Records store was opened in 1960 in Sacramento, California. The location would be the start of a music megastore and become one of America’s largest music and video retailers. At its peak it had 200 stores in 21 states. But in 2004, it filed for bankruptcy claiming Internet piracy and discount stores were to blame. Although there are no more physical locations, you can still visit it virtually at Tower.com.

BURGER CHEF

Founded in Indiana in 1954, Burger Chef expanded throughout the U.S. At its peak, it was said to be second only to McDonald’s in the number of locations nationwide. By 1970, it had 2,400 locations. Burger Chef was known for its flame-broiled burgers, “works bar” and “value combo” meals. In 1982, many Burger Chef locations were converted to Hardee’s. In 1996, the last Burger Chef closed.

CHI-CHI’s

This popular Mexican eatery was a gathering place for family dining for close to 30 years. Founded in Minnesota in 1975, the chain grew to 210 locations, primarily in the Midwest and East, by 1995. However in 2003, Chi-Chi’s was struggling and had just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, when a large Hepatitis A outbreak was linked to green onions at one of its locations. The outbreak hit Chi-Chi’s hard and pretty much sealed its fate. Outback Steakhouse bought Chi-Chi’s North American properties, but not its brand name, recipes or operations. In 2004, Chi-Chi’s closed all of its remaining restaurants in North America. (Chi-Chi’s restaurants are still in operation in other countries and a line of Chi-Chi brand salsa is available in most American supermarkets.)

DISCOVERY ZONE

Similar to today’s Chuck E. Cheese, the Discovery Zone was a chain of entertainment facilities featuring ball pits, climbing structures and indoor mazes. Founded in 1989, it grew rapidly to become the nation’s largest operator of children’s indoor entertainment facilities, peaking at 347 locations in 1994. Stretched thin by expansion, Discovery Zone filed for bankruptcy in 1996. By the end of 1999, Chuck E. Cheese’s purchased Discovery Zone’s name, logo and remaining fun centers. It turned many of them into Chuck E. Cheese facilities while shutting down the rest.

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.

I first heard the commercial on April 1st, so obviously I assumed it was simply an April Fool’s joke. However, apparently the joke’s on us. And it certainly will be if we don’t show restraint.

KFC, previously known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, has unleashed a menu monster that would shock even the Earl of Sandwich! Picture this if you can: a sandwich featuring two chicken fillets instead of bread slices. In between are two pieces of bacon, melted slices of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese and a zesty sauce. KFC calls it the “Double Down.”

With this new coronary creation, KFC joins the ranks of Burger King, Wendy’s, Hardee’s and other fast-food outlets that have had success marketing enormous, unhealthy burgers.

In the past, KFC has made attempts to shake its greasy image by slimming down its mascot, the Colonel; dropping the word “fried” from its title; and adding grilled chicken options to the menu. The Double Down, then, is a dramatic break from that trend.

This is just another example of constant and rapid change in every aspect of our lives. Look back over the past year and consider the vast number of changes which have occurred in such areas as transportation, technology, communications, marketing, advertising, travel, entertainment, fashion, and now fast food. The list goes on and on. As this constant change takes place around us, we must also adapt by making the necessary personal changes in our lives. Failure to do so will certainly lead to major challenges in the very near future.

Take a moment to examine your current lifestyle and determine what, if any, changes might be beneficial to you in staying abreast with our ever-changing world!

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.

Having the privilege to be a father of three wonderful children and the grandfather of nine cherished grandchildren, I have witnessed an interesting phenomenon as it applies to the need to deal with growth. It holds true in your experiences with family, friends, loved ones and those we associate with in our workplace.

Everyone needs a PUSH!

As I look back on my personal life, I can easily remember many times in which I needed a PUSH to attempt a new challenge, accept a new technology, or realize the need for growth at a time when I may have felt I wasn’t ready. CHANGE doesn’t wait until you’re ready. I’m thankful to those who were placed in my life at the right time to enthusiastically provide that PUSH when I needed it most!

I then think back to each of my three children and warmly revisit those critical moments in their growth that required me to provide that PUSH. Many times I found it both difficult and challenging and actually questioned whether it was the right thing to do at the time. I was indeed fortunate that most of my decisions were correct.

I can make that statement because I now take great pride in what my children have accomplished and even greater satisfaction in watching them provide the PUSH for my grandchildren. There is little more gratifying that hearing your own words coming out of the mouths of your children decades later. Especially when you remember your children telling you how crazy you were at the time. Now I just smile and make eye contact with them as they pass on that “crazy” wisdom to my grandchildren.

You NEVER outgrow your need for a good PUSH. There is always a need to tackle new challenges in your pursuit of success and happiness. So whether you happen to need a PUSH or provide a PUSH … keep an open mind and do the right thing. You know it works!

Here’s a short but powerful video based on the book by David McNally, Even Eagles Need a Push. I think you’ll identify with the mixed feelings of that this concerned parent faced with the need to push the young eagles out of the nest.

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.

A “perfect storm” is an expression that describes an event where a rare combination of circumstances will aggravate a situation drastically. And that’s what’s happening today across this great nation.

While so many organizations are simply sitting dormant waiting for things to get better, others have decided to take action in an effort to make things better.

The rare combination of circumstances coming together today include chaos, competition, and creativity … all leading to major CHANGE you probably thought you’d never see … and yet current news releases inform us that many changes are already taking place. Here are three you might find interesting.

Burger King Planning to Sell Beer

Yes, it sounds like a whopper, but it’s true. The burger chain already has a Whopper Bar at Universal Citywalk near the theme parks in Orlando, Florida, and it plans to open others in Miami Beach, New York City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. The beers will be mostly domestic, such as Bud and Miller, and will be served in aluminum bottles selling for about $4.25. Burger King is also experimenting with several combo offerings.

McSaloon Will Offer Win Coolers

In an attempt to counter Burger King and maintain its position as the #1 burger chain on earth, McDonald’s has announced that it will start selling wine coolers at its South Beach locations in Miami beginning the middle of March this year. Interestingly enough, that kick-off date correlates with Spring Break. Called McWineCooler Swirls, the alcoholic beverages will be served during McHappy Hour from 4-7 p. m. daily at the McSaloon section of the restaurant. The beverages will not be served in the main family area of the restaurant.

Kroger Get Creative

Creativity isn’t limited to the fast food industry. Kroger has seen the benefit of expanding its offering as well in hopes of weathering the Perfect Storm.

Kroger Marketplace in Frisco, Texas, has opened up a new 123,000-square-foot store that greatly expands upon the products the supermarket typically sells. In addition to everything you would expect to find in a Kroger store, this one also sells home furnishings like dining room sets, bookshelves and lamps as well as toys, jewelry and more. Oh, and if on the way out you suddenly experience the urge to splurge on a diamond pendant or pick up an engagement ring, a Fred Meyer Jewelers is conveniently located at the front of the store. (It turns out that Kroger, the country’s second-largest grocery chain, also owns the Fred Meyer Jewelry chain, which happens to be the nation’s third-largest jewelry retailer).

Target Targets Food

If you haven’t already noticed, Target has been expending its line of food products for the past several years and the response has been very positive. So much so, that it is now testing fresh meat products in a number of test stores. If it catches on like its other food products have, Kroger may be concerned.

You can bet there are a host of competitors watching what happens as a result of these creative attempts to survive and thrive. If they fail, you will hear a chorus of “I told you so.” If they succeed, you’ll suddenly see a lot of them scrambling to do the same. However, there’s a good chance that it will be too late.

To succeed today, you’d better be willing to do what it takes to weather that “perfect storm” that confronts us all! Get creative, take a chance, put forth an effort or pay the price as you simply sit and watch!

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.

Watching the many football bowl games televised on so many networks for the past six weeks brought back some very fond memories of time spent with my grandfather. We used to sit in front of that old black and white TV over the holidays watching the bowl games we had waited for all year. Popcorn, soda, and time with my grandfather made those games so special to me.

However, there was a major difference in those days compared to what we see today. I was just thinking about that over the weekend. If, by some miracle, Grandpa could return for an afternoon of football with his grandson, how in the world would I possibly explain the many things we take for granted today? Things that I know would blow his mind. How would I explain the following:

1. A color television … with a screen 10 times larger than the one we used to watch at his house … hanging on my wall … with picture in picture … HDTV … stereo sound … instant replay and 375 channels (he had 8 channels)! Where would I begin?
2. How would I explain that we had our choice of 34 college bowl games to choose from this year? Back then he and I had only four choices and of course we watched them all. We had only “The Fab Four” … Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Cotton Bowl. In those days, we felt it was hard to keep track of them all. Little did we know that the “Fab Four” would someday grow into the marathon of chaos we witness today!
3. After explaining our many choices, how would I explain the crazy names? Rose, Orange, Sugar and Cotton are pretty simple compared to this year’s offering. What would Grandpa think when he saw these names?
   • GMAC Bowl
   • Brut Sun Bowl
   • Outback Bowl
   • Chick-fil-A Bowl
   • Eagle Bank Bowl
   • Capital One Bowl
   • Little Caesars Bowl
   • Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
   • MAACO Las Vegas Papajohns.com Bowl
   • Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
   • AutoZone Liberty Bowl
   • Meineke Car Care Bowl
   • Emerald Bowl (snack nuts)
   • Konica Minolta Gator Bowl
   • Valero Alamo Energy Bowl
   • Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
   • Insight Bowl (technology solutions)
   • Champs Sports Bowl (Foot Locker)
   • Beef O’Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl
   • Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
   • Pacific Life Holiday Bowl (insurance)
   • San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
   • Texas Bowl (Lone Star Sports and Entertainment)
   • Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl (Roady’s Truck Stops)
   • R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (global transportation)
   • AdvoCareV100 Independence Bowl (energy drinks and nutritional supplements)

And they even butchered our “Fab Four” bowl games of yesteryear. They have become the Citi Rose Bowl, MetroPCS Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl, and AT&T Cotton Bowl.

Yes, I’d have a difficult time trying to explain today’s world to Gramps! If you think the world of televised football would be a challenge, can you even imagine trying to explain:

• 9-11
• GPS
• TSA
• iPods
• E-mail
• Twitter
• Google
• Katrina
• Facebook
• Afghanistan
• Health Care
• Cell Phones
• Satellite TV
• Banking Bailout
• Global Warming
• Big Three Demise
• A Black President
• A Woman Running for President

Yes, things happen much faster than we sometimes realize. Maybe it takes an exercise like imagining your grandpa coming back for a visit to realize that fact! Of course, you can always reverse that process and imagine what it would be like if we came back 35 years from now. Can you even begin to imagine what might await us?

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.

Many changes rear their ugly heads in today’s chaotic environment and those changes often lead to fear. Of course, fear can be paralyzing, often leading to inaction. When facing a change, most people invariably feel insecure, lost and overwhelmed. Whatever your fear—making decisions, changing careers, health care decisions, leaving a relationship—you must learn to push through to a resolution or suffer the consequences of inaction.

In several of our seminar and keynote presentations, we refer to the classic bestseller by Dr. Susan Jeffers: Feel the Fear … and Do It Anyway. The title tells all. Susan shares a not-so-obvious truth that it’s okay to feel fear when facing change. Many people feel they’re the only ones who experience fear. The key, of course, is that you “Do It Anyway!”

In her bestseller, Dr. Jeffers inspires readers with dynamic techniques and profound concepts that have helped countless people grab hold of their fears and move forward with their lives.

I recently came across this unique video which speaks volumes in a mere 1 minute 28 seconds to the importance of facing your fears. Not a word is spoken but the visuals will captivate you and certainly lead to deep thought on this very critical subject. The last five seconds will reveal what happens when you finally face your fears. Take a look!

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.

It doesn’t matter who you are! It doesn’t matter how old you are! It doesn’t matter where you live! It doesn’t matter who you work for! It doesn’t matter what business you’re in! It doesn’t matter how large or small your business is! It doesn’t matter what products and/or services you offer! It doesn’t matter how successful you’ve been in the past!

You’re about to experience more change in the next few years than you have in your entire lifetime. Constant change is the new dynamic of the global economy and makes agility even more necessary than at any point in business history.

Take a look at this video, and if you’re not shocked by the content, you’d better view it again. In fact, my guess is you’ll want to see it again regardless. This is another official update to the original “Shift Happens” video. This completely new Fall 2009 version includes facts and stats focusing on the changing media landscape, including convergence.

 
Boards, leadership, middle-managers, front-line staff, vendors, consultants, and parents had better take heed of the messages you’ll find here and begin to plan and prepare to deal with them!

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.