AchieveMax® Blog

Yes, that’s a serious question. And there’s a good reason for asking it. Think about it. Consider your behavior every time you ride an elevator. I’ll bet you do the following just as I and millions of others do.

1. Push the button even though it’s already lit, indicating that others have pushed it before you. Do you think it’s going to get there faster by doing that?
2. When it arrives, you then enter the elevator and automatically turn and face the front.
3. You push the button of the floor you want—even if it’s already lit.
4. You avoid eye contact with any of the other passengers.
5. You probably fold your hands in front of you or behind you.
6. You focus on the small screen showing the passing floors.
7. Or you look straight ahead or at the floor.
8. You say nothing to anyone or, if you’re with a companion, you speak only in hushed tones.
9. When you get to your floor, you quickly exit the elevator and resume acting like an earthling.

Now my question is simple. Where did you learn to do that? Was it covered in grade school, middle school, or maybe high school? I don’t think it’s taught in college. Did, at some point in your young life, one or both of your parents sit you down for “THE” talk … you know, the “how to behave in an elevator talk”! Is it something you learned in the military or maybe a “job training program” at some point during your career? Or maybe it was much more simple than that.

Maybe there was a sign on the wall listing those behaviors. No, we know there’s never been a sign.

Obviously not. Our behavior is under the control of unwritten social rules, implicit norms, which govern appropriate elevator demeanor. Social norms are expectations shared by the members of a group about appropriate ways to behave in given situations.

And it’s not formal training by any stretch of the imagination. It’s not even openly acknowledged. Yet we’re manipulated like puppets on invisible strings and this unusual experience isn’t limited to an elevator. Consider how we act in a court room, in a hospital waiting room, in a library, attempting to board an airplane at the airport, in a laundromat, or in a restaurant. In each situation we mindlessly follow the dictates of group norms and situational forces.

Years ago there was a very popular family TV program called “Allen Funt’s Candid Camera.” In what might be his most ingenious stunt, “Face the Rear,” his staff rigged an elevator so that after an unsuspecting person enters, four Candid Camera staff members enter, and one by one they all face the rear. The doors close and then reopen; now revealing that the passenger had conformed and is now also facing the rear. Doors close and reopen, and everyone is facing sideways, and then face the other way. I’m sure you can guess the outcome.

Watch this short, but hilarious, video but pause before laughing too loud. Think about how many times, in each of the scenarios mentioned above, YOU have been manipulated like a puppet on a string!

Well, times are changing and norms are being replaced by new strategies in hopes that we can survive and thrive in today’s challenging and chaotic environment. It’s time to challenge norms, rethink current strategies, try different approaches, consider calculated risks, and expand comfort zones!

Why not start with the ELEVATOR? The next time you enter that “sacred square” consider one of the following behaviors to liven up the existence of those still connected to those invisible strings.

1. Greet everyone getting on the elevator with a warm handshake and ask them to call you Admiral.
2. Say “Ding!” at each floor.
3. Make explosion noises when anyone presses a button.
4. Stand silent and motionless in the corner, facing the wall, without getting off.
5. Whistle the first seven notes of “It’s a Small World” incessantly.
6. Crouch in one corner and growl menacingly at everyone who gets on.
7. Stare, grinning, at another passenger for a while, and then announce: “I’ve got new socks on!”
8. Read Green Eggs and Ham as though it were Shakespeare. Sound out every word!
9. When there is only one other person in the elevator, tap them on the shoulder and then pretend it wasn’t you.
10. As the elevator is going up, jump violently up and down, shouting, “Down! I said down, darn it!”
11. Announce in a demonic voice: “I must find a more suitable host body.”
12. Upon entering a full elevator, face the entire group and say: “I’ll bet you’re wondering why I called this meeting.”

Now that you’ve had some fun, focus on other situations in your life where you’ve been a victim of unwritten social rules or implicit norms. Re-frame, leave the path, make a difference, strive and thrive … and keep me posted!

Now excuse me as I gather my pogo stick, tripod, and snare drum … I have an elevator to catch!

Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

One of my favorite sayings has always been: “It’s not what happens to you in life that really matters … it’s how you react to what happens to you that makes the difference!

As a business consultant, I see proof of this infinite “truth” every week! It has nothing to do with the industry I’m working with … the organization, product or service. It’s a “people” issue.

In working with clients, I have found that almost always we have determined that “the problem is never the problem—the response is the real problem!”

Consider the Gulf tragedy. Everyone talks about the problems the oil spill caused. Closer focus would reveal that the oil spill didn’t cause a fraction of the problems that the “response” to the oil spill caused … by BP, by FEMA, the Coast Guard, affected states, Washington, etc. Historians will document in great detail what we’re currently ignoring daily.

Consider your personal challenges with a simple re-frame. Forget what you once assessed to be a problem and focus, instead, on how you reacted or are currently reacting to that challenge. In doing so, you’ll find yourself focusing on action you can actually take to make a difference. Think about it. Try it. You now have a new weapon in your arsenal, a new strategy in your game plan, a new map for your journey to success!

Invest 2:10 to listen to Tom Peters, world-known author, speaker and consultant, summarize the importance of this concept.

Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

It’s been a while since we shared obvious questions so we’re back with another 15, bringing our current total to 400! I’ve always received several notes wanting to know where the others can be found. Just go to the column on the right-hand side of this page and click on Is It Just Me? You’ll find the entire list posted there in groups of 15 to each posting.

By the way, if you have any additions to add to our list, please feel free to send them along to me.

• Wouldn’t it be ironic to choke on a lifesaver?
• Wouldn’t it be ironic to punch someone in the face with a bottle of Johnson’s No More Tears?
• If a cat chokes to death while eating a mouse, who killed who?
• If a pig loses its voice, is it dis”grunt”led?
• Why is everyone in such a hurry to get right up when they fall down?
• Did you ever notice that there are two political parties in America—the one you’re aligned with and the Know-nothing party?
• Have you noticed that there are only two emotions on an airplane: boredom and terror!
• Why do we press the start button to turn off the computer?
• Why must hailstones always be the size of something else?
• We have mileage, yardage, and footage. Why don’t we have inchage?
• Why do they say a football team is the “world champion” when they don’t play anybody outside the U.S.?
• Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?
• Is it legal to travel down a road in reverse, as long as you’re following the direction of the traffic?
• Are eyebrows considered facial hair?
• Why is it, that on those rare flights that arrive early, there’s always another plane at our gate making us sit on the tarmac forever?

Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

Let me begin by stating that this is not a political article in any way. We don’t do politics here. It’s a lost cause and alienates 50% of those who read it, regardless of what we say. No need for that. This is an article on CHANGE because even though we all talk about change constantly, we seldom actually realize how fast and how much change occurs in our daily lives.

Think about these shocking facts:

• 100 years ago, none of the taxes listed below existed.
• Our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
• We had absolutely no national debt.
• Today our national debt is 12 trillion, 890 billion, 837 million 190 thousand, eighty three dollars and 39 cents!
• We add $4.16 billion per day to the above figure!
• We had the largest middle class in the world.
• Mom could stay home to raise the kids if she chose.

Do you think taxes are too high today? And I’m not talking about your payroll taxes alone. Don’t think your W-2—think what you’re actually paying. How many of these taxes apply to you? The Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, CDL License Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Excise Taxes, Federal Income Tax, Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA), Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline Tax, Gross Receipts Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Charges, IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Taxes, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Personal Property Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service Charge Tax, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax, Sales Tax, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Taxes, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, and Workers Compensation Tax … to name a few.

Well, if you’re complaining about all those taxes, you should be ashamed of yourself! You should be asking your politicians for even more taxes to pay! We seldom consider the wonderful benefits we enjoy as a result of those taxes. Let me share just one recent example before you call to thank your political representatives.

TWEETS FOREVER

The U.S. Library of Congress this week revealed it will archive every public tweet not flagged as private! According to a blog post from Twitter founder Biz Stone, more than 55 million tweets are broadcast each day by Twitter’s 105 million users, pushing the total of tweets tweeted into the billions.

That means every one of those tweets will be made available for all to see after six months. Twitter donated its entire archive to the Library of Congress. Careful what you tweet as those 140 character or less slices of life will now be around for eternity … cataloged at the oldest federal cultural institution and the country’s largest library.

Can you imagine the size and scope of this project? How many people will it take to establish and maintain an archive which grows by 55 million tweets a day? And who do you think is going to pay for that? That’s why we pay taxes. Remember that the next time you gather with friends, family and neighbors to browse the U.S. Library of Congress Tweet Archive.

Two closing thoughts:

1. Be very careful what you tweet. It’s now a matter of record … complete with your name and possible photo.
2. From time to time check out the following link to see how much our National Debt has grown since yesterday!

Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

I’ve had the phenomenal pleasure of working with teachers and school officials at every level for several decades. I’ve lost count of the number of in-service presentations I’ve made over the years, and I’ve always been impressed by the fact that teachers love to continue learning themselves!

We’ve all had at least one special teacher in our lives that in some way made a difference in our lives … it may have seemed small at the time but as we reflect back to those formative years we’ve discovered that difference has been crucial. For me it was a particular teacher who daily encouraged me to read. The emphasis was on developing the love and appreciation of reading as opposed to what I read. He pointed out that content would change over the years, but my desire to read would never wane and would always be an asset. He was certainly on target. Reading has been instrumental in my career path, and I’ve tried to pass that critical advice on to as many children as I possibly could. My nine grandchildren have grown up thinking everyone had an in-home library!

Here are a few shocking facts you might want to pause and ponder when you get a moment.

1. There are close to 8 million teachers in the U.S. today educating our children from pre-kindergarten through high school levels!
2. These teachers spend more time with our children in one school day than we’re able to spend in an entire week! I’m not talking about being in the same building with our children … I’m talking about actual face-to-face interaction with those cherished treasures.
3. While educational costs continue to escalate tremendously, our teachers are grossly under-paid for the services they render today.

Have you considered the fact that you are placing the safety, well-being, education, and future of our children in the hands of these dedicated men and women? Today your child’s teacher is a hero:  a hero who pays for school supplies out of his/her own pocket … a hero who is building your child’s character and teaching him/her to make the right choices as he/she grows toward adulthood … a hero who is encouraging and preparing your child for a higher education.

We’re entrusting our most cherished possessions to our teacher’s today. Here’s an action plan that’s certainly worth pursuing: Simply take a moment to thank a teacher. Send an e-mail or hand-written letter expressing your appreciation for their dedicated efforts. Better yet, stop by the classroom and express your feelings face to face. They certainly deserve it and will whole-heartedly appreciate it!

Take a look at this short video and you may have a better understanding about the “Heart of a Teacher.”

Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

Sometimes I’m baffled by some of the most elementary trends I observe from day to day. It’s almost as though the more basic they become, the more difficult they are to understand. Ironically, some things seldom CHANGE.

For as long as I’ve been professionally keynoting and facilitating seminars, there has always been a demand for tips, tools, and strategies designed to assist both individuals and organizations to better adapt to the constant challenge of CHANGE.

As a result of that constant request, I created a seminar and keynote program that we’ve been sharing with clients all over North America, in a wide variety of industries, for the past 18 years now … “Productive Chaos: Riding the Wave of Change.” 

Throughout those years, we have never delivered that program content twice in the same way. The reason for that fact is simple. We update the content every single time we deliver the program, utilizing research from radio, television, books, magazines, the Internet, and personal interviews and experiences. We do that, in short, to insure that we walk the talk of constant change.

What mystifies me is why most everyone finds it so difficult and challenging to deal with change when we’ve been doing exactly that all our lives! We’ve known nothing but CHANGE and yet continue to struggle with coping with its consequences.

Take a look at this short video, “Change Is Good—You Go First” to enjoy 21 tips for dealing with this on-going challenge and its many implications!

If that’s not enough to do the job, give me a call. I’d be happy to spend an hour, a day, or a week with you and your staff discussing Productive Chaos!

Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

It’s been a while since we shared obvious questions so we’re back with another 15, bringing our current total to 385! I’ve always received several notes wanting to know where the others can be found. Just go to the column on the right-hand side of this page and click on Is It Just Me? You’ll find the entire list posted there in groups of 15 to each posting.

By the way, if you have any additions to add to our list, please feel free to send them along to me.

• Owls are the only birds that can see the color blue. How do they know that?
• Isn’t cremation thinking outside the box?
• If no one knows when a person is going to die, how can we say he died prematurely?
• What exactly is “diddley squat”?
• Why does the pilot on my flight always point out incredible “worth-seeing” sights, on the other side of the plane?
• Isn’t calling television “entertainment” like calling falling off a cliff “transportation.”
• Why do they spend tens of millions to build an airplane and then give the pilot a tin can and string to make announcements?
• What do you call male ballerinas?
• Do you believe in apathy at first sight?
• Why am I so often at the mercy of those who don’t deserve to control my life?
• Which do I need more—to pull myself together or to let myself go?
• Has anyone ever really cared whether a ballpoint pen can write under water?
• Why do most people walk around an art museum as if they were in a church?
• Don’t you feel old when you discover your children are studying in history class what you studied in current events!
• It’s been documented that the sperm whale can hold its breath for 82 minutes. How do they know that?

Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

Yes, it’s that time of year again … March Madness … when anyone who loves B-Ball forgets all else for a few short weeks.

As much as I love the game—from my high school days through 20 years of announcing both boys’ and girls’ games at my alma mater—I’ve always felt the game mirrored life in so many ways. There always seemed to be valuable lessons to learn on the court and yet, ultimately, many never seemed to learn many of the most crucial and often times most obvious. The same certainly holds true today.

As we advance into the NCAA “Sweet Sixteen,” I couldn’t help but notice an ever-emerging trend in the bracket results thus far.

1. 5 teams have been eliminated after losing by a mere THREE POINTS!
2. 5 teams are now history after being beaten by only TWO POINTS!
3. 3 teams have had their Championship Dreams destroyed by coming up ONE POINT short at the buzzer!

Now for those who constantly tell us: “DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!” … I’d love to invite you into the locker rooms of the above 13 teams to spread your gospel.

A free throw is considered “small stuff” by far too many people on and off the court! To others it’s the decisive factor between a very long and challenging winning or losing season!

I watched one of my favorite teams, heavily favored by the way, get booted out of the Big Ten Tournament in their first game. Simple math tells the ugly story.

• They lost by just 5 points.
• They missed 15 free throws!
• They’re still in the NCAA “Sweet 16.”

Another simple explanation:

• They won their first game by just 3 points.
• They won their second game by only 2 points!

Oddly enough, they enhanced their free throw percentage since the Big Ten Tourney!

Over my 20-year career as an announcer for hundreds of games, I lost count of the games that were decided by missed free throws!

My advice to any coach or player: “SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF” … free throws, dribbling, passing, blocking, rebounding, teamwork, communication, practice, concentration, attitude, etc. —all considered “small stuff” by many high school, college, and professional players and coaches today. Think not? Read the newspapers. Watch TV. Go to a game.

Yet, study any winning program and you’ll find an extreme focus on the “small stuff” which, in the end, is critical to the success of individuals and teams alike.

The same holds true in our personal lives and our careers. Take care of the details and “Big Stuff” seems to take care of itself. Think about it.

Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

Today’s category title (Is It Just Me?) is an excellent bridge from the business world I once thought I understood to the chaotic madness which produces what could easily be mistaken as fantasy headlines almost daily.

Consider the following facts and see if they make sense to you considering today’s economic challenges.

1. General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson, who led the company for a brief period shortly before and after it declared bankruptcy last year, “resigned (or was forced to, depending on what story you believe) from GM on December 1.”  Don’t forget, post-bankruptcy, taxpayers own more than 60% of GM causing many to rename the automaker “Government Motors.”
2. General Motors has now re-hired Henderson as a consultant to advise on its international operations.
3. The Associated Press reveals that Henderson will provide about 20 hours of consulting work each month and participate in ONE meeting per month with the president of GM’s international operations OR his designated representative.
4. Henderson will be paid $59,090 per month, plus expenses!
5. That’s equivalent to $709,000 per year salary or about $3,000 per hour!
6. Not bad for government work.  Especially for a man who this company recently fired.

Immediately upon reading this press release, I sent a telegram to the GM Board Chairman offering my services as a consultant. I suggested they hire me, fire me and rehire me at just one-half of what they’re paying Henderson. I thought that was a terrific offer as it would provide GM with a 50% savings and almost double my current salary … an obvious win-win situation and how could I do any worse as they continue to lose money and market share?

I have yet to hear back from them.
Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

It’s been a while since we shared obvious questions so we’re back with another 15, bringing our current total to 370! I’ve always received several notes wanting to know where the others can be found. Just go to the column on the right-hand side of this page and click on Is It Just Me? You’ll find the entire list posted there in groups of 15 to each posting.

By the way, if you have any additions to add to our list, please feel free to send them along to me.

• Do kings have sweat bands in their crowns?
• Doesn’t it seem that when you find existing time on a parking meter, you should be able to add it to the end of your life … minus the time you spent on hold?
• If King George III were alive today, I wonder if he’d want us back?
• If something “goes without saying,” why do people still say it?
• Is there a time limit on fortune cookie predictions?
• If a kid refuses to sleep during nap time, is he or she guilty of resisting a rest?
• What do you call male ballerinas?
• Is it true that some people in this country think the Supreme Court is where Diana Ross and her friends play basketball?
• Is it true that the parks and the trees in Washington, D.C., are beautiful because of all of the fertilizer they get from Congress?
• If the world is getting smaller and smaller like everyone says, how does it costs more and more to mail a letter?
• When a minister makes a mistake, is it a clerical error?
• Is it illegal to charge admission to a free-for-all?
• Is it true that if you kicked the butt of the one who causes you most of your troubles, you would not be able to sit down for six weeks?
• Why is there so much pressure to spend Independence Day with other people?
• If an entire country as great as the U.S. has one vice president, why does NBC needs 26?

Harry K. Jones is a professional, motivational 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 on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.