AchieveMax® Blog

In October of last year, I traveled to Nashville to facilitate a Leadership Boot Camp for the good folks at Caterpillar Financial Services Corp. Their world headquarters is located directly across the street from Vanderbilt University, a few blocks from fabled Music Row and, luckily for me, right next door to the exquisite Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. In an earlier blog feature, Creativity Reigns Again, I shared both my delight and astonishment at the level of creativity I discovered upon my arrival at this marbled palace in the heart of Music City.

Last week, I returned to Nashville for another Leadership Boot Camp with managers, supervisors, and Black Belts at Caterpillar Financial. In the spirit of Boot Camp vernacular, I was once again billeted at the Loews Vanderbilt. Although I again savored obvious creativity at every turn, I couldn’t help but notice another simplistic characteristic of their thriving culture — exceptional customer service.

Due to our ever-increasing requests for customer service training and keynotes, I’m always in search of good and bad examples to share with our clients. I found a number of solid examples during this trip but two particular instances, although both very basic, really impressed me.

1. I arrived on Sunday evening and checked in at a very busy front desk manned by a number of busy but friendly staff members. It snowed all day Monday. Returning to the front desk Monday evening to drop off some mail after my training session, one of the front desk employees casually asked something like: “How are you today?” I replied with a smile and said something like: “Fine, thanks, although I’m a little chilly after that snow.” Typical small talk on my part followed by a shocking comment from the young lady behind the desk. She took my mail, smiled and said: “Today’s snow was simply our way of making you feel more at home with weather conditions like you have in Michigan!” I laughed, thanked her and headed to dinner. However, I must admit I was dumbfounded by her remark. Based on our short interaction at the desk she had no way of knowing I was from Michigan. She obviously had to be one of those at the desk the night before when I checked in and heard my conversation about the weather. That’s paying attention to detail, great listening skills, and better memory than I have. To remember those details the following day is remarkable in my eyes. That employee went above and beyond the call of duty to make a customer feel special. I was very impressed.
2. Monday morning I left the hotel with a small suitcase containing props for my program. One of the lobby staff smiled, opened the door for me, and asked if he could get me a cab. I thanked him and explained that I was simply walking next door to Caterpillar for a training session. Again, typical small talk. When I returned at the end of the day, that young man was not on duty. Tuesday morning, same routine, same young man, different greeting. This time he smiled, open the door for me, and said, “Another day of training, eh? Keep ‘em focused!” I laughed, thanked him, promised I would keep ‘em focused, and headed off for another day — amazed and impressed! How many customers do you think that young man sees during the course of a typical work day? Here’s another example of great listening skills, great retention and the utilization of both to impress a customer while making him feel special. 

Coincidence? I think not. Far too much evidence to the contrary. However, how do you train someone to react in such a powerful fashion? I don’t think role play can take all the credit, and I doubt if classroom experience alone can have that kind of an impact. Based on what I’ve seen of this organization, I would have to guess it has something to do with the ability to choose the right people, proper training, clear and strong expectations, emphasis on pride, consistent accountability, frequent feedback, and suitable recognition and rewards. Put it all together and you once again arrive at the importance of a strong, productive culture. Just an assumption on my part but these behaviors are very much representative of what I’ve seen throughout this organization.
 
I wouldn’t describe either of these instances as unbelievable … in fact both took only a moment and were far from complex. However, you must admit that either or both could be considered unique and impressive. Trite? Maybe. Convincing? No doubt! Nevertheless, this is one customer who was impressed, who has shared these positive impressions with others, and who will return to Loews Vanderbilt Hotel as a result of what I consider to be superb customer service. That’s the definition of a raving fan.

Customer service doesn’t have to be expensive, complex, or difficult. Make it an integral part of your organizational culture! Train for it! Expect it! Support it! Inspect it! Discuss it! Reward it! Live it! Breathe it! Reap the benefits!

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.

• Customer Service Training Seminar: Customer Satisfaction Strategies
• Customer Service Keynote - Vigilante Consumers to Raving Fans
• Customer Service Speakers and Customer Service Training
• Top Customer Service Books
• Words of Wisdom on Customer Service
• Customer Service Posters
• Sweat the Small Stuff for Great Customer Service
• Life-long Learning
• U of M Credit Union Finds Things that Make Members Go AHHHHHH!
• Good Customer Service = Customer Retention = Great Profits!
• Exceptional Customer Service Again Threatened
• How Good Customer Service Could Send Your Customer to the Competitor
• Partnering: You're Only as Strong as Your Weakest Link
• Gas at 17 Cents a Gallon?
• When the Employee Understands Customer Satisfaction and Service Better than the Manager
• A Culture of Customer Service
• Shock Your Customers

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed or subscribe via e-mail. Thanks for visiting!

As I look back over the decades we’ve been consulting, training and keynoting, it becomes more and more difficult to remember all of the clients we’ve had the pleasure to work with. It’s somewhat of a challenge to identify an industry we haven’t served, which means our client list is indeed diverse. Of course, those clients that most often come to mind are those who were the most difficult or the most pleasant to work with.

We really never know what to expect until we arrive at the event. I recently worked with a client on the west coast. As schedules many times dictate, this event followed closely an appearance on the east coast. That meant that I had a very long flight from coast to coast crossing three time zones, which is always tiring. To add to that challenge, I left unseasonably warm summer weather in the 90s to arrive in Seattle on a cloudy Sunday afternoon to experience a typical rainy day and a temperature of 56. I was fortunate to get a non-stop flight but quickly discovered it was a full flight and I was seated in a center seat, which is always a treat. One of the bathrooms was out of order so I quickly learned the true meaning of a “holding pattern.” I arrived at my hotel feeling as though I made the trip folded up in my luggage.

I managed to get a nice dinner at the hotel, study my keynote content for the following day and get a good night’s sleep. The way things were going, it appeared I was going to need it. I was scheduled to give the opening keynote address in the morning followed by two break-out sessions in the afternoon. The client happened to be one of the largest and most progressive credit unions in the country … Washington State Employees Credit Union. Their financial family includes more than 150,000 members and assets of more than $1 billion. The event was a celebration of 50 years of world-class member service. They called it an ALLSTAR event (All Staff Training And Recognition), and they certainly provided plenty of both.

I went down to the grand ballroom early for a microphone check and met the WSECU leadership team. I was somewhat surprised to see so many of the employees arriving well before the scheduled start of the program. You could almost feel the electricity in the air as they greeted one another and shared small talk. They kicked off their action-packed day with a fantastic catered breakfast buffet for 500! I must admit I expected to meet, greet, and interact with 500 employees and the leadership team. What I found was a family—a real family of dedicated employees who arrived ready to celebrate, have fun, support and praise one another, and continue their journey from Good to Great by maintaining and accelerating their unselfishly high standards. It was indeed a joy to behold! This sincere atmosphere certainly made my job a lot easier.

I was scheduled to speak following their recognition ceremony, which lasted several hours. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more enthusiastic reaction from employees as they celebrated each others’ years of service and accomplishment. It was obvious that every person in that ballroom felt a pride and sense of belonging as recognition and awards were presented.

This proud team serves 150,000 members from 20 branches in 12 cities. They share a brand promise slogan which is extraordinarily simplistic: “Making Our Members Lives Easier.” I’ve seen hundreds of similar slogans over the years. Such slogans are to be expected. The difference with this group is the obvious fact that they believe it, they strive to achieve it, they’re open to new ways of making it real, and most importantly, they’re doing it! That simple fact is what puts them head and shoulders above their competition and will certainly insure their future growth and success.

WSECU was established 50 years ago by 40 founding Washington State employees committed to the concept of people helping people. One of their first loans was to a member who needed new car tires. Remember their slogan? “Making Our Members Lives Easier.” Now fast forward to today and you realize that they’ve done exactly that for an additional 149,999 members. And that number is growing.

They asked me to speak on “Creative Strategies to Raise the Bar,” which focused on innovation for the next 50 years, as they fully realize the difficult challenge of achieving that next 1% improvement after producing such a consistently stellar performance. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that their next 50 years will far surpass the success they’ve enjoyed during the past half century. The evidence is everywhere.

• They have a dedicated staff focused on the training and development of not only their loyal employees but their faithful members as well. To help improve financial literacy among young people, they have created a free, user-friendly curriculum which they call The Vault. This program was designed to teach the principles of smart money management to young people. Available on CD or by download, The Vault provides teachers comprehensive lesson plans about budgeting, saving and investing, and other financial topics.
• WSECU employees also are available for guest speaking engagements in youth settings.
• Each year, WSECU awards more than $40,000 in scholarship funds to members and their dependents pursuing degrees at two- and four-year higher education institutions. They invest in their community.
• WSECU was named one of the Best Places to Work by the Washington State CEO Magazine.

The accolades go on and on and well they should. This unique organization has created and executed a game plan for success that is almost too simplistic to comprehend. I’m not certain if they would agree with my description of that game plan, but from what I’ve observed through research and interaction with their leadership team and staff members I would say this:

• They have recruited good people.
• They constantly educate, equip, and support their employees.
• They provide expectations of excellence in every aspect of the organization.
• They recognize and reward employees for their performance.
• They take care of their employees.
• Their employees, in turn, make their members lives easier.
• They have created a very powerful culture and take strides to grow it even more successfully.

I wrote this article not only to salute a fantastic organization that overwhelmingly impressed me. I obviously have selfish motives as well. I hope to provide examples to others of what it takes to cope in a very challenging, competitive and changing environment today. Washington State Employees Credit Union is doing just that. They are demonstrating leadership in ways we seldom see in this country today. They are revitalizing the building blocks that made this the greatest country on earth, and we’ve simply got to see more of that kind of performance if we hope to maintain that title. It all boils down to leadership.

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.

Technorati Tags: leadership, leaders, credit unions, financial, member service, customer service

If you are interested in leadership, you might also enjoy ...

• Leadership Boot Camp
• Leadership Training Modules
• Leadership Keynote Presentation Topics
• Top Leadership and Management Books
• Words of Wisdom on Leadership
• Leadership Posters
• TRW Offers Leadership Boot Camp
• A Surprise from Dr. Seuss!
• Does MBWA (Management By Wandering Around) Still Work?
• Something Fishy Here?
• Providing a Target Yields Better Results
• Tired of Hearing about Southwest and Wal-Mart?
• Meet WOW! - Walking the Talk
• Bench Strength: A Growing Concern
• Little-Known Facts About Well-Known Leaders and Businesses
• Leadership Lessons We MUST Pass On
• Generational Gems for Future Leaders
• A Beacon of Leadership
• Dire Need for Leadership

From the Ozark Mountains to the streets of the Big Apple to Music City USA, the quest for creativity becomes more evident with each passing day. Jim Clifton, CEO of the Gallup Organization, which provides management consulting for 300+ companies says, “To stay competitive, we have to have to lead the world in per-person creativity.” Tom Peters, noted author and professional speaker, addresses the issue of creativity in one of his many best sellers, The Circle of Innovation. He reveals that “the only sustainable competitive advantage comes from out-innovating the competition!”

If this is true, and it’s becoming more apparent every day that it is, why don’t we see more examples of organizations that encourage creativity among their staff members? Why don’t we see more tools, training, and strategies designed to capture the creative juices of employees at every level? While these circumstances are rare indeed, many companies do, in fact, all of the above.

I found this to be true at the Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri, and they reap the benefits daily. Walk the streets in and around Times Square in New York City, and you quickly lose count of the many examples of individual and organizational creativity—from enterprising street vendors to ingenious corporate giants. Again, benefits abound.

During a recent week-long stay in Nashville, our client was good enough to book me at the plush Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. While this exquisite location offers all of the costly perks one would expect from the finest luxury hotel in the Music City, I’ll spare you those obvious details.

However, let me share some very unique offerings which I’m quite sure you won’t find elsewhere. The common thread lies in the fact that a very creative staff was responsible for developing this very distinctive identity … one that is discussed often by those who have been fortunate enough to enjoy it.

As you arrive at the hotel, you’re greeted by a couple of very large, distinct statues. Two obviously proud and ferocious lions guard the entrance. It’s also obvious that they are big fans of Vanderbilt University, located directly across the street, as the statues are proudly draped in colorful football jerseys.

The roof structure above the valet parking area reflects the team colors of various Tennessee sports teams. As you enter the lobby, colorful “welcome” signs are flashed on the floor and walls from spotlights strategically placed among the ceiling art. In the lobby you’ll discover beautifully trimmed grass around the base of trees—all real, fresh, and well manicured.

Before locating the front desk, I found myself standing face-to-face with a very beautiful, colorful and obviously authentic 50s juke box. A quick glance revealed that it was loaded with all the big hits from every genre (rock/blues/country/oldies). A neatly printed sign invites you to choose your favorite songs, and moments later the entire lobby is filled with music—at no charge whatsoever. That’s unique.

In the spirit of “Music City,” they post attractive plaques in the rarest places and soon have you seeking them out. They use the title or the first few lines of a popular song to represent the area surrounding the sign. The first I discovered in one of the elevators, and it read, “I feel the earth move under my feet — Carole King.” Another elevator plaque read “Love In An Elevator” — Arrowsmith.” They provide free lemonade every afternoon from a large decorative cart in the lobby. The plaque on the roof of the cart reads: “Lemon Tree Oh So Pretty and the Lemon Flower is Sweet — The Kingston Trio.” Nearby they have an old-fashioned shoe-shine stand and a plaque that reads: “Put Yourself In My Shoes — Clint Black.” The sign above the juke box reads: “TUNES — A long, long time ago, I can still remember how that music used to make me smile! — Don McLean.” Those checking out will find a plaque near the exit doors that reads: “When Will We See You Again? — The Three Degrees.” As you leave the parking lot heading into the street, you pass a large sign that reads: “Slow Down, You Move Too Fast — Simon & Garfunkel.”

They call their restaurant “EAT,” and the name of their lounge is “DRINK.” Pretty straight forward. This has to bring a smile to your face and is a welcome change from the dull names most hotels use.

They name their meeting rooms uniquely as well: “Lyric,” “Melody,” “Symphony I, II, & III,” “The Gold Room,” and “The Platinum Room.” It’s quite obvious you’re in Music City, USA!

In chatting with the night manager, I learned that the staff was encouraged to create and execute all innovations which enhance the stay of their guests. The majority of those examples I’ve shared are a result of the unique culture this leadership team has provided for their people.

I’m certain some of these things may be insignificant to most, but they impressed me a great deal as a guest. I’m very much used to being treated as “just another customer” in the hundreds of hotels I visit each year. The Loews Vanderbilt “team” made me feel very much at home, valued, and even brought a smile to me face. They accomplished this with very little cost, a great deal of enthusiasm and involvement, and a joy in the air you could cut with a knife! Can you say the same about your current staff and work environment?

Benchmark, read and train. YOU can do the same!

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.

Technorati Tags: creativity, innovation

If you are interested in creativity, you might also enjoy ...

• Creativity Training Seminar: Creative Innovation - Out-of-the-Box Thinking Seminar
• Creativity Keynote: Get Back in the Box - True Creativity
• Creativity Keynote: Tennis Shoes and Blue Jeans - Back-to-the-Basics Approach to Creativity and Innovation
• Creativity Speakers and Creativity Training
• Top Creativity Books
• Words of Wisdom on Creativity
• Innovation Posters
• Creativity for Success
• Tapping Your Creative Spirit at Botsford General Hospital
• USA TODAY Shares Eureka Moments
• Low Cost of Creativity
• Creativity Reigns Again
• Out-of-the-Box Thinking
• Tapping Potential
• Where's My Pizza?
• Are You Creative?
• How the Cookie Crumbles
• Individual Creativity
• Got an Idea? Passionately Pursue It!
• Grilled Cheese?
• Time to Flip Flop?

I always find it interesting to drive by my nearest gas station to see if the prices have dropped by 2 cents since yesterday or jumped by 30 cents as it so often does in my state of Michigan. Do you ever wonder how they figure out the cost of gasoline at your neighborhood pump? It’s always so easy to place the blame of high prices on some OPEC country in a faraway desert, but you might be surprised to learn who gets what when it comes to the bottom line.
 
Of course, these numbers and percentages will differ from state to state, but this will give you an idea of who gets what.

Due to the fact that I find myself on opposite ends of the country each month, I’m continually surprised at how gas prices differ from one part of the nation to the next. However, when I recently got a look at gas prices around the world, I was astonished at the tremendous contrasts … prices ranging from 17 cents a gallon to $6.65 a gallon. Take a look:
 
Global Gas Prices Per Gallon

Most Expensive Per Gallon:
London, UK: $6.65
Paris, France: $6.62
Copenhagen, Denmark: $6.51
Oslo, Norway: $6.48
Berlin, Germany: $6.42

Least Expensive Per Gallon:
Caracas, Venezuela: $0.17
Tehran, Iran: $0.33
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: $0.45
Kuwait City: $0.79
Cairo, Egypt: $0.86
 
I guess I should be past the point of sticker shock and constant change by this stage of my life. I remember working in a service station in high school. For those of you who may wonder what a service station is, allow me to explain. That was a gas station where you actually got service. Hard to believe, isn’t it? While your tank was being filled with gas, an attendant would actually wash your windows, check your oil, wipe off your lights and license plate, and add air to your tires if they needed it. You got that kind of service regardless of the weather conditions, day and night. You sat comfortably in your car as all of these services were being rendered. Of course, you had to expect all of that. After all, you were paying 28 cents a gallon!
 
I can remember wondering if gas would ever reach the price of a dollar a gallon in my lifetime! Wow, how things have changed. Today, gas station employees are forced to sit on a comfortable leather stool directly behind the register and everything is calculated by a computer … right down to the correct change. If they ever get hungry, they’re surrounded by enough food and drink, in the guise of a convenience store, to last at least a year. We, as customers, have to pump our own gas, clean our own windows, check our own oil and fill it ourselves if needed, and, should you need air in your tires, today’s stations are more than happy to sell it to you! Air! Then YOU have to march inside to stand in line to pay. If prices keep rising, it won’t be long before you have to pause at the desk of the in-house loan officer in order to pay for a fill-up.
 
Looking back at my part-time job at the service station, I realize what terrific training that really was. We learned the importance of good customer service, speed, efficiency, product knowledge, use of various tools, and making change. It was a great learning experience and the only leather we ever saw covered the seats of some of the more expensive cars we serviced. Ah, those were the days!

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.

Technorati Tags: gasoline, gas, gas prices, customer service

If you are interested in customer service, you might also enjoy ...

• Customer Service Training Seminar: Customer Satisfaction Strategies
• Customer Service Keynote - Vigilante Consumers to Raving Fans
• Customer Service Speakers and Customer Service Training
• Top Customer Service Books
• Words of Wisdom on Customer Service
• Customer Service Posters
• Sweat the Small Stuff for Great Customer Service
• Life-long Learning
• U of M Credit Union Finds Things that Make Members Go AHHHHHH!
• Good Customer Service = Customer Retention = Great Profits!
• Exceptional Customer Service Again Threatened
• How Good Customer Service Could Send Your Customer to the Competitor
• Partnering: You're Only as Strong as Your Weakest Link
• Gas at 17 Cents a Gallon?
• When the Employee Understands Customer Satisfaction and Service Better than the Manager
• A Culture of Customer Service
• Shock Your Customers

Every now and then I’m blessed with a rare “psychic tap on the shoulder” to remind me why I do what I do. I got another one of those reminders this past week.

I was invited to spend a half day with 200 staff members of the Saginaw Intermediate School District - Head Start Program in Michigan. It was their last day of the school year and, rather than requesting a more celebratory fare to wind down and relax after a long, challenging year, they chose to focus on enhancing teamwork! Under the circumstances, I originally found this content choice unusual. However, I was more than happy to facilitate their very business-like request.

Head Start is a term that most of us have heard over the years but most would struggle to actually define properly. Head Start is a national child development program for children from birth to age 5. Ambitious goals include (1) enhancing children’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development; (2) enabling parents to be better caregivers and teachers to their children; and (3) helping parents meet their own goals, including economic independence.

Head Start was established in 1965 to help low-income families provide their children with developmentally appropriate education, health, and social services to better prepare them to achieve in school and society. Initially, Head Start served preschool children ages 3 to 5. Early Head Start (EHS) was created in 1994 to target the needs of pregnant women, infants and toddlers, thereby fostering positive development at even earlier stages. This fantastic program has served more than 18 million children and their families. Currently, there are more than 1,500 Head Start programs and 16,000 sites nationwide. Talk about a extraordinary calling, a massive responsibility and a gratifying undertaking!

It takes a very special person to successfully pursue such lofty goals, and I feel very fortunate to have met close to 200 very devoted people who certainly meet that description.

Upon the completion of my presentation, I was delighted to witness a very obvious IRONY surface throughout the auditorium. This entire audience spent the morning interacting, laughing, taking notes, asking questions, and obviously enjoying themselves and each other as they took more notes than I can remember a group taking in a very long time. This was indeed a very strong, proud, and productive team long before I arrived. They were already practicing the majority of the tools and strategies we discussed while openly accepting new approaches to existing challenges. They were so refreshing compared to the many groups we’ve worked with that truly needed a greater focus on teamwork but denied or ignored that obvious need. These folks were already very obviously operating as a dedicated “TEAM” and yet they hungered for more information and even greater opportunities to enhance their performance together. Very exhilarating!

I finished my portion of the program shortly before lunch. Two agenda items remained, and I must admit that both left me mesmerized as I watched from the back of the auditorium. Since their annual get-together last year, they’ve added close to 50 new staff members and wanted to introduce each by name and location. The first intro caught many off guard as they made the transition from program participants to aggressively vocal and supportive team members. However, they were very soon yelling, applauding, and cheering after each new introduction. At the conclusion of almost 50 introductions, one of the audience members raised her hand to make a request that brought a smile and an air of anticipation to everyone in the room. She simply pointed out that the very first introduction caught the majority of the room off guard, which resulted in that first new team member receiving less of a welcome than everyone else. She suggested the first intro be repeated. It was, and the room burst into applause and a standing ovation, which obviously thrilled the new team member. I’ve never seen anything like that. Most similar routines quickly fade into polite and redundant scattered applause after the first five or six introductions. Not so with this TEAM. Every new employee was made to feel very welcome, appreciated and supported.

After new employee recognition, each and every team member in the room was invited to the front of the room to receive a certificate of appreciation and a decorative key chain bearing the organization’s logo and motto. Here again is another ceremony that usually reaches obvious levels of boredom within minutes. This group stood up at the first offering and cheered, applauded, sang, whistled, yelled, and stomped their feet in support until every single presentation was completed. This demonstration of sincere support for everyone involved spoke volumes about the unique culture these fine folks have created and maintained. Their future success will grow as they continue to grow as a TEAM. The families they serve daily should be very grateful to have received their HEAD START from such a talented, dedicated, experienced TEAM of very special people.

I wish I could have filmed those closing moments to share with other clients. On the other hand, film would not have done them justice. Film couldn’t have captured the essence of this culture. You had to see it. You had to hear it. You had to feel it. This group truly has a HEAD START on most other teams. They are certainly to be commended, appreciated and applauded. They certainly made my day!

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.

Technorati Tags: Head Start, children, teams, teamwork

If you are interested in teamwork, you might also enjoy ...

• Teamwork Training Seminar - Developing Empowered Teams Seminar: People Power Promotes Productivity
• Team Building Keynote: Developing Empowered Teams
• Team Building Speakers and Team Building Training
• Top Teamwork and Team Building Books
• Words of Wisdom on Teamwork
• Words of Wisdom on Empowerment
• Teamwork Posters
• Self-directed Work Teams
• 3-2-1 ACTION!:  What is an AchieveMax action team?
• Coaching:  The Next Step in Empowerment
• A Team with a Head Start
• Delegate, Empower, or Do It Yourself? (The Universal Challenge in Leadership Development)

CHANGE can be difficult. We usually discuss the mechanics of change within a business context. However, when you think about it, we have to cope with change as much, if not more, within our personal lives as we do at work. In fact, we’re often challenged with a greater variety of personal changes compared to what we’re asked to deal with in the workplace.

For instance, it’s very difficult to lose an old friend. The first time it happens you’re caught totally off guard and uncertain of what to expect. As you grow older, you suddenly witness the loss of even more old friends, and you begin to question the wisdom of change. Of course, by now you realize that I’m not necessarily discussing the loss of a fellow human being. Over the years, you accumulate a variety of friends … a special song, an extraordinary vacation spot, a unique hobby, a favorite food, a distinctive odor, a body of water, or a great view. The older you get, the more you realize how special these friends are.

I was recently shocked to read of the demise of one of my very old friends … Brooklyn’s Coney Island. Yes, an amusement park. By no stretch of the imagination does this piece of real estate even resemble anything like Disney World, Cedar Point, or your favorite Six Flags location. However, it’s a refreshing alternative to today’s corporate-owned, ever-growing, high-tech, line-stretching, global enticement.

Coney Island was one of the most celebrated beach resorts in the nation at one time, and it’s still a Mecca for summer fun even today — at least for a short while. I first arrived at this poor-man’s paradise on a hot summer weekend during my first visit to New York City decades ago. After an hour subway ride from downtown Manhattan, I exited the train to discover an abundance of sun, sand and surf. The beautiful beach was free, wide, and well-groomed at that time. You could practically taste the salty Atlantic ocean lingering in the air. My first glance at that horizon filled with rides, attractions, concessions and midway games left me speechless. The world-renowned Thunderbolt roller coaster, now abandoned, towered above everything in sight.

The smell of cotton candy, Nathan’s hot dogs, giant pretzels, peanuts and popcorn … you could gain weight by simply inhaling those aromas. Fantastic. The combination of sounds included Carny barkers, children laughing, the rides themselves, and very often the live music of top entertainers from the world of Pop and Rock. The list reads like a Who’s Who of musicians; Fabian, Chubby Checker, The Shirelles, The Chiffons, Leslie Gore, The Jackson Five, Tony Bennett, Vic Damone, The Four Seasons, Bill Haley & The Comets, Bobby Rydell, Dion, Jackie Wilson, Neil Sedaka, Tony Orlando, Frankie Avalon, Little Anthony, Freddy Cannon, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Young Rascals, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Fifth Dimension and many, many more. Believe it or not, for a very small admission price, you could thrill to the live performance of six to eight top head-liners in one evening. Those were the days. The charm of Coney Island will live on in the hearts of millions.

I was stationed nearby at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and was blessed to be able to visit Coney Island on a regular basis. Later, I actually lived in Greenwich Village, which was much closer to this utopian escape. It was very special to me because it reminded me so much of home as I grew up on a lake just a stone’s throw away from a local amusement park. Of course, it was nowhere near the size of Coney Island, but it captured my heart at a very young age. Coney Island was, for a long time, my connection to home.

Today, many of the original rides have vanished and others are indeed antiquated. The area is battling back from urban blight, and investors are talking of future plans for a huge redevelopment project featuring an indoor water park, a hotel, and even a rooftop landing pad for blimps. All this would be financed by beachfront condos and several casinos. Time marches on. Change happens. It looks as though Coney Island’s last ride may very well be a bulldozer. However, regardless of what they do to that precious piece of real estate, I’ll always have the memory of so many times leaving my footprints, along with millions of others, in the glistening sands of Coney Island. Good-bye, my friend. Thanks for the memories.

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.

Technorati Tags: change, Coney Island

If you are interested in change management, you might also enjoy ...

• Change Management Training Seminar - Productive Chaos: Riding the Wave of Change
• Change Management Keynote - Productive Chaos: Riding the Wave of Change
• Change Management Speakers and Change Management Training
• Top Change Books
• Words of Wisdom on Change
• Change Posters
• Anti-Kmart? I Don't Think So!
• K-Mart: People Power and Bluelight Bankruptcy
• Speed as a Trend
• Tomorrow's Work Place
• Generation Communication Gap: Do You Really Know that Generation Y College Freshman You Call Family?
• Are You Ready for Some CHAOS?
• Globalization Simplified
• Generational Gems for Future Leaders
• Alright Already! Enough with CHANGE!

In the last month, I’ve logged over 11,000 miles and touched down in 11 different cities from coast to coast. It’s been hectic but exciting. I’m not sure whether it was travel fatigue, old age, or a combination of the two, but I’m pretty sure I discovered a new rendering of déjà vu. The dictionary defines déjà vu as “The illusion of having already experienced something actually being experienced for the first time.” After reading that definition, I knew what I was experiencing was something just a bit different. Since it had a great deal to do with things I’ve seen during this nationwide tour, I’ll call it “déjà view.”

Let me begin with a great awakening this morning. I woke up to the pounding surf on the pure white sands of Panama City. As I looked out of my large, wall-sized window, I could see nothing but the vast ocean waters with several large ships moving across the horizon in the distance. The brilliant sunrise reflected off the beach with blinding intensity. Above the sounds of circling seagulls, I heard the radio DJ announce that afternoon temps would be reaching close to 94 degrees. The refreshing ocean breeze made that seem almost bearable. Just before hitting the sack last night, I stood on my balcony, 20 stories above the pool area, watching vacationers swimming in the Olympic-size pool, relaxing in the whirlpool, and dancing to island music in the soft flickering flames of dozens of Tiki torches situated among the many shadowy palm trees. I had to wonder if the people who lived in this area as permanent residents truly appreciated the privilege of living among these wondrous gifts.

Five days earlier, I flew into Albuquerque, New Mexico, rented a Sebring convertible and headed across the vast desert, winding among a wide variety of cacti and boulders of every size. I’ve seen a small cactus on a living room end table but nothing like the towering varieties found here in the foothills of the southern Rocky Mountains. Situated at 7,000 feet above sea level, the air is rarefied, much thinner than I was used to but still very invigorating. After a pleasant one-hour drive at desert speeds, I arrived in Santa Fe, founded in the early 1600s, making it the second oldest city as well as the highest and oldest capital in the U.S. With a population of 70,000 primarily Hispanic, Anglo and Native American people, Santa Fe is a world-class tourist destination, drawing more than 1 million visitors each year to enjoy its unique offerings of art, culture and ancient traditions. It also ranks as the country’s third largest art market with nearly 300 galleries and dealers. I almost felt as though I was stepping back into history upon my arrival. If you’re hungry, you can easily find basic New Mexican food, creative Southwestern cuisine, or authentic Italian, French, Asian and other world cuisines. In fact, the city offers more than 200 choices. Coming into the city, I saw many hikers and bikers and soon learned this area was very well known for river rafting, horseback riding, and hot air ballooning. It’s also the home of America’s third largest art market, the Santa Fe Opera, fine dining, hundreds of quaint shops and, believe it or not, world-class ski resorts. Snow in the desert! Enter “déjà view.” I had to wonder if the people who lived in this area as permanent residents truly appreciated the privilege of living among these wondrous gifts.

A week earlier, I was once again on the shore of the ocean on picturesque Okaloosa Island enjoying everything you might expect … warm breezes, temps nearing the high 90s, very low humidity, island music, palm trees, sea gulls everywhere, breath-taking boats and nary a bad view from any room in my resort hotel. The people were friendly, the beautiful beaches beckoning, and the time far too short. Once again, enter “déjà view.” I had to wonder if the people who lived in this area as permanent residents truly appreciated the privilege of living among these wondrous gifts.

A few days prior to Okaloosa Island, I spent an entire week on another island — this one seemed as though it were a world away. New York City … no beaches, no breeze, and no island music. The only boats were ocean liners leaving daily for points unknown to local residents. However, what it lacked in resort environment, it certainly made up in other ways. From my skyscraper suite, I could view the entire city, which, by the way, truly never sleeps. A glance at the streets below reveals thousands of people scurrying in every direction at speeds faster than the local automotive traffic. Looks like an ant hill in turmoil! There is Central Park in one direction and Lady Liberty protecting the harbor in the other direction. It’s almost impossible to pull yourself away from your window view of the city after dark. A dazzling array of blinking lights and signs in every direction lights up the city as though it were the middle of the day. The pace is overwhelming, entertainment abounds, food choices are unlimited, business is brisk, opportunities are unlimited … in short, life is stimulating. You know what’s next. “Déjà view.” I had to wonder if the people who lived in this area as permanent residents truly appreciated the privilege of living among these wondrous gifts.

Flying home from Panama City, I experienced several flashbacks to my recent hectic schedule, and they all led me to an obvious revelation. Everyone calling all of the above scenarios “home” probably take their local attributes for granted. It suddenly dawned on me that many of them would truly enjoy visiting my part of the world as well. Within a short drive in any direction, you can find any one of the beautiful Great Lakes, entertainment, scenic vacation getaways, great food, professional sports, educational opportunities, a variety of river activities, and many of the things I’ve so enjoyed in my travels elsewhere. I guess I just never take the time to appreciate what I have in my own backyard. Kind of reminds me of the moral of the Wizard of Oz. We must understand that we already have the makings of contentment and great joy. We just don’t always recognize it. Maybe it’s time I took a closer look at what I have here at home — if I can ever find the time to do that. Maybe I should take a closer “déjà view!”

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.

Technorati Tags: appreciation, travel

I find it fascinating that there is so much diversity in our country and so few people are aware of it. I’m not necessarily talking about race, religion, or politics. I speak of everyday activities, habits, and traditions, which so many of us take for granted and probably assume are shared by everyone from coast to coast.

I run across so many examples of this diversity as I have the opportunity to travel so much in our delivery of seminars and keynote presentations. Each time I return home from a trip, I seem to have acquired another unique example of this interesting diversity, and I often share my discoveries with family and friends. I’m sometimes amazed at the reactions of interest and surprise I get in sharing these findings. In fact, this morning it was suggested to me that I should share some of these situations on our blog. Therefore, from time to time, I’ll share some of the things I continually discover when I’m “ON THE ROAD AGAIN.” For instance:

You can’t pump your own gasoline in New Jersey. It’s actually against the law. The Garden State is one of only two states, the other being Oregon, where it’s illegal to fill ‘er up yourself. I, of course, learned this the hard way rushing to return my rental car to the Newark airport. As usual, I jumped out of the car and began to top off my tank when I was verbally assaulted by the gas station attendant. He acted as though he had caught me trying to take over his job. As he took control of his precious gas pump, he explained that it was actually illegal for drivers to pump their own gas and has been since 1949. Apparently, it’s been the source of some very heated debates for the last couple of decades. It certainly caught me by surprise.

Due to a previous career in radio, I learned this next tidbit many decades ago. However, I’m still astonished to discover how many people are totally unaware of this little piece of trivia. Radio stations west of the Mississippi River all begin with the letter K while those situated east of that natural boundary all begin with W. Apparently, the letters K and W originated early in the 20th century as part of a worldwide index of ship radio stations. K stood for ships on the East coast, W for ships in the Pacific. For some reason, evidently unknown, when the letters were extended to land-based stations, they were reversed, with the Mississippi River eventually adopted as the dividing line. This unusual switch took place in 1923. What I find interesting is the fact that most residents in the west naturally assume that all radio stations throughout the country begin with K while those in the east make the same assumption about the letter W.

I’ve had to deal with the many challenges of time zone changes for decades now and have mastered the majority of them. One of the few that I have yet to master is insignificant but irritating nonetheless. Living in the Midwest, I’m used to the prime-time TV schedule starting at 8 p.m., the late evening news beginning at 11 p.m., and the late night talk shows beginning at 11:35 p.m. When I travel west, prime time begins at 7 p.m., which really feels early, end-of-the-day news begins at 10 p.m., leaving you with a feeling that you’re missing an hour of prime-time, and the talk shows kick things off at 10:35 p.m. It’s interesting that wherever we happen to reside, we so often make the incorrect assumption that everyone from coast to coast plans their day around a time schedule very much like our own. Again, very insignificant but noteworthy.

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.

Technorati Tags: travel, diversity

It’s close to sundown, and I just returned from a very long, relaxing walk in the surf along the beach on the Emerald Coast of Okaloosa Island. The temperature is 88. The sun is bright. The warm breeze is refreshing. The lifeguard has posted the waves at close to 6 feet. That simple walk was just what the doctor ordered after having spent eight hours on platform today working with officials and staff members of the Florida Northern District Court … a fantastic group of folks.

Like many of us, this seasoned group of professionals find themselves experiencing continuous change, increasing caseloads, new laws, enhanced technology, and the age-old challenge of having to do “more with less” resources such as people, time, budget, technology, etc.
 
After spending a full day with this unique group of individuals, I must admit that the average person would struggle to detect the many challenges facing these fine folks. They receive little thanks and/or recognition for their services from anyone outside of their culture and yet they ask for none. They take pride and solace in the fact they know the importance of the services they render. They know why they do it and who benefits from their devotion and service. They have a great sense of humor, they greatly respect one another, they support one another, you can see pride on every face, they care for those they serve, and they enjoy their work. They laugh easily, they learn eagerly, they grow rapidly. My guess is they cry easily when the situation warrants such a response. They deserve our admiration, respect, appreciation and support.
 
Throughout the day, I was fortunate to have lunch with several of those attending this three-day conference, chatted with several others during breaks, relaxed with others following dinner this evening as we shared small talk, and walked the beach with a few others to unwind after a long day.
 
I gained a great deal of insight today concerning the daily challenges faced by this group of very dedicated individuals. I have a new respect for what they do, why they do it and how well they do it. I’m indeed thankful that we’re fortunate to have these very talented, dedicated, and experienced professionals doing what they do best—day in and day out.
 
I must reveal a little guilt as the day comes to a close. My role today was to inform, facilitate, and provide strategies to those in attendance. I feel I did that. However, I’m pleased to admit that I, too, learned a great deal, thoroughly enjoyed my time with these fine folks, and concluded the day feeling as though I’m a better person for having spent it with them.

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.