Turn and face the strange Ch-ch-changes

April 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

If you are a regular newsletter and blog reader you’ve seen a version of this before but my change playlist and mailing list are always evolving so I share it every year. 

jazz fest

always a good day at the fest

I am so looking forward to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this weekend and next because it is a time of inspiration and renewal. For the jazzfest faithful, the fest is a spiritual cleansing and creative catalyst.

Music.Is.Powerful.

Are you re-inventing? Or, I guess the better question would be Who’s NOT re-inventing right now? That’s life in a world of rapid change.

You can harness the inspirational power of music to support and fuel transition. How so? Stop listening to anything that reminds you of the situation you are leaving – whatever you’re done with – and listen to something different. Does not have to be new music, just new to you. Don’t forget about Pandora and Spotify as low cost, no cost sources for new and different music.

NPR featured songs about change in a story last week.

Below is my always growing list of songs about change. Make yourself a change playlist and then listen to it a lot.

And, don’t stop thinking about tomorrow…

  • A Change Would Do You Good – Sheryl Crow
  • Roll the Bones – RUSH
  • Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac (especially the version on The Dance featuring the USC marching band)
  • I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty
  • The Power of Goodbye – Madonna
  • Owner of a Lonely Heart – Yes
  • Uprising – Muse
  • Sing the Changes – The Fireman
  • Roll with the Changes – REO Speedwagon
  • I Will Not Be Broken – Bonnie Raitt
  • Fly One Time – Ben Harper and Relentless7
  • Above the Bones – Mishka
  • Brand New Day – Sting
  • Cool Change – Little River Band
  • Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) – George Harrison
  • Dog Days are Over – Florence + Machine
  • Changes – David Bowie
  • Hold On – Wilson Phillips
  • Big Girls Don’t Cry – Fergie
  • Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
  • Already Gone – Sugarland
  • You Get Knocked Down – Chumbawumba
  • Should I Stay or Should I Go? – The Clash
  • You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet – Lisa Marie Presley
  • Changes IV – Cat Stevens
  • Everybody’s Changing – Keane
  • Girl on Fire – Alicia Keys
  • Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise – Avett Brothers
  • A Change is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
  • What Doesn’t Kill You – Kelly Clarkson
  • Not Ready to Make Nice – Dixie Chicks
  • Move From the Hood – Luther Allison
  • The Climb – Miley Cyrus
  • Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz

Would love to know your favorite songs of change.

Filed Under: Career Invention, General, Human Resource Management, Leadership Development, Organization Behavior Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Time for Greatness

December 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Get around some greatness. You can find it all over the place – in architecture, museums, books, nature, community, movies, art, people, music, history, science. Get near it and absorb that energy. Do this while you are setting your goals for the new year. Breathe greatness in and infuse it into your 2013 plans.

My husband and I are fortunate to spend a lot of time in New Orleans where we stay a block away from the National WWII Museum. I simply can not get enough of that place. It is full of artifacts from a time when mere mortals became great and beat back heinous evil forces.

Besides the stuff and stories on display, we regularly see current and veteran members of our armed services visiting – people who sacrificed much for the greater good. To be around them and this history fills me with awe and admiration. I wonder will my life and work ever make that kind of difference in the world.

Recently, the B-17 bomber named My Gal Sal with an interesting history was moved to the museum campus. It was in pieces in the parking lot by us for a couple of weeks and we we were able to get pretty close. Standing so near something from that era can really choke me up.

Now is the time for setting goals and making plans. Do this in a mindset of greatness and then go forth to achieve it.

If your plans call for change, think about what you are listening to. I’m a big believer in the inspirational power of music to support and fuel transition. I’ve added a couple of new ones to the playlist.

Happy New Year everyone!!

As always, I’d love to hear what you think.

Filed Under: Career Invention, For Managers & Supervisors, Leadership Development, Organization Behavior Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Inspiration

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Time spent over the last ten days at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival inspired and renewed me. For the jazzfest faithful, the event is a spiritual cleansing and creative catalyst.

Music.Is.Powerful.

Are you in a re-invention phase? Or, I guess the better question would be Who’s NOT re-inventing right now? Crazy how change is the constant.

You can harness the inspirational power of music to support and fuel transition. First, stop listening to anything that reminds you of your old situation – what you are leaving behind. Next, start listening to something different. Does not have to be new music, just new to you. Below is a list of great songs about change. Make a change playlist and listen to it a lot.

And, don’t stop thinking about tomorrow…

  • A Change Would Do You Good – Sheryl Crow
  • Roll the Bones – RUSH
  • Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac (especially the version on The Dance featuring the USC marching band)
  • I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty
  • The Power of Goodbye – Madonna
  • Owner of a Lonely Heart – Yes
  • Uprising – Muse
  • Sing the Changes – The Fireman
  • Roll with the Changes – REO Speedwagon
  • I Will Not Be Broken – Bonnie Raitt
  • Fly One Time – Ben Harper and Relentless7
  • Above the Bones – Mishka
  • Brand New Day – Sting
  • Cool Change – Little River Band
  • Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) – George Harrison
  • Dog Days are Over – Florence + Machine
  • Changes – David Bowie
  • Hold On – Wilson Phillips
  • Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal) – Fergie
  • Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
  • Already Gone – Sugarland
  • You Get Knocked Down – Chumbawumba
  • Should I Stay or Should I Go? – The Clash
  • You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet – Lisa Marie Presley
  • Changes IV – Cat Stevens

For a wonderful, thought-provoking music-reinvention analogy, check out Christopher Bowe’s recent blog post for HBR.

FInally, please share your favorite songs of change here.

Filed Under: Career Invention, For Managers & Supervisors, Leadership Development, Organization Behavior Tagged With: , , ,

A Change Would Do You Good

September 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We saw Sheryl Crow at the Hard Rock Casino Biloxi on Tuesday night (a very cool hotel and good time).  Some people discount her because she’s had so many pop hits and such commercial success but I think she’s a great rocker/blues singer/songwriter.  And, it seems change is one of her favorite topics.  Check out ‘A Change Would Do You Good’:

Also, here’s an updated Inspiring Change playlist.  Come on, help me out – would love some suggestions for what you would add…

  • A Change Would Do You Good – Sheryl Crow
  • Roll the Bones – RUSH
  • Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac (especially the version on The Dance featuring the USC marching band)
  • I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty
  • The Power of Goodbye – Madonna
  • Owner of a Lonely Heart – Yes
  • Uprising – Muse
  • Sing the Changes – The Fireman
  • Roll with the Changes – REO Speedwagon
  • I Will Not Be Broken – Bonnie Raitt
  • Fly One Time – Ben Harper and Relentless7
  • Above the Bones – Mishka
  • Brand New Day – Sting
  • Cool Change – Little River Band
  • Hold On – Wilson Phillips
  • Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal) – Fergie
  • Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
  • Already Gone – Sugarland (this song is a little relationshippy but Jennifer Nettles has such an incredible voice I had to include it)
  • You Get Knocked Down – Chumbawumba
  • Should I Stay or Should I Go? – The Clash

Here’s a reminder of my philosophy about the relationship between music and change:  First, you realize your current situation isn’t working so decide to create a new one. Think about the music you have been listening to, especially songs that remind you of the what’s been going on.  Next, stop listening to that stuff.  Just don’t do it anymore. Find something different to listen to.   It doesn’t necessarily have to be new music, just music you don’t know or don’t associate with your current situation.

Filed Under: Career Invention Tagged With: , , ,