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
  • Luther Allison – Move From the Hood

Would love to know your favorite songs of change.

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

Art and Race

January 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The A & E documentary celebrating the 25th anniversary of the album Graceland is a story about an important chapter in the history of race as well as the power of art. My husband and I both remember the first time we heard the music of Graceland, around 1987 although we didn’t know each other at the time.  I still listen to the album a couple of times a year.

I visited the extraordinarily lovely Capetown, South Africa in 1984 and don’t remember seeing many black people. Paul Simon was in South Africa a year later creating the album. The documentary showed footage from then of the very harsh life of oppression that South African blacks lived.

We all need to know and understand history.

I’m excited about becoming a Dialogue on Race facilitator. The dialogue is a structured facilitated honest dialogue in a safe environment that uses scholarly articles as a foundation. It happens in a small group.

Imagine black and white people talking about race together.

 

As always, I love to hear what you think.

 

Filed Under: Community Service, General, Leadership Development 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: , , ,

More Music Power

July 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As promised, here are more songs to add to that playlist for Inspiring Change:

  • 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

From the previous post:

  • 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

 

Rock on everyone…

 

Filed Under: Career Invention Tagged With: ,

The Power of Music

July 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I love music, pretty much all genres.  Seeing live music is one of my all time favorite things to do.

I listen to a lot of music too – am currently listening to the Psychedelic Furs (more on that in a different post) and the new Ben Harper.  Music really inspires and soothes and I believe it can also help as you navigate changes.  How so?

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.

It is amazing how powerfully certain songs bring up memories and the associated feelings.  Not listening to those particular triggers frees you up to think about your future. Create a vision for your new life and link it to some different tunes. Then listen regularly to those as you change in that direction.

I’ve got some favorite songs about change as well.  Here’s a first stab at a list:

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

 

These are all I can think of right now but will be adding to this list over time.  Do you have any “change songs” to add?

 

Filed Under: Career Invention Tagged With: ,