Song of the Day - Hozier - Take me to church

Song of the Day - Tell Me Where You're Going

Silje Nergaard with Pat Metheny doing "Tell Me Where You're Going".

WHAT a wonderfully warm collaboration of unique talents.

Song of the Day - Don't know why

I really like solo guitar....once in a while.  

Here's Pat Metheny doing a cover of Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why"

Song of the Day - Skip the Line

Today's song of the day - "Skip the Line", by Sugar & the Hi Lows - has a driving beat and a carefree lyric that celebrates the joy of companionship.  What could be better?

Song of the Day - Dave's Highway

PMI: Change Management

If you want to get ahead as a company it helps to have a plan.

Weird Al and some new crazy songs

Some of you may have noticed a lot of Weird Al floating around recently. So, here are some of the best...

For the linguists...

Great Dancing....

Life is Good

Today's song of the day is from a new children's album about a nautical adventure.  It's simple and fun.

Cody ChesnuTT - "Gunpowder On The Letter"

There is huge problem with lyrical continuity.  Verses 1 & 2 are pure anti-war protest song (although I can't make out whether his best friend's death was associated with war).  Verse 3 laments the struggles of a new musician and ends with an indictment against the government that references a traditional patriotic song (Like we used to know what 'just' war and government were.)

Read the lyrics first (below) and then give it a listen.  The musical elements are outstanding.

Song of the Day - Happy!

Happy.  By Pharrell Williams.  Recorded in 2013.

You KNOW it's good.  He performed it at the 2014 Oscars Ceremony.

And it IS happy!

Song of the Day: Art Tatum

Many consider Art Tatum to be the best jazz pianist ever.  So I recently started listening to his stuff over to identify a favorite.  I think I found it:  his 1954 recording of Cherokee.  Amazing stuff.

Song of the Day: This is Always

Start your day with a really cover of George Gershwin's "Who Cares".

This was on Rebecca Sayre's 2003 Album, "This is Always".  Rebecca is an American pop singer from Nashville.

It's track #10 on this page from NoiseTrade

Song of the Day - Still the One

Jazz vocalist Laila Biali, backed up by a really lush trio accompaniment.  Album: Tracing Light (released in October 2010).  Song: Still the One.

Oh by the way....if you're looking for a really good love song to play for a romantic moment, this would work.

Song of the Day - There's a Light

Check it out!  Contemporary Christian music has finally become MUSIC!

Liz Vice, "Truly Today", from the album "There's A Light".

Perfect for a rainy day...

if you're looking for a good read today, check out Ray Bradbury's "August 2026".http://t.co/kL08YsKNYI

Effective Communication

Communication is definitely one of the most important skills that you need to develop to be an effective project manager. But, learning to pass information to you team quickly and efficiently is not always easy and there are mistakes that you should work to avoid.

1. Over Communication: This person sends out emails for every single thing he wants to tell you. He has return requests on every email. And he replies to every single email he is copied on if only to let you know that he received your email and is working on it. The problem with this style is that people are getting so many emails, it becomes difficult to filter through to find the important information.

2. Wordy: This person has a similar issue to Over Communication, but he does it in a slightly different way. If you ask for information, you will receive a 200 page document that takes more of your time to find what you need.

3. Forgetful: This person is usually overworked and distracted. He forgets that he hasn’t sent out the meeting announcements or the changes that were requested. Another aspect of this style involves not knowing. When your project is interacting with other people and needs to be coordinated, some people are not aware of how their information needs to be taken into account by other people. It’s important to know who needs to know what and make sure proper data flow is in place.

Remember to work for clear and concise language. This will help your team and make things run smoothly.

Understanding and Valuing People

"Sometimes it snows at late as May, but Summer always comes eventually."

Virtual Challenges

Let’s be honest, working with a group of people is challenging.  Working with a group of people living in different time zones, from different cultures, and sometimes different languages can be more than challenging.  It can be downright impossible.  But, with careful planning and management and preparation, these obstacles can be overcome.

1.  Communication:  The biggest problem with virtual teams is making sure that communication stays open and information is being shared among all of the members.  Careful planning on the part of the manager will ensure that people are getting the information they need when they need it.

2.  Relationships:  Another difficulty is making sure the team relationships stay strong.  When dealing with more text communication, it is easier to misinterpret someone or stereotype them.  If you were speaking face to face, you could read their emotions and intentions with visual and auditory cues.  But, when you are relying on text, it is easy for team members to assume many things that may be untrue and cause conflict in the group.

3.  Performance:  The third obstacle in virtual teams is inspiring the team to preform and meet deadlines.  When you are face to face, it is easier to motivate your team and be sure that all of the pieces are coming together at the right times.  When your team is virtual you will have to work hard to maintain the team’s energy and inspire everyone to keep moving toward the goal.

Gratitude...

Be Organized

1. Organization – Make a checklist.  Start your day by looking at the list of tasks you need to accomplish.  Unfortunately, we can't keep everything in our head and getting the list on paper,  or using an online organizer will increase your productivity.

2. Limit distractions – You may need to block facebook and other distracting websites.  Use headphones to tune out nearby conversations.  We actually don't multitask, our brains switch between tasks frequently.  We are not as productive when we switch tasks, as when we are focused one thing at a time. 

3. Get rid of Easy Tasks – Take some time to get the easy and simple tasks checked off your list.  If it will take less than 5 minutes to complete, just do it right away and get it done.

4. Prioritize – Always know your deadlines and what needs to be done when.  Be mindful of sequencing and how your tasks impact other people.  You may need to accomplish some things earlier because it is needed by another team member.

5. Use In-person conversation when possible – Problems can be solved much faster when you are working together, without a lag created through email.  Additionally, it's easy to misinterpret things via email, but when talking in person, questions can be asked and answers clarified to be sure everyone is working together.

6. Take breaks – Go to lunch!  When you let your brain relax, you will be more productive when you return to the project.  Stress reduction will give you better insight to the problems and allow you to get more accomplished.

7. Routine – We love patterns, create one that works best for you.  Some people do best when they accomplish their hardest tasks first thing in the morning.  Others will work better if they write emails first.  Find out what is best for you and follow it whenever possible.