Have you ever worked on a project where you felt like there was no defined objective and that ultimately you (or your team) were going to fall flat on your face? Well sure. I think everyone has been there at some point. From your middle school science fair project to that lucrative contract you landed and are now sweating, we've all been there.

I saw a particularly good image floating around on the interweb that beautifully illustrates how a concept/product can be so completely screwed up at every stage from inception to delivery. I have a million suggestions for how the following all-to-true situation can be avoided, but we'll save that for a later post. For now, just laugh, scoff, and bang your head along with me. Work productively my friends!

Isn't it amazing how easy it is to be distracted by digital elements in our society? Right now you are reading this blog post instead of doing whatever else you should be doing. Granted, your brain is taking care of your heartbeat and breathing rhythm, but we are always finding things to distract us from the voluntary tasks we should be doing.

I found the following infographic on Visual.ly this morning, and I thought it addressed the subject of digital distraction fairly well. Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining about our techno marvels. But it is kind of eye-opening when you really take the time to consider how distracting they can be.

Work on (or continue to digitally procrastinate)!

There's an infographic floating around out there that asks, "How Would You Like Your Graphic Design?" While the illustrated concepts have everything to do with output from the graphic design process, they are equally applicable to just about any kind of work product. The original version can be found on Visual.ly, but I've cropped the title off the version below so that you can see how this diagram directly relates to your work and the quality of work you expect from other people. Enjoy!

Sometimes you see something online and you just can't help but laugh hysterically. I found the following image online yesterday, and I feel compelled to share it here. This is an absolutely perfect explanation of work relationships in modern business. I admit to falling into the project manager column, and I believe almost everyone I've ever worked with views me as one of these variations. Enjoy!

"Oh good, a philosophical post," you mutter as you shrug and roll your eyes. No, really, you should stick around for this one.  On tap: reactionary versus proactive decision making.

The world is an ever-changing place (obviously). Mobile devices, the Internet, and social media all drive that change at a vastly accelerated rate over what we encountered even five years ago. Businesses have to be far more fluid than in years past, meaning they have to be prepared for market changes and expect significant shifts in their respective industries. How businesses implement policies to handle market shifts - when the rubber meets the road - says a great deal about how those businesses are run.

When a company responds to market shifts and creates action plans after the fact, it is said to be reactionary. On the other hand, when a business anticipates market tendencies and preemptively aligns itself with future outcomes, it is said to be proactive. Companies shy away from proactive decision making for a lot of reasons, but none more than the ever-present business assassin, risk. What if the company shifts prematurely? What if the anticipated change doesn't occur or occurs in a manner other than what's expected? While these concerns are legitimate, they are no less avoidable than other inherent business risks when approached with the right frame of mind.