This week in Colorado, it is fall. Yes, that's what I said, this week. Meaning next week it won't be. Colorado leaves are changing and the brilliant yellows of the aspens are beautiful - but make sure you don't miss it! I always say that "Colorado has all four seasons, just not at the right time and sometimes all in one day."

So what is there to worry about? A lot actually.

1. Time to be frugal
• The holiday season will be here before we know it, so now is when you should start looking at that bank account and thinking ahead to save up for gifts, plane flights, day care, electric bills, recovery vacations, and lots and lots of food.
2. Time to make decisions
• It's a big election year and that means every citizen (I'm looking at you, yes you!) needs to VOTE! But it never stops there - Which relatives are you visiting for which holidays? When should I put snow tires on my car? What should I wear to the office party?
3. Time to be scrutinized
• October is here on Monday which means November is closing fast and will soon mark the end of FY2012. And that means performance reviews. Don't limit yourself to corporate objectives and manager competition. Take control and check off some of those New Year's Resolutions that you made for yourself... before it is too late!

With the internet these days, there is so much information available that it is hard to argue what is right vs. wrong and that more or less is better. The point is though, that as long as there is more information to find, people will continue searching and find it. Whether you are doing research on a product and weighing the features and price of a new tablet or researching free PMP info and avoiding purchasing a book, the internet allows us to search to our heart's content. That is, until one of the following happens:

Unfortunately, last week I caught the sick bug. I tried to recover over the weekend with my never-fail mom-taught remedies: orange juice, chicken noodle soup, and lots of sleep. No such luck. No one likes being sick. Even more so, no one likes having a bad boss. So as I am feeling under the weather today, lets pretend that for the week, this virus is my bad boss and compare the two.

1. Your time and efforts seem wasted
• No matter how hard you try to do everything as you would when you are not sick, you just can't work at that normal capacity. Sometimes it feels like you are moving in slow motion, or have to double check your work because your head feels so groggy. A bad boss wastes your time too. You spend less time on the actual assignment than you should and your efforts pass right through deaf ears. It seems that no matter how much time you spend carefully working around her or making sure your work fits her vision exactly, they find problems with it.
2. You try to avoid spreading the germs
• Thank you to all the people that wash their hands more, work from home, and avoid shaking hands when they are sick. You know this bug is dragging you down and it is the one kind of sharing that is not good. A bad boss is the same - you don't wish your situation on anyone even your enemies. It just seems like lose-lose.
3. The situation annoys everyone but no one says anything
• Whether it is a dry cough like mine (*cough*) or a runny nose, every time you clear your congested lungs everyone around you cringes. But of course no one says anything to be polite. A bad boss makes decisions that usually affect other teams and people other than you. I have witnessed many people staying quiet to not cause undue controversy in the workplace. I wish more people would be honest and have the company's best intentions at heart so that someone is not singled out as the martyr.

In my MBA class last week, we talked about researching consumer behaviors. What motivates someone to buy or to act a certain way? Take the following scenarios and consider how innovation is all about perspective.

1. A woman walks into a home improvement store. She is standing looking at the assortment of cordless drills, fittings, drill bits, and is overwhelmed with the 4+ brands to choose from. A salesman comes up and asks if he can help her, "What are you working on?" She explains she is hanging a new light fixture. Which type of drill is she shopping for? None actually. She is shopping for a hole and the security that her chandelier won't fall.
• Look for the real buying reason.
2. There is a new employee on your team at a Fortune 500 company. She is fresh out of college with little to no prior corporate experience and she is tasked with documenting the existing process. She schedules a meeting with you and asks, "What do you do?". Is she trying to steal your job, make the boss happy, or learn about the company? Actually, the boss thinks your process is the best and wants everyone (including the new hire) to start using it.
• Look for the real assignment reason.
3. A marketer is sifting through a pile of customer complaints and determines that their toy product is not targeting mothers very well. The ads are changed to better attract parents who will then purchase the product for their teenage kids. In fact, the new ads do poorly as now the toys appear as "uncool" since the rebellious teen does not want something their parents picked out. It was not about the product, but about the statement the product made.
• Look for the real user reason.

I had the pleasure of being part of a Linkedin discussion last week surrounding the Work-Obsessed World. How can we get away from all work and no play and separate our work lives and home lives better? In the linked video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0PLhdCPjxA&feature=youtu.be, I agreed strongly with the recommendation of setting boundaries. Here are a few of my thoughts on types of boundaries.

1. Time
• As stated in the video, children (and pets) do better with schedules. Consistency of dinner time or family time creates a routine that others can rely on. A set schedule lets you define the beginning and end time of different activities.
2. Physical 
• This is mentioned on the HGTV network a lot when designing home offices. Having a designated space can help you focus on the task at hand and not get distracted. On another level, I think this is why some people in a casual environment still dress in business attire.
3. Mental 
• Identifying and practicing to leave work problems at work is hard when you are running from one thing to the next. Find out what helps you unwind: driving home, working out, drinking tea in a favorite chair, meditating. What relaxes you and helps you place a mental boundary and begin focusing your energy on the non-work things? 

What other types of boundaries do you create and when do you find them useful?

There are many connections you can make between sports and business. The way the market is like a field and the players are your coworkers and the competition is well, the competition. And if you aren't a Broncos fan, then you might be a Manning fan. What I found interesting is what happening in yesterday's opening  game with Manning on the team: it went really well. Why?

1. Manning is a good player - His talent speaks for itself. He is well known because he is a good quarterback whether he is playing in his backyard, for the Colts, or for the Broncos.
• Relation to Business? You have to be talented. Whether you are a whiz at spreadsheets, organization, project management, pricing, services, whatever - in order to be the best in business, you have to be the best at something specific. And your customers and team mates should probably know what that is too.
2. Manning is a team player - You can't get to the Super Bowl by yourself. The quarterback is not meant to be good at rushing, he is good at throwing passes to the running backs. Manning knows the talents of his team mates and he trusts them to play well with him.
• Relation to Business? You don't have to be the best at everything, but you should surround yourself with other great workers that have strengths that are your weaknesses. You can't have the best product or service on the market doing all the work yourself. Even entrepreneurial companies grow and must hire new people, so when you do, choose wisely and well.
3. Manning knows the game -  Like yesterday's game, Manning knew to move fast and start the next play before a challenge flag could be thrown (regardless of how the ref called it). Being able to spot those opportunities and throw exact bulls-eyes to your receivers is what wins football games.
• Relation to Business?  Having industry experience actually does make a difference. Your ability to spot a good partner or a good deal can make the difference between a good quarter and a great one. Your experience teaches you when to hustle, when to be patient, and when to take a risk.