How to Make the Best New Year's Resolutions

It is that time of year again, when the calendar clicks over one digit and for some reason we all get obsessed with the change we wish to see in ourselves. How long does that last? Here are my 3 tips on how to make resolution that you can actually stick with.

1. February
• The number one resolution you should keep is this one: "I promise to revisit my resolutions in February." It takes 21 days to make a habit (or any relative routine that The Power of Habit book suggests) so make a plan to reevaluate how you are doing. Even if you don't keep the resolution past January 2nd, you can at least meet the resolution of measuring how poorly you're doing.
2. Stop and start
• Some of the best advice I've read on this subject is to make 2 types of resolutions: start doing something that you want to and stop doing things you don't want to. Instead of thinking of it as "I will stop hitting the snooze button", say "I will start waking up earlier by finding a new way to wake up". You already know the snooze button doesn't work. Putting the clock across the room didn't work. Even the dog jumping on you didn't work. Just like Edison and the light-bulb, you only need to find one way that works and you keep a resolution by just trying!
3. Fun and Long
• Why do resolutions have to be stressful things to become a better person? Think of this list as a way to achieve that "before I die" bucket list  Set a goal of seeing one of the wonders of the world (recommended by 5 years book), climb your first 14er, or bake your first apple pie from scratch. For me in 2013 I plan to do some sightseeing of my own state and visit the microbreweries of Colorado. Life is so much more interesting with goals like that!

Happy 2013 everyone! What New Year's Resolutions are you pledging this year? List one below!

The End of the World? 3 Things to Learn from It

Is the world really coming to an end? There seems to be many arguments with the US fiscal cliff, the Mayan 13th bak'tun year, and assorted other horrors in the news this past year. But every end is also a new beginning, right? So I think we should take this time to learn from all of these close calls and be smarter about the future.

1. Be prepared financially
• There will be ups and downs in life that can be very costly. Whether it is a flooded basement, repair construction on I-25, or fighting 9/11 terror, surprises happen that you will "do whatever it takes" to make it right. You can't plan for specific downfalls but you can save for a rainy day.  See specific ideas here at Daily Worth.
2. Be strong socially
• Don't be the one in the dark that didn't know that CU got a new head football coach (from San Jose), that your mentor was nationally recognized, or that Miss USA won Miss Universe 2012. Being on top of the local buzz not only makes you intellectual but your peers will appreciate the attention. Make your personal interactions count and you will see career growth in our future. For tips on socializing visit BlogHer.
3. Celebrate yourself mentally
• "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi was wise in that if you want something to happen you better take charge and you'd be surprised how far one voice can go. Be influential and start speaking up in meetings, volunteering locally, and reward yourself. Don't wait for others to recognize your efforts, recognize them yourself! No one else can do it as well as you can and you should take a stand where it matters to you. Donate to causes like Kiva and Half the Sky, be motivated to tell your story at TED, or simply celebrate life and live it to the fullest through something at Travel Zoo.

What would you do differently if you could be reborn like a phoenix? Would you save more, spend more, talk more, listen more, play more, work more? Tell me what you plan to do after doomsday December 21st!

Laugh about the Holidays - 3 Ways to Relax during December

The holidays aren't too stressful for me and my house this year since there will only be four of us, but some how I'm still not ready for the festivities. Still on the "to do" list? Menu planning, light hanging, present wrapping, and constantly chasing the cat out of the tree. That's pretty much all of it, isn't it?

Whether you have 20+ people or 2, started planning in July or still procrastinating ("I'll get it done next weekend"), or celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, there is enough stress surrounding the month of December to make up for the rest of the year. So here are some comical tips to relax a little!

1. Stuff your face
• There is always tons of food: Christmas cookies, Starbucks eggnog lattes, and your relative's French style of cooking. For one, you don't have to talk or answer awkward family questions if your mouth is full. And another thing is you don't have to worry about calories because New Year's Resolutions are in just a week and you can restart your weight loss goals then.
2. Blast music
• My least favorite thing about this time of year are the roads. Even if you avoid the malls and shops, everyone is in a hurry on the crowded and reckless roads and if you add snow then something naughty is bound to happen. My remedy is blasting Christmas music in your car and singing badly along with it. Then maybe after the 3 minutes of "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" your car will seem that much closer to your freeway exit.
3. Sleep in
• What better way to prepare for Christmas insomnia than complete ignorance? There is nothing that makes me feel better when it is snowing crazy outside than staying in bed until 11 am... or so. It is warm and quiet. Where else can you find your sanity and relax this time of year?

An entire month of guiltless consumer spending only comes once a year, right? So take advantage of it and blame Christianity for your credit card debt. Or, sign up for one of my favorite newsletters from Daily Worth for actual advice.

3 Reasons Why My Dog is a Better Teammate Than You

I don't have any kids (yet) but I do have my hands full enough with two crazy pets: Rubix, a 3-year old Aussie mix, and Jones, the fluffiest orange cat you've ever seen. While on vacation, the pets were left with the best sitters, my parents, and even after two weeks, Rubix and Jones are still happy and jumpy, demanding unusual amounts of loving attention. I missed them too and nothing is more rewarding than ... freezing Colorado walks outside? ...

1. High energy and enthusiasm
• Rubix may try to convince you otherwise when held at a "sit-stay" command, but you should should never underestimate her hyperactivity. She always wants to win, and her determination in the way she chases a Frisbee or squeaks rubber toys is unwavering. I challenge every team member to have the same positive attitude every second of every day. 
2. Unforgiving reminders
• Rubix is not the most patient dog in the world. Nope. When she is hungry it must be food time even if it is 2 hours early according to MST. But that impatience can actually be an asset that team members lack when faced with project deadlines. People make honest mistakes, forget things, or struggle with juggling tasks. Constant and repetitive reminders (whether two or five or more times) are essential for success. It reminds us just how important our work is to others. I bet no one can do that as persistent as my dog.
3. Opportunistic
• Rubix is always watching your every move and tries to anticipate the next opportunity of a new command, thrown ball, or FedEx delivery. She learns what types of signals to look for that mean something is changing and tries to adjust quickly in order to still catch the ball or jump on the unsuspecting visitor. She's not afraid to change her ball-catching strategy and I wish team members would be as receptive to change.

And the cat, Jones? He just scowls around the house meow-meow-meowing looking for your lap to sit in. :-)  Do your pets have traits that you wish your coworkers would adopt? Share in the comments!

Why You Should Do Something Dangerous

I just returned from a fantastic Caribbean cruise where we visited Key West, Belize, Guatemala, and Cozumel, Mexico. The most important thing that you have to be sure to do when you are visiting all of these places is: make it back to the boat. Well, I'm happy to say we did! We even did so without getting lost, mugged or killed and were able to see and take pictures of some pretty amazing things!

I am a loud advocate for using your vacation time and even more so to get out and see stuff. But after being on this mini adventure, I believe everyone should take their vacation time one step further and make sure to do something dangerous. Do something that makes you catch your breath. Do something that you might not do in a safety net of soon being back on your couch at home.

1. Danger makes you learn your limits
• Are you really going to get into that Guatemalan natural hot springs sauna with 6 natives? You don't worry about the germs, messing up your hair, or the possible wild snakes. This is not a recommendation to throw your sensibility out the window, but I do believe in the wild you are able to step a little closer to the edge -- all for the sake of learning or experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
2. Danger puts reality into perspective
• Getting into a taxi with someone you never would otherwise and asking for directions hoping they even speak your language is actually kind of scary. But it puts things into perspective when back at work you were hesitant to return that unhappy customer's phone call. Stepping into the unknown allows you to ask yourself "What's the worst that could happen?" with a little more realism and keep that wisdom.
3. Danger allows you to survive from it, relax and remember how much you are worth
• When you return to "normal", you realize just how much you can live with/without your talent and tasks that are so "indispensable". You really can step away when you need to and your team will have your back. They just survived a whole freaking week without you so now you can miss an hour if you need to and go to the dentist. Your team really is that good, just like you!

More thankful than usual

Thanksgiving is quickly becoming one of my favorite holidays. It is all about food and family; what could be better? And Thanksgiving allows you to try something new or stick to tradition through a recipe. When thinking about what I'm thankful for this year, I found myself coming up with a short but passionate list.

1. Safety
• Hurricane Sandy was not the only dramatic event that makes us thankful to be alive. Unfortunately Colorado has seen its fair share of scary occurrences this year including fires, child kidnapping, movie massacres, and other random acts of public danger. It was all too close for comfort for me and my family. I'm thankful for the police, firefighters, Red Cross, and the community for pulling together, staying strong and being supportive through it all. I'm sure it won't be the last that we see and it is always good to see the human spirit win out.
2. Financial Freedom
• Like most, I may not be in my dream job with dream salary, but I'm happy that I have enough to be able to spend money on gifts for my family and friends for the holidays, travel on a yearly vacation, and be funding my future retirement. Honoring your past, fully living the present, and planning for the future is what I am thankful for.
3. Change
• Maybe it is a strange thing to be thankful for, but the fact that life is always changing and keeping me on my toes is a wonderful thing. Whenever you run into a difficult decision, a crossroads, or bad karma, I always say "It keeps life interesting." I have been through some interesting challenges this year and I hope next year is just as glorious. :)

What are you thankful this year that you weren't thankful for last year?

My 3 Top Tips for How to Get a Job By Winning at Networking, the Career Fair, and Interview

I had the pleasure of attending the University of Northern Colorado career fair yesterday and spending time with some choice students at our Brocade info session. I am not a recruiter, actually I find myself quite awkward with one-on-one ice-breaker conversations, but I love volunteering to find talent for Brocade to hire. I am also a resume nit. I make changes to mine on a monthly basis and I am not looking for another position currently.

Why? Because I sucked at it before. When I was in their shoes looking for my first industry job, I'm pretty sure I went about it the hard, monotonous way. And I hope that my words can help others not go through what I did. So, UNC students, I know you didn't have any realization yesterday, but hopefully you got at least one good nugget of information that helps you land your first job - whether at Brocade or not. Below are my top tips:

1. Be personable
• We know you want a job, that's why you walked up to my Career Fair booth, but have something to talk about other than "I want a job. What job do you have for me." You need to stand out from the candidates that look the same or better on paper. If you can make a personal connection with the recruiter, then they will remember you and call you for the next step. So ASK QUESTIONS and get the recruiter to talk about themselves. Find a common hobby, their passion behind their work, or why they love their company culture. Be the friendliest person that the hiring manager has met and wants to join their team.
2. Practice
• Seriously, don't be like me and practice your scenario answers at interviews you care about. You won't get the job and you'll know it before you walk out. You know if you are good at telling jokes and the same is true for whether you know if you tell good example stories or not. Find the ones that work well at answering the "What are your weaknesses/strengths?" "Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult team member?"
  You need to be confident about yourself and your skills, and ensure that the right things are strongly communicated to the recruiter. If you are unsure if the language you are using matches the recruiter's needs, then try this: trade resumes with a friend for 10 seconds. Your friend is your eye tracking software and will tell you what top 5 or so words catch their eye. Then if that's not what you want your first impression to be, change it before you hand it to the real recruiting reader.

1. Utilize Social Media
• 91% of recruiters look for a social media presence. If you aren't actively posting positive stuff about yourself, then some jailed convict with the same name as you is doing it for you. There are so many tools on the internet to advertise yourself so use them! Comment on company blogs, join a Linkedin group, follow a company on Facebook. You don't have to do a lot, just enough to be in control. I got flown across the country for an interview within a week of one Linkedin posting once. It works, really.

I did not talk about the basics here because I assume your college career center covers those well. But just remember that first impressions matter A LOT. So just in case, here are the highlights:

• ONE-page resume
• firm handshake
• send thank you letters
• professional voicemail box
• dress professionally (dress for the job you want, not the one you have)
• Shawl Collar Suit Long Sleeve (DARK NAVY,14 W) (Google Affiliate Ad)
• Haggar Custom-Fit Pinstripe Suit Separates (Google Affiliate Ad)

Do you have a top tip to give graduating students? Share them!

Women's Vision Foundation 2012 Women's Success Forum Review

What a fantastic event last Friday at the Women’s Vision Foundation 2012 Women’s Success Forum! This year, we had 14 Brocadians attend this annual event and it was fun to share the rewarding experience with these other attendees. The theme this year of “Waves of Change” definitely felt appropriate. Since the last Success Forum I have seen a lot of change in my own career: a promotional move with new responsibility, a new team and a new manager, going back to school for my MBA, and an announcement of a new CEO. I guess what they say about “change being the only constant” is true. Therefore, I think that everything that you learn at the Women’s Success Forum each year is valuable in preparing for and dealing with change. Speakers share their stories and advice on communication, leadership, self-discovery, motivation, diversity, management, and much more!

The keynote speaker, Dr. Brené Brown was a crowd favorite for sure. She spoke about vulnerability and how societal interpretations of courage and weakness are misunderstood. For example: a CEO brought in to turn around a company shows vulnerability when she admits mistakes and asks for help from her direct reports will appear courageous although she may feel weak. Through personal experiences and her in-depth research, Brené taught the audience that being honest and trusting is double sided and you often need to be the initiator. One tip she gave was when giving feedback to sit next to them rather than across from them. I learned that I need to identify what my defensive reaction to fear is so that I can avoid shutting myself down to other’s vulnerability and learn from them instead.

For the first breakout sessions, I attended “Personality Poker” with Stephen Shapiro. From a full deck of 52 cards, we had to find 5 cards that defined us and then relate that back to what type of innovator we are. My cards that I choose were: Analytical (9S), Sociable (QH), Direct (JC), Considerate (5H), and Creative (9D). These cards are a great icebreaker for team building and identifying strengths and weaknesses of you and your peers. For example, I was given the Intellectual (AS) card which helps me understand how others perceive me. “Who people see us as is ultimately who we become.” I am weighted in the Define Challenges (S) part of innovation process yet with a healthy balance of Execution through Engaging with Others (H). I am weak in the Create (D) category. What are your weaknesses and who has those characteristic strengths to balance you and make your team successful? Find yours here: Personality Poker online.

The next event that I attended was on followership by Ira Chaleff. He was so easy to listen to and I loved his videos that fully demonstrated what a good and bad follow/leader combination looked like. What really spoke to me is what Ira said about “the first follower is most important. Without him, there is no leader. The first follower shows others how to follow and turns the leader’s action into a movement with many followers.” By using the courage recommendations from Brené, a leader needs to remove barriers to allow followers to be courageous and followers in turn will speak up about your company’s blind spots.

The event closed with appetizers, prize drawing, and another guest speaker. One Brocadian won Nuggets tickets! Thank you Women’s Vision Foundation for the inspirational Friday and the many empowering ideas to take back and apply.

How to be Patient When You Don't Want to Be

At a mentorship session today, I found myself passing on the same advice that was given to me (repeatedly) when I was a new hire.

"Just be patient."

It reminds me of a more popular quote: 

"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change. 

If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change."

- John A. Simone, Sr.

We get antsy for any number of reasons: bad management, lack of challenging assignments, desire for promotion, slow sales return, etc. How do you stay grounded and keep pushing ahead in the positive direction?

1. The bottom of the stock market has no where to go but up
• The only advice for playing the stock market is "buy low, sell high" and not surprisingly this is very hard to do. Too many people get their emotions wrapped up fear and numbers. Take a deep breath and take that short term gain and stretch it out. When you consider long term goals or even mid-term goals, the daily "should I, shouldn't I" becomes less of a scary flash decision and more part of a bigger solid plan.
2. The greener grass gets watered
• Even if you are tempted to take matters into your own hands and move away to the greener grass on the other side, remember that you may be trading one evil for another. Is it really that bad? Is there anything you can personally do to affect your own crappy situation? Sometimes all it takes is a positive attitude and a smile, but others might take some late night hours, difficult conversations, or worse, the unknown. But how bad is that... really?
3. Trust falls require more than one person
• If you've ever done this exercise at summer camp, you know what I'm talking about. The reason trust falls work is because trust is 2 sided and a group activity. If you are unsure about team member's commitment, ASK! Just because your back is turned doesn't mean there aren't people behind you that are saying nice things about you. Silence does not have to mean a "calm before a storm" but if surprises aren't you're thing, be the initiator of communication.

I think that's enough cliches and bad similes for one blog post. :-) Share what your method is for maintaining composure! Fill in the blank: "To calm myself down and keep things going slowly but surely, I remind myself _______."

A Book Review of Half the Sky

Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide
by: Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

What is the greatest untapped resource? Women. Did you know that the US is 68th in the world for the number of women that hold political seats? Want to know which country is #1? Rwanda – at 56%. This book is filled with personal gut-wrenching stories of the oppression of women and the terrible health and education conditions that these cultures face: gender discrimination, sex trafficking, forced prostitution, honor killings, child marriages, etc. I honestly almost stopped reading after the first chapter, and then again hearing about fistulas, but I found myself mesmerized by the passion these women have. Each story is about how one woman fights for her basic human rights and goes to school, learns to read and write, meets with other village women, starts a business, and begins changing village culture.

The reason I like this book is because it argues that the number one way to solve poverty in these struggling nations is education, specifically girls’ education. By educating women, they gain the confidence to become acting member of society and they start handling family finances, practicing family planning, putting children’s health first, and increasing the GOP by contributing to the economy. Success comes more from these internal grassroots movements and by getting involved in small ways like funding micro-finance programs, writing your congressman, or get inspired and read (or listen to the audiobook) Half the Sky, or to watch the PBS special including testimonials of Hilary Clinton, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, and more.

What can you do in the next 10 minutes to help? Click here to see about how you can travel, donate, volunteer, or simply spread the word!

Oh, and make sure to take advantage of your own rights and VOTE!

3 Tips to Improve Your Self-Esteem Today

Not everyone is a bubbling crock-pot of optimism and positive energy. And even so there will be times when the going gets tough enough that looking on the bright side is really hard to do. Here are few tricks that I use to stay positive, feel pretty, and wake up the next day with a smile.

1. Make a list
• If you make a "to-do" list, then you can check things off said "to-do" list. Accomplishing something has got to make you feel good no matter what it is. You can even write down and cross it off at the same time.
2. Compliment others
• Whenever I struggle with seeing myself as smart, pretty, or clever, I take a break from scrutinizing myself. Stop looking in the mirror, reviewing the bad test score, or replaying management bashing your idea at last week's meeting. Turn your attention to those around you instead and find something great about them - and then tell them! You can bet that you aren't the only one that has crappy days sometimes so brighten up their day and that happiness will become contagious and find its way back to you.
3. Reflect within
• Take some solitary time to look inside yourself and define what you are good at. What are your PODs or points-of-difference? Are you really good at convincing people to spend money? Are you really good at pointing out every error in data sheets and articles? Are you good at easing a stuffy room with your personality flair? Once you narrow down your strengths to the top 3 or so, find new ways that you can use these skills, or ask someone else to help you find new opportunities to apply your strengths. Spending your time and energy on your strengths rather than your shortcomings will help you get noticed and make you feel successful.

This blog post is inspired by Project Eve and in part by the Sponsored Dove campaign. Check out what others are saying about beauty, confidence, and self-esteem at:

• Send a Note of Confidence
• Dove Facebook Page
• Dove on Twitter

"Dove® research shows that it is still important for us to address girls' anxiety about looks, as there is a universal increase in beauty pressure and a decrease in girls' confidence as they grow older. Key findings from our latest research include:

• Only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful (up from 2% in 2004) 
• Only 11% of girls globally are comfortable using the word beautiful to describe themselves
• 72% of girls feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful 
• 80% of women agree that every woman has something about her that is beautiful but do not see their own beauty 
• More than half (54%) of women globally agree that when it comes to how they look, they are their own worst beauty critic

SOURCE: Dove Research: The Real Truth About Beauty: Revisited"

3 Things to Worry About because it is Fall

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 all these reasons to be stressed, take some time to decompress. Delegate some "me time" and do one of the following cliche relaxations.

• meditate with candles
• take a bubble bath
• sit by a wood-burning fireplace
• wrap yourself in blanket on a comfy chair
• sip some gourmet hot chocolate

To me, there is no better therapy that being toasty warm and sitting with my thoughts.

How long should you search?

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:

1. 100% convinced
• You have done so much searching that you have completed your quest and made a decision. This amount would be different for everyone, but it does depend on the consistency of the information between sources and the level of trust you have in those credible sources. Regardless, when you make a decision you stop searching and move on to acting on your decision.
2. Too expensive
• If it is not worth your time and/or energy to keep searching. This could be because the information is too hard to find or your deadline is closing fast.
3. Loss of interest
• Actually, I think this happens more than we are willing to admit. Sometimes our initial intention or interest level was minimal to begin with. Then you either don't find the answer right away or don't find the answer interesting enough to continue, you may give up and move on to the next best thing.

In my opinion, this is also true personally. When you are applying to jobs, interviewing, and networking regularly, people WILL be searching for information on you. What can you do about it? Fill the Internet with great things about you:

• utilize Linkedin
• test search yourself
• socialize professionally on social media sources
• engage in tech blogs and forum conversations
• stay aware of what others can find about you in public realms
• have others say/write info about you to increase your credibility

"91% of recruiters screen candidates on their social profile."

Don't let recruiters not call you back because they are 1) other info convinced them otherwise, 2) it's too hard to find info on you, 3) your info is cookie-cutter, boring, and doesn't speak to you and the job description's strengths.

How being *cough* sick is like having a bad boss

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.

Have you kicked off the autumn season with a cold or flu too? Share the misery here with me! *cough* *cough* *cough* Stay hydrated!

"You don't buy a drill, you buy a hole."

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.

Have you experienced a similar scenario in your work life? Have you made assumptions because you stopped asking questions too soon? Or are you simply not asking the right questions?

• What defines a successful completion?
• Why am I (or they) doing it this way?
• What problem am I trying to solve?
• Is this the right solution? For now or for later?

Creating boundaries for Work-Life Balance

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?

Scoring like Manning and the Broncos in Business

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.

So if you are wondering why your team is not "winning games" or winning contracts or winning VP recognition, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Are you a good leader?
2. Are each of your coworkers good workers? Do you work together as a single unit?
3. Are you learning from your mistakes and highlighting your team strengths?

Go Broncos!