I love fall. The crisp, cool air reminds me of walking to basketball practice in sweatpants and a hoodie, and I get excited! At the time I was just having fun, but looking back I realize how much I learned from sports that can be translated into life and into business. Coaching is one of those things.

Let's face it, during the months of September through February, football is on nearly everyone’s mind around the office. Employees are talking about their favorite football teams, how the teams rank against one another, their Fantasy Leagues, and the scores from Thursday, Sunday, and Monday night’s games. Sounding familiar?

It’s that time of year again. No, I don’t mean playing catch up on your work while you were out on vacation or figuring out your upcoming Halloween costume. (Can I still get away with being Superman?!?!) It’s Fantasy Football time! Perhaps you participate in a Fantasy sports team in your private life, but have you thought about participating or creating a fantasy team at work? Your department, organization and community may be better off if you do.

I was recently speaking with a young man that received an offer for a new employment opportunity. This new position would provide him with a significant increase in salary, as well as benefits and perks he had not received from his previous employers. However, before accepting the offer, the young man took the gamble of making a counter offer to the salary presented to him by the potential new employer.

As HR consultants, clients often approach us seeking guidance on how to manage an employee who is under performing in their current role. By the time a manager has decided to approach HR with the situation they are often frustrated with the poor performance and are seeking HR intervention. Poor performance is an inevitable part of every organization and it is imperative that supervisors and HR work together to determine the best course of action for each situation.

Summer has officially ended. Gone are the relaxed attitudes that come from a week spent on the beach and the natural endorphins that are a result of longer evenings and plenty of sunshine. Companies are now entering into the final home stretch of the calendar year with an expectation of productivity and results. For an HR Director, this can result in a sudden rise of complaints about workload, work/life balance and what are perceived as unrealistic expectations. So, how does an HR Director respond to the frantic employee who calls at 5:00pm declaring that they are ready to quit without notice and that their manager is crazy?