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The Working Supervisor's Support Kit is a collection of information and tools to help working supervisors do a better job. It's based on what Wally's learned in over twenty years of supervisory skills training.

For weekly tips and resources pointers, check Wally's Three Star Leadership Letter

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Marin Alsop is the Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony. On January 15, 2008, she appeared on the Charlie Rose show, talking about her career, the role of a music director, and her particular experience as the first woman to lead a major symphony orchestra.

During the conversation, Ms Alsop talked about her role as the leader of an orchestra. She said two things that I think are good thought-food for anyone who presumes to lead others in the pursuit of a goal.

Marin Alsop: "I'm blessed with 100 people who want to be the best they can be and they're just waiting for me to enable them to do it."

That's true for any leader. The people on the team want to be the best they can be. They want to work with people they like to do something worth doing. And they entrust their time and their talent and their hope to you, the leader.

They're waiting for you "to enable them to do it." That's your job, enabling talented people to do something important together.

Marin Alsop: "When I'm standing up there waving my arms, I don't make any sound. So my leadership is about eliciting something from the people who are actually doing it."

If you're responsible for the performance of a group, that's true for you, too. You don't do the work. The team does the work. Your job is to enable them to do it better.

The next time you read something about the "power" a leader has, think of Marin Alsop, symphony conductor. You don't have any power. You've got influence, sure, but if your cellist decides not to play there's not much you can do to make them.

No, your job isn't about you and your power at all. It's about enabling the people who work for you to do something wonderful.

Wally's Working Supervisor's Support Kit is a collection of information and tools to help working supervisors do a better job. It's based on what Wally's learned in over twenty years of supervisory skills training. Click here to check it out.

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Wally Bock has helped people learn to be great bosses for more than a quarter century. His latest book, Performance Talk: The One-on-One Part of Leadership, makes learning key leadership principles almost effortless by teaching through a story and providing lists of resources for further growth.

Click here to find out more about Wally's coaching services.

For weekly tips and resources pointers, check our Wally Bock's Three Star Leadership Letter.

Click here to find out more about having Wally speak to your company or convention.