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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.

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Here are five choice articles from the business press to start off your workweek. I'm pointing you to articles about friendships at work, mergers that work, managing through a downturn, what metrics to use in HR, and the messages managers send.

Last week's newsletter was "The Arthur Clarke Rules" As usual there were pointers to Web and Reading Resources, too.

From the New York Times: The Workplace as Clubhouse
"Fat paychecks, pensions and health insurance are not enough to recruit and keep employees these days. Companies are again finding that adding a bit of social context to work is crucial to keeping employees happy and productive. That is where employee clubs come in."

Wally's Comment: Friends at work are good. In fact, they're such a powerful force for high morale and retention, that you may want to pay attention to how many good friendships are getting formed at your place.

From the Economist: Mittalic magic
"Lakshmi Mittal built the world's biggest steel firm from scratch—at internet speed."

Wally's Comment: Most mergers don't work. It seems to me that two things have to happen for a merger to be successful. First, you have to consider the human element as well as the hoped for synergies on paper. Second you have to integrate the merged companies quickly. Both Mittal and Acelor learned to do this because they did lots of mergers. That's the best way to learn.

From Fortune: Managing your business in a downturn
"Don't expect the good times to roll for quite some time, says one of the Fortune 500's favorite management gurus. But smart executives can use the downturn to make their companies better, stronger, and faster. Here's how."

Wally's Comment: If you haven't been through a downturn, especially a really nasty one, it's a good idea to learn about what works and what doesn't. Taking the canoe through white water is very different from taking it out on a glass-surfaced lake.

From Workforce Management: The First Three Things That HR Should Measure
"If you believe that workforce-management metrics have a direct correlation to financial metrics, then you’ll want to measure workforce management. Here’s where to start. "

Wally's Comment: A good article, but I'd like to see "Profit per Employee" in the mix.

From Inc: Like a Book
"Sorry, Mr. or Mrs. Close to the Vest, but your employees can read you like a book."

Wally's Comment: No person can read another person "like a book." But if you're the boss, trust me, the people who work for you know what you really want. The trick is to make it explicit as well as tacit. In other words, talk the talk and walk the walk and make sure they match up.

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.

Request your free copy of "Meeting the Challenges of the Boomer Brain Drain: An integrated approach."

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.