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Here's my pick of the best posts from this week's business blogs. I'm pointing you to posts on HR and the downturn, adversity, crutches, and some excellent posts on the research into learning leadership skills by playing multiple-player online games. Let's start with the Carnivals.

Peggy Andrews hosts the most recent Carnival of Human Resources at the Career Encourager blog.

From Frank Roche at Know HR: 10 Things HR Needs to Do in this Economic Downturn
"It doesn’t take a PhD in economics to know we’re in an economic downturn. Times are tough. And when times are tough, it’s time for HR to get going. Here are 10 things HR needs to do in this economic downturn."

Wally's Comment: This is a great list from a professional. It's worth reading whether or not you' work in HR.

From the Leadership Challenge: Adversity Introduces Us to Ourselves
"Leaders are no strangers to challenges. In fact, exemplary leaders thrive on them. Here are a few tips on what you can do as a leader to enable others to learn to thrive as well."

Wally's Comment: There are always challenges for leaders. Now you have the opportunity to rise to some of the unique challenges of hard times. What you learn now will serve you well later.

From GL Hoffman at What Would Dad Say: Throw Away Your Crutches
"As tempting as an easy solution can sound, most turn out to be “crutches” and won’t get you to career or financial heaven. Here are five of the crutches I have learned that don’t work."

Wally's Comment: A great post about things we've all said or thought and why they just keep us from running the way we want to.

From Bill Bradley at Results vs. Activities: Sci Fi or Paradigm Shift?
"Dear Reader, I really don’t know where to begin describing this fascinating May article from Harvard Business Review. I only started reading it because I thought it might offer some insight on the evolution of “T-Groups” (which I grew up on) or other forms of management simulation exercises. Two paragraphs into the article and I thought I was reading a science fiction article that the writers slipped past the editors. I am reading all about multiplayer online games like World of Warcraft that attract millions of players worldwide. What the #&%* is this article doing in HBR? Yet, in keeping with the uniqueness of the article, let me put my ending here in the middle. We know that big changes – dare I say it – paradigm shifts come from the edges of what we know. Fields of thought overlap and something new and significant emerges. Just maybe that is what this article is all about."

Wally's Comment: Last week, I selected John Caddell's excellent piece on the same HBR article and the research underlying it as one of the best posts of the week. Since then, John has added two more excellent posts. Reading Bradley's post and then reading Caddell's will give you a great overview and rich analysis.

From John Caddell at ShopTalk: Multiplayer games demonstrate a new model for leadership

Multiplayer games lessons #2 - embrace of failure and iterative learning

Multiplayer games lessons #3 - tie rewards to individual contribution and deliver them timely

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.