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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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Every week, reporters around the country write great business stories that don't make it onto your screen or into your local paper. And every week I scour newspapers around the country to identify five of those great stories to enrich your weekend reading. This week I'm pointing you to stories about a silly labor ruling, the growth of a woodworking firm, tricking out videogame consoles, feeding Olympians in China, and thriving secondhand stores.

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer: Cleveland ordered to pay union employees for the cleaning they didn't do
"Tired of Cleveland looking like a dump? Well, don't hire anyone to clean up public property. A union representing city laborers has objected to downtown business owners paying private crews for the last two years to rid public grounds of trash. And a labor arbitrator agreed that the work should have been done by public employees. The result: Taxpayers must pay for lost wages that could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Wally's Comment: You can only shake your head at this craziness. City workers did a lousy job of cleaning up the downtown area. As a result of their union representation, they will be rewarded. This reminds of the "jobs banks" in the automotive industry that give unemployed UAW workers full pay and benefits for not working.

From the Indianapolis Star: Knockin' on wood
"Country-born Koetter Woodworking is headed for the big city. The Southern Indiana company was founded nearly 50 years ago by Tom Koetter as a sideline to his main job with a small cabinet company in the Clark County town of Borden. It now has expanded to encompass virtually every step of woodworking and architectural millwork, from timberlands through finished products. "From tree to trim," said Randy Koetter, one of Tom's sons, who is chairman and president. This summer, the family-owned business plans to launch an architectural wood products store, Insidesign, in Georgia, showcasing high-end products in a one-stop shop for homeowners and builders."

Wally's Comment: In the early 20th Century classic German architectural woodworking companies created the fine woodwork that adorns the best homes of the period. Those firms and the skills they used are long gone, but it's satisfying to see a company specializing in architectural wood products grow into a new niche.

From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Wonderful wizard of mods
"Benjamin Heckendorn takes the average videogame system or computer, tears it apart and transforms it into a work of art. Ben Heckendorn, a professional "modder," or modifier of videogame and computer equipment, plays a custom Sony PlayStation 3 that he installed in a laptop case. His one-off adaptations can command thousands of dollars. Anything from a Commodore 64 to Microsoft's Xbox 360 is fair game. He can turn an ancient Atari 2600 into a hand-held or morph Sony's state-of-the-art PlayStation 3 into a laptop."

Wally's Comment: Here's a story about a business you don't see every day.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer: Olympics again are Aramark's global stage
"The Phila.-based food service can test its capabilities in Beijing this summer. Its role in the games began in 1968."

Wally's Comment: Read this one for an idea of how much it takes to land a contract like food for Olympic athletes and to negotiate details with people of a different culture.

From the Nashville Tennessean: Nashville shoppers stretch their dollars by buying secondhand items
"At a time when the region's consumer confidence is at an all-time low and a recession is looming, local resale stores say their businesses are booming. Resale stores, which include more than 25,000 thrift and consignment businesses, have increased in number of stores by 5 percent annually in recent years, and will continue to grow, according to the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops. That's a sharp contrast to other national retailers that are cutting their staff and closing stores because people are shopping less."

Wally's Comment: It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good. This might be good news for Goodwill and the Salvation Army Thrift Stores, too. Imagine people selling off goods to make money and other people shopping secondhand stores for value. Of course, they'll still have to compete with Craig's List.

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.