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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 business blogs, recruiting, A. G. Lafley and innovation, what's wrong (and has been wrong) with business schools, and staying grounded in reality.

Last week's newsletter was "The C. F. Martin Rule." As usual there were pointers to Web and Reading Resources, too.

From Business Week: Beyond Blogs
"Three years ago our cover story showcased the phenomenon. A lot has changed since then"

Wally's Comment: The correct title for this piece should have been "Beyond blogs for big companies," but it's still worth a read. "Blogs" and "Web 2.0" are used in many business articles and titles to mean "new" or "latest."

From Workforce Management: Recruitment Battle Plan
"Every corporation, from Google on down, can learn a lesson from the comprehensive and bold recruiting practices currently in use by the military."

Wally's Comment: This is a good article, but it leaves out two significant things. First, recruiting in the military is a prestige assignment. Doing well at it can enhance your career. Second, military recruiters are the equivalent of "line managers" who will be returning to the line. That shapes the attitude of military recruiters. As Marine recruiter told me once, "The test is, 'would you want this person with you in a fire fight.'"

From HBS Online: Innovation Advice from Procter & Gamble CEO A.G. Lafley
"This morning I did the "Q" part of a 75-minute Q&A session with P&G CEO A.G. Lafley. The discussion was wide ranging, covering everything from the need to re-think marketing and advertising to the benefits of a liberal arts education. At the end of the session, I told the audience that my six takeaways were."

Wally's Comment: Lafley is better than almost any other CEO at actually answering questions in lucid, helpful chunks. The written interview is great. As a bonus there's also a video of a different interview with Lafley.

From Strategy+Business: Lessons for Business Schools
"Are MBA programs out of sync with the needs of business in the 21st cen­tury? Have they failed to keep pace with global and technological change? Are they too theoretical and removed from the day-to-day challenges faced by managers and entrepreneurs? And do they encourage the silo-ing of such functions as finance and marketing rather than instilling in their students a multidisciplinary view? These questions are taking on greater importance as the business environment be­comes ever more globalized and competitive. "

Wally's Comment: This is a thorough, history-based, in-depth look at what's wrong with Business Schools. The answer is actually pretty simple. They don't have a clear idea of what they should do. All the other problems derive from that basic one.

From the New York Times: For the Chief, a Little Skepticism Can Go a Long Way
"If leaders “don’t look at things a little skeptically, they can find themselves in trouble,” said Jay Lorsch, a professor of human relations at Harvard Business School. Senior executives and directors “have got to be able to smell the smoke,” he added. “They have to have a certain level of cynicism and skepticism.” "

Wally's Comment: If you're in charge, no matter the size of your group, you need to find an independent way to ascertain reality. A little paranoia doesn't hurt.

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.