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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

Find out more about having Wally speak to your company or convention.

Find out more about Wally's coaching services.

I was a young, hard-charging manager who had a problem with a team member. So I went to see my boss and get a little advice about what to do.

It was one of those situations where there were lots of options but not one that didn't have a downside, so our discussion went on for a while. I told my boss I was sorry it was taking so long because I knew I was keeping him from his "real work."

He rocked back in his chair and his blue eyes twinkled as he asked me, "Wally, what do you think my 'real work' is?"

"Real work" is often the lure that keeps us from being effective. We want to get evaluations over with quickly to get back to our "real work." We decide not to spend time with our team members because we want to get some "real work" done.

Some years ago I interviewed George Hart who was then recently retired as Chief of Police in Oakland, California. He was an incredibly successful police leader and I wanted to know how he did it. Chief Hart identified four key things.

Part of his job, he said, was keeping the politics of the city off the back of Oakland's police officers. And the other three things? Making sure that the department's recruiting, training and promotion systems grew the best officers and leaders possible.

That's what he spent his time and energy on. That was his "real work." It was the same with my boss years before.

After I stammered out some silly statement of what I thought his job was he put it in two short sentences. "What we're doing now is my real work," he said. "People are my real work."

Today, when people and their relationships are the best source of long term competitive advantage, finding, training, supporting and developing your people is more important than ever. If you're a leader, people are your real work.

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.