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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's my pick of the five best posts from this week's business blogs. I'm pointing you to posts on "mean" bosses, using questions, change, the negative side of positive stereotypes, and why you should remember that people are not their titles.

But first a reminder that Kevin Eikenberry's Best of the Leaderships Blogs Contest is off and running. Stop by and vote for your favorite.

In addition to blogging here about leadership issues, I'm now blogging at Momentor on career issues. There will be a post similar to this one but on career issues over there every week.

From Janet Smith at the Goodwill Blog: Employee Morale insights from part-time teenage jobs
"I have two teenagers, and they both have part-time jobs—one at a grocery store, and one at a restaurant. Both of them describe their bosses as 'mean.'"

Wally's Comment: Some of the lessons you learn on those first jobs are that there are likely to be difficult people on every job.

From Art Petty on Management: The Art and Approach of Asking and Encouraging Great Questions
"Questions are the leader's lifeblood of information, and like most skills, learning to ask great questions in the right manner is something best learned through repeated practice. "

Wally's Comment: A great, short primer on why and how to use questions to do a better job of managing.

From Change this Newsletter: People Don’t Hate Change, They Hate How You’re Trying to Change Them by Michael T. Kanazawa
""According to a summary of over 40 research studies on change, the success rate of strategy execution and corporate change programs is 33%. At the same time, a Conference Board survey of over 600 global CEOs revealed that the top two challenges they see are: 1) generating consistent revenue growth and 2) strategy execution. This translates to weak performance on the top executive priority, a situation that needs to change." blog.changethis.com/changethis_newsletter/2008/07/4801-people-don.html

Wally's Comment: Do people really hate change? Maybe that's not the problem.

From Carmen Van Kerckhove at Race in the Workplace: How positive racial stereotypes can harm your career
"People of your racial or ethnic group are stereotyped as good employees with a solid work ethic. That should bode well for your career, right? Not necessarily. Even so-called “positive” racial stereotypes could spell trouble for you in the workplace."

Wally's Comment: Positive stereotypes are still stereotypes.

From Steve Roesler at All Things Workplace: Employee: A Person or a Role?
"Director of Sales. VP of HR. Research Associate. Customer Service Agent. Every time I receive a call to consult or coach, one of the first things I hear is the person's title and location on the organization chart. Invariably, the client turns out to be an actual person: Laura. Luis. George. Dottie."

Wally's Comment: Looking back at his career at GE, Jack Welch said, "In the end it was all about the people."

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.