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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 the banking crisis, measuring work, service, when rational doesn't work, and talent management studies.

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 Random Rantings: "What really caused the 2008 banking crisis?"
"When you compare the 2008 banking crisis with the Enron debacle, with Ahold’s demise or even with the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal in 1984 some surprisingly clear parallels emerge. Various explanations have been offered for each of these crises, ranging from top management greed, failing watchdogs to insufficient government regulation and inappropriate accounting and governance structures. Yet, there is one common cause underlying all these symptoms and triggers, and that is the structural failure of management."

Wally's Comment: This is splendid analysis with a historical flavor.

From Evil HR Lady: Leading People. Leading Organizations
"I'm a little bit tired and cranky. (Although not as cranky as Mr. Crabby pants who got 5 needles jabbed into his little thighs today. Sorry--just a bit of mommy blogging here.) So, when I read this I wanted to grab some HR VPs and bang their little heads together: During the past year, several companies, including AT&T Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Cigna Corp., have been hit with lawsuits in which employees claimed that they were not paid for the 15- to 30-minute task of booting their computers at the start of each day and logging out at the end. I'll leave the legalities to the lawyers (although for the record, I would never in a million years support such a thing and I believe they will lose the case). Let's talk about the people. Remember them?"

Wally's Comment: Too many companies believe in the myth that you can have people productive 100 percent of the time they're at work. If you think that way, it leads to stupid decisions. In this post, the Evil HR Lady tries to help you return to reality.

From Jon Gordon's Blog: Whatever You Want
"A few years ago I ate lunch at Aqua Grill, a restaurant near my house. While there I met the owner, Cary Hart, and told him I had food allergies. I asked him if he could customize a dish for me without eggs. He said, “Whatever you want Jon. Whatever you want.” I told him I loved hearing that."

Wally's Comment: Great service is not rocket science. It's really pretty simple, as Jon Gordon illustrates.

From Mission Minded Management: It’s Irrational to be Rational with the Emotional
"One of the easiest ways to make an emotional situation worse is to offer rationalizations before dealing with the emotional aspects of a situation. Whether you are a manager, a customer service representative, or a resident of planet earth, my advice to you is ignore others’ emotions at your peril."

Wally's Comment: We're often told to be "rational" or to "stop being emotional." Sometimes that's a bad idea, as this post shows.

From Results vs. Activities: More Talent Management Facts #3
"The leadership and talent management “facts” just keep coming. In fact (no pun intended), thanks to some readers, I now have even more to share with you! "

Wally's Comment: Check out the highlights of a selection of surveys and studies on the topic of talent management.

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 Wally's Special Report: Managing Headcount in a Downturn.

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.