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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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Independent business blogs are blogs that aren't supported by an organization like a magazine, newspaper, company, or business school. Those people provide lots of great content, but they don't need any additional exposure. In this post, every week, I bring you posts of quality from excellent bloggers that don't get as much publicity.

This week, I'm pointing you to on giving air cover to your team, work you love, learning from your younger workers, starting over (in your mind), and successful CEOs.

From Leadership Tangles: Why Exceptional Leaders Provide Air Cover . . . And Prevent Tangles"As an executive development expert, I’ve facilitated dozens of 360 degree leadership assessments, team development, and new leader assimilation processes. Along the way, I have learned that leaders get dinged if they don’t provide air cover to their direct reports. When I first heard the term “air cover,” I was surprised. On the other hand, military language, like sports talk, permeates the business lexicon. I decided to delve deeper and see what it really means."

Wally's Comment: If you're a boss, you've got two jobs: accomplish the mission and care for your people. Part of caring for them is keeping them safe. That means safe from your boss. It means safe from you.

From Work Engagement: What About Your Work Has the Power to Totally Absorb Your Attention?
"We recently closed results on our poll on what tasks have the power to totally engage your attention. Unsurprisingly, the most popular result, at 56.3% was tasks that you thoroughly enjoy."

Wally's Comment: Dr. Michael Leiter shares the results of a survey of the kinds of tasks that engage us. He makes some suggestions about what the results mean for you as a manager.

From Management Excellence: It’s Time to Get Serious about Learning from Your Twenty-Somethings
"One of the recurring themes in my writing and teaching activities is the importance of blending the generations in the workplace. I’ve been a cheerleader for this cause for the past few years and I truly believe that good managers everywhere must find opportunities to leverage the unique perspectives of experience, pragmatism and idealism available from this fascinating mix of time travelers."

Wally's Comment: Some companies have created programs where younger people mentor older people. Usually those programs are based around technology. But if you're looking to have every brain in the game, you need the perspectives and skillsets of everyone, including your youngest workers.

From Know HR: What Would You Do If You Could Start From Scratch?
"If you had to design your company (and HR) from scratch, would you."

Wally's Comment: There are lots of names for this approach. I personally like "Visitor from Mars." The idea is to take a truly fresh look at your business. Frank Roche has some ideas about how to do that.

From Winning Workplaces: A Winning Combination: A Long-Term CEO + Measured Growth
"Two themes Winning Workplaces has identified among past winners of our small business award are a president/CEO who leads the firm for a long time, relative to his or her peers, and purposely keeping growth manageable by cautiously approaching such variables as product/service and facility expansion as well as adding employees."

Wally's Comment: Growth is an American business mantra. But sometimes limiting growth is best. Quick results are what we demand of CEOs. But sometimes slow and steady is better.

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.