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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 posts on testing for understanding of strategy, when passion gets in the way, your attitude, spotting leaders, and the multi-generational workplace.

From Steve Trautman: Five Questions to Test Understanding of Strategy and the Big Picture
"I once had an executive tell me that he had fired an employee because the employee didn’t “get the big picture.” A dialog ensued between us that went something like this:"

Wally's Comment: If you're the boss, Steve Trautman's guest post on Great Leadership says that if your people don't "see the big picture," maybe you're the problem.

From Dan Rockwell: When Passion gets in the Way
"It happened again. My passion for vision-driven-living ended a conversation and squashed an opportunity to connect and engage."

Wally's Comment: Oh, Dan, what you describe is sooooooo familiar. If you, like me, sometimes shut down conversation with your passion, you should read this post.

From Art Petty: Prepare Your Attitude Daily to Lead Effectively
"Our attitude is visible on our faces, discernible in our words and palpable in our body language. If you’re having a bad attitude day, month or lifetime, you can be certain that everybody you come in contact with knows it and reacts accordingly. The impact of your lousy attitude extends quietly outward, systematically poisoning the working environment."

Wally's Comment: If you're the boss, you're the one with the biggest impact on productivity and morale and your attitude has an impact on your team as soon as you walk in the door. Better make sure you've got it right.

From Mike Myatt: Looking For Leadership
"Here’s the thing…you really don’t need to work too hard to identify leaders within an organization – they are the ones taking on the greatest levels of responsibility and delivering on their commitments."

Wally's Comment: We pick leaders for a variety of "reasons" that have no bearing on success in the role. We go for the sophisticated when the simple will work. Mike Myatt has some powerful suggestions about how to pick leaders for your organization.

From Management Craft: The Workplace Electric - An Approach to the Multi-Generational Workplace
"I find the whole "four generations in the workplace" stuff a bit tedious and I think many books and programs side-step most important learning. Understanding the Boomers, Xs and Ys is helpful, but the real opportunity comes when we are all more open and coachable. Young blue-hairs with old blue-hairs, having a good time getting the work done."

Wally's Comment: If you find most of the things published about generations in the workplace to be a bit too sensational, silly, or shallow, then this post is for you.

That's it for this week's selections from independent business blogs. If you liked this piece you may enjoy my regular post on "Leadership Reading to Start Your Week" which features five choice articles from the business schools, the business press and major consulting firms. The last issue had pointers articles about the line between confidence and arrogance, smart people, British newspapers and innovation, strategy, and making sense of forecasts .

Here, on Three Star Leadership, I post things that will help a boss at any level do better and live a better life. At Results vs Activities, I join other bloggers with posts on talent development. My blog at the Toolbox for HR is People and the Changing Workplace .

If you're a boss, you should check out my Working Supervisor's Support Kit.

And be sure to stop by at Weekly Leader where I'll offer you my Challenge of the Week.

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.