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Here are five choice articles from the business schools, the business press and major consulting firms to start off your work week. I'm pointing you to articles about women in the C-suite, 5 habits of quality-focused companies, Tata's HR strategy, Gross Domestic Happiness, and Aging Boomers as a business opportunity.

From Workforce Management: Programs Help Women Take the Lead
"Not since the 1970s and 1980s has there been such a push to help women find their way into the C-suite. With a record number of women earning college degrees, such programs are critical in making more cracks in the glass ceiling. "

Wally's Comment: This is an important issue for a host of reasons. For additional reading I suggest "Survey: 70% of Businesses Don’t Have a Strategy for Developing Women" from TLNT and "Facing up to the female power conundrum" from Fortune. In January 2011, Dr. Anne Perschel did a guest post on this blog titled: "Women Leaders: Unseen, Unheard, Underutilized." She has since reposted the piece on her own blog with all comments from this site, plus additional ones. You can find that version here .

From Inc: The 5 Habits of Quality-Focused Companies
"Most small businesses achieve success not because they bring a truly innovative idea to market, but rather because they dazzle customers with excellent service. Yet a focus on superior execution—that is, on quality—is easier said than done."

Wally's Comment: Read that quote just above because it contains an important truth. Success in business is not based on some spectacular idea or striking new product unless that idea or that product make a difference in people's lives. Even then, you can have a dynamite product but if your service is awful your odds of success go way, way down. For some background, check out "The Ken Blanchard Companies® Study on Customer Loyalty Reveals Employees Are the Most Critical Customer Service Asset" and a classic post by Charee Klimek, "Dear CEO, It's me your most valuable asset ."

From Singapore Management University: Tata’s HR strategy: Think far, wide and smart
"The war for talent has no geographical boundaries. In a world where countries and organisations look to developing beyond their own human capabilities, this war is as much about power as it is about survival. For the leaders, a foremost issue is to plug gaps in talent management – to attract and develop the best, keep them productive, and then hang onto them for as long as possible."

Wally's Comment: Tata is one of the world's largest companies, but one that isn't well known in the US. For some background, try "Too Good to Fail " from Strategy + Business.

From Wharton: Gross Domestic Happiness: What Is the Relationship between Money and Well-being?
"Most of us have seen the bumper sticker: "Anyone who says money can't buy happiness just doesn't know where to shop." It's an amusing sentiment, but it provokes an important question: What exactly is the relationship between money and happiness?"

Wally's Comment: It's not the money, it's what you do with it that affects your happiness. Here's another article on the topic from the Wall Street Journal: "Money and Happiness: Here's Why You Won't Laugh All the Way to the Bank ."

From the New York Times: In a Graying Population, Business Opportunity
"The idea is to help companies design and sell age-friendly products — with customizable font size, say, or sound speed — much the way they did with environmentally friendly products. That means offering enticing features and packaging to appeal to a certain demographic without alienating other consumer groups."

Wally's Comment: What I liked about this article is that it brings a number of concerns into play. As you read it, think about the effects of an aging population in two ways. First, think about how individuals age and what effects those changes will have on your business through customers, employees, and technology. For background, read the Fortune article: "Harley-Davidson's aging biker problem." And think about the effects of a huge percentage of the population aging all at once. For background I suggest "The silver tsunami " from the Economist.

Carnivals and Lists

List of Top Private Companies
HR Carnival

If you enjoyed this post, you may want to check back on Wednesday when I select five excellent posts from the week's independent business blogs. Last week I highlighted posts on negative feedback, coaching, passing the leadership baton, evaluating behavior, and leading collaboratively.

Last week's most-read post on my blog was "A Leader's Oath."  It tied "Tiger Teacher " for the most comments.

If you want to get a book done or improve your performance as a boss, let's talk about options . My coaching calendar currently has space open.

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 try to get you thinking about The 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.