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New research by productivity consultancy Converge International shows that work-life balance is a key factor in attracting and retaining staff – even more important than salary.

http://tinyurl.com/sphinxx12

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Here's a piece of advice: Don't read this story if you have just had a fight with your spouse or a co-worker. You will probably ignore it, despite its grounding in solid academic research. At least that's what Maurice Schweitzer, a Wharton professor of operations and information management, would suggest. In a recent co-authored paper, he shows that emotions not only influence people's receptiveness to advice but they do so even when the emotions have no link to the advice or the adviser.
Read the Wharton article at:

http://tinyurl.com/sphinxx8

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Most employees aren't stars--but they aren't slackers, either. Call them B players or solid citizens, they constitute more than 50% of the typical company's workforce. By their very nature, B players don't make the kind of splash A players do, nor do they attract the same level of praise. But the fact is, they form the backbone of your organization. Read this article to learn how to bring out the best in your solid citizens, building on their strengths, recognizing their good work, and keeping them engaged.

http://tinyurl.com/sphinxx3

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Rather than hire experienced people from outside, many companies might be better off training fresh recruits with little experience in the industry. That approach can give the firm more control over how the new workers adapt to their employer's corporate strategy and culture, according to a research paper by Wharton management professor Nancy Rothbard titled, "Unpacking Prior Experience: How Career History Affects Job Performance."

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2041

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Applications are now open for the AIM Young Manager of the Year 2008 James E Layt Award which both celebrates and encourages excellence in management practice.

Young managers 18 to 35 years, who reside and work in NSW or the ACT are eligible to nominate for this Award.

The Award recipient will receive AIM Management Training of their choice to the value of $3,000; a complimentary registration to the AIM Management Convention in 2009 worth $2,500; and the official James E Layt Award Certificate of Excellence.

More about the submission process and submission brochure available at:

http://images.optin.com.au/aim/events/YoungManager2008Brochure.
pdf

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Do you have a Gen Y issue in your workplace? Are you ready to find and implement some funky solutions around it? Check out this free ebook from Anders Sorman-Nilsson: funky thinker, trainer, speaker and coach (and reformed lawyer!)

Download the ebook at:

http://www.sphinxx.org/downloads/GenY2%200LimeGreenPaper.pdf

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While people in the business community hear a lot about the importance of work/life balance, it's often unclear exactly what that phrase means or how one achieves it. Stewart Friedman, founding director of Wharton's Leadership Program and the Work/Life Integration Project, thinks he has an answer. In his new book, titled Total Leadership: Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life, Friedman describes the four domains of people's lives -- work, home, community and self -- and what individuals can do to integrate these domains and improve their leadership skills at any stage in their careers.

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/1970.cfm

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This latest edition of the Hudson 20:20 Series explores the key motivators of job seekers within a complex and changing employment landscape.

The current conditions have produced a ‘buyers’ market’ with talented people able to shop around for the best offer, pay, conditions and opportunities. So, our use of the term ‘candidate buying behaviour’ has been deliberate. In response, employers need to expertly market their employment value proposition with as much dexterity as they market their products or services.

Ultimately this report outlines what employers can do to differentiate their employment offering, and attract and retain the best talent in the market. Follow this link to access the full report:

http://www.sphinxx.org/downloads/0308-Hudson-2020-Series-Main-R
eport.pdf

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Failures in talent management are an ongoing source of pain for executives in modern organizations. Over the past generation, talent management practices, especially in the United States, have by and large been dysfunctional, leading corporations to lurch from surpluses of talent to shortfalls to surpluses and back again.
At its heart, talent management is simply a matter of anticipating the need for human capital and then setting out a plan to meet it. Current responses to this challenge largely fall into two distinct—and equally ineffective—camps.

http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/hbr/articles
/article.jsp?ml_subscriber=true&ml_action=get-article&m
l_issueid=BR0803&articleID=R0803E&pageNumber=1&cm_m
mc=npv-_-listserv-_-Mar_2008Control-_-HBRSA

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In today's business culture, your ideal mentor is not necessarily several rungs up the corporate ladder. Instead, your mentor might actually be a network of five or six individuals from all levels in your organization. Think of it as the 360-degree model of mentoring. In this article, thought leaders and practitioners lay out specific steps to take to wring the most value from your mentoring relationships. Among their advice: Clarify learning goals and expectations upfront. Make every mentoring relationship reciprocal. Keep the commitment strong on both sides—and know how to end the relationship when it's run its course.


http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/ite
m_detail.jhtml;jsessionid=G11TIOZ52SDDSAKRGWDR5VQBKE0YIISW?id=U
0803B&cm_mmc=npv-_-listserv-_-MAR_2008-_-HMU&_requestid
=211581

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Organizations are demanding ever-higher performance from their workforces. People are trying to comply, but the usual method—putting in longer hours—has backfired. They’re getting exhausted, disengaged, and sick. And they’re defecting to healthier job environments. Longer days at the office don’t work because time is a limited resource. But personal energy is renewable, say Schwartz and McCarthy. By fostering deceptively simple rituals that help employees regularly replenish their energy, organizations build workers’ physical, emotional, and mental resilience. Preview the article and buy at:

http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/ite
m_detail.jhtml;jsessionid=HZWPHPD3HHT42AKRGWDR5VQBKE0YIISW?id=R
0710B&referral=2899&cm_mmc=npv-_-SpecOffer-_-Jan_2008-_
-RChoiceHBR-2&_requestid=210267

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In the quest to achieve superior performance, executives often rely on advice in business books, articles, and business school case studies that claim to reveal a blueprint for gaining lasting competitive advantage.
The research underpinning this advice, however, is often deeply flawed and, worse, obscures the basic truth that success in the business world is based on decisions made under uncertainty and in the face of factors executives cannot control.
This article, an adaptation of material from the author’s book, The Halo Effect: . . . and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers, explores some of the misconceptions and delusions found in the business world, particularly those concerning the ability of executives to achieve durable superior performance. These include the idea that variables such as leadership and corporate culture have a causal relationship to financial performance.
Read the article at:

http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/article_abstract.aspx?ar=1928&
amp;l2=21&l3=37&srid=27

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HBR has compiled all of the 2007 HBR articles on one searchable compact disc -- a full year's worth of articles from the world's foremost management experts, and the Readers Guide indexes by topic and author. This year the expanded package includes a handy print index of articles with brief summaries. Plus you’ll also receive a free 6 month trial to the digital subscription of HBR.
For only $49.95, you can save space on your bookshelf and gain quick digital access.

http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b02/en/common/ite
m_detail.jhtml?id=2605&cm_mmc=npv-_-SpecOffer-_-Dec2007-_-2
007HBRCD

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Not everyone in your team can be a high flyer. This is a great podcast that outlines the difference between A players and B players and how to manage the latter effectively.

http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/misc/ideac
ast/archives_hbrideacast.jhtml;jsessionid=Y0QBK5LFUNP5MAKRGWCB5
VQBKE0YOISW#episode75

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Unique practices developed to enter the market will no longer suffice in China’s increasingly competitive environment, particularly if Chinese operations are held to lower performance standards. Instead, multinationals must lead with their strength: world-class processes honed over many years in established markets and adapted to Chinese realities.

http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/article_abstract.aspx?ar=2044&
amp;l2=1&l3=24&srid=110

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Finding and replacing underperforming key managers is an arduous and time-consuming task, but you can't tolerate underperformance. In making the choice whether to keep an underperforming manager, you owe it to yourself, your organization, and the manager in question to take at least one shot at diagnosing and addressing the underlying causes of unsatisfactory performance, especially if the employee has shown value in the past.

http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/ite
m_detail.jhtml;jsessionid=WDU21PISLMVBAAKRGWDR5VQBKE0YIISW?id=U
0710B&cm_mmc=npv-_-listserv-_-OCT_2007-_-HMU&_requestid
=49531

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As a manager, you're well aware of the importance of developing subordinates, and that means delegating responsibilities to them that will hone their problem-solving and decision-making powers. But when pressure is building and the clock ticking, sometimes the better option seems to be tackling a challenge yourself rather than coaching an employee in doing it. Don't give in to this temptation; in the end, you'll cheat your employees and yourself. In this article, experts across a range of industries dispense tested advice for making delegation easier and more effective.

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/4355.html

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The 2007 Australian Institute of Management's National Salary Survey is now available, containing market pay rates and position descriptions for over 340 positions, with pay data gathered from over 750 organisations.

The Survey gives you comprehensive, easy-reference reporting on:

- Pay rates & package items,
- Actual & anticipated salary movements,
- HR policies & practices, including staff retention,

Which will assist you in making more informed HR and remuneration planning decisions.

Considering the significant costs of replacing staff and the savings to be realised by effectively managing your HR costs on an ongoing basis, the AIM National Salary Survey is a small investment to make for the success of your business.

Should you have any further questions regarding any AIM products or services, please contact the AIM Research & HR Consulting team on 1300 362 631 or info@aimsurveys.com.au

info@aimsurveys.com.au

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Author: Jeffrey Pfeffer

Hot off the press from HBS, fans of Jeffrey Pfeffer will not be disappointed with the case studies and examples he provides in his latest book.

Subjects covered include:
Corporate culture, Employee development, General managers, Interpersonal communications, Participative management, Performance management, Team leadership, Teamwork.

Every day companies and their leaders fail to capitalize on opportunities because they misunderstand the real sources of business success. Based on his popular column in "Business 2.0", Jeffrey Pfeffer delivers wise and timely business commentary that challenges conventional wisdom while providing data and insights to help companies make smarter decisions. The book contains a series of short chapters filled with examples, data, and insights that challenge questionable assumptions and much conventional management wisdom. Each chapter also provides guidelines about how to think more deeply and intelligently about critical management issues. Covering topics ranging from managing people to leadership to measurement and strategy, it's good organizational advice, delivered by Dr. Pfeffer himself.

http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/ite
m_detail.jhtml;jsessionid=1SFWPOQGXYX24AKRGWCB5VQBKE0YOISW?id=3
129

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Authords: John W. Boudreau, Peter Ramsted

An interesting read from from Harvard Business School Press. Subjects covered include: Competitive advantage, Employee development, Human capital, Human resources management, Metrics, Strategy implementation, Work force management.

Is your talent strategy a unique competitive advantage? As competition for top talent increases, companies must recognize that decisions about talent and its organization can have a significant strategic impact. "Beyond HR" shows how organizations can uncover distinctive talent contributions, strategically differentiate their HR practices and metrics, and more optimally allocate talent to create value. Illustrations from companies such as Disney, Boeing, and Corning describe a new decision science called Talentship, that reveals opportunities by identifying strategy pivot points and the optimal talent and organization decisions that address them. A unique framework helps readers identify their own distinctive strategic pivot points and connect them to talent decisions, showing how today's "HR" can evolve to fulfill its potential as a source of strategic advantage

Buy it online at Harvard Business School

http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/ite
m_detail.jhtml;

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At last? a business book without an ego!

In The Halo Effect ... and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers, Phil Rosenzweig tears into some of the most popular business books of recent years, suggesting that a number of the principles bandied about in the business world are based on misguided thinking and flimsy research. These books "contain not one or two, but several delusions," he writes. "For all their claims of scientific rigor, for all their lengthy descriptions of apparently solid and careful research, they operate mainly at the level of storytelling."

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/1674.cfm

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In their book titled, Managing Customers as Investments: The Strategic Value of Customers in the Long Run (Wharton School Publishing), authors Sunil Gupta and Donald R. Lehmann offer practical examples and case studies to help companies estimate the lifetime value of their customers. That information, the authors suggest, can then be used to make better strategic decisions about customer acquisition, service, retention and segmentation. Knowledge@Wharton has excerpted a section of the book.

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/1671.cfm

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Despite the US bent, this Knowledge at Wharton article is thought provoking.

As recently as 1990, nearly 70% of newspaper carriers in the U.S. were teens. But that number dropped to 18% in 2004, and more declines are likely. Although reasons for teens being edged out of this formerly youth-dominated profession are specific to the newspaper industry, the end of the boyhood (or girlhood) paper route reflects a dramatic but little-noticed trend: Teen unemployment has hit historic lows in the last three years. Experts in the field say employers who want to ensure a quality workforce down the line should sit up and take notice.

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/1681.cfm

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