Human Resources 101

Bert Webb has been one of my regular blog reads for some time. Back in September he seemed to slide off the face of the blogosphere without a word. Given the personal philosophy he has communicated in his writing, I figured some major upheaval was keeping him from posting. He’s back and his posts gives [...]

The common wisdom is that managers have to learn how to motivate people. Nonsense! What people need from work is to be liberated, to be involved, to be accountable, and to reach for their potential.

The superintendent of Edmonton’s public schools was “terminated without cause” and given a $179,000 severance package, board chair Bev Esslinger said Tuesday.
Lyall Thomson was just over four months into his three-year contract when he was terminated last week by the trustees. On Tuesday, Esslinger held a news conference on his departure, but she had few [...]

Music has been a big part of my life. I studied it at university, taught it and I’m still an active horn player in my spare time. I am always fascinated by the leadership/group dynamic that is involved in creating good music.
USA Today interviews jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and compares the jazz band to leading a [...]

CIPD, the professional body in the U.K. for those involved in Human Resources management, has posted podcasts for free download.
So far, three have been posted, with more to come.

CIPD Annual Conference Podcast – episode 1
Leadership – episode 2
Managing Change – episode 3

CIPD – Podcasts

or, Everything I Needed to Know About Business I Learned at My Lemonade Stand.
Richard Branson does it effectively from a hammock in the Necker Island, Warren Buffet has been doing it since he was 11, and Bill Gates used it to single-handedly build an empire.
Arguably the most powerful and effective managers in the world, [...]

For those that seek to emulate the Donald’s h.r. management practices, don’t!
In a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology, the researchers suggest that verbally disrespecting and undermining employees, even in subtle ways — abusive leadership styles often portrayed in television shows such as The Apprentice and The Office [...]

The head of Home Depot Inc. left the home improvement chain on Wednesday in a mutual agreement, taking with him a severance package worth about $210 million US.
The surprise departure of Bob Nardelli from the role of chief executive officer after six years came amid investor unhappiness over Home Depot’s share price performance. Nardelli also [...]

A study looks at how the organization’s culture contributes to or causes employee burnout.
Lack of respect from the organization — rather than job demands or personality — is responsible for employees leaving their organizations, according to a new study from a Wharton management professor.
Human Resource Executive Online – Fueling Employee Burnout

Hence workers pulling into the company’s amenity-packed headquarters at 2 p.m. aren’t considered late. Nor are those pulling out at 2 p.m. seen as leaving early. There are no schedules. No mandatory meetings. No impression-management hustles. Work is no longer a place where you go, but something you do. It’s O.K. to take conference calls [...]