Link: http://www.hcamag.com/hca_aus/detail_article.cfm?articleID=879

Human Capital investigates how the latest in mentoring and coaching can help to address the most pressing HR and management needs

Today, more than ever before, HR professionals are facing enormous challenges with employee engagement. Solid staff engagement usually results in higher staff retention levels, which makes career development an area that cannot be ignored. In the 2006 Human Capital/Careers MultiList jobseeker values survey, career development and training came in as the second most important factor in terms of what people want from their workplace.

Developing the mentoring and coaching capabilities in managers can pay dividends, not just by building their own leadership qualities but also by engaging the top performers in their teams.

"Leaders need to have vision and be risk-takers," says James Holden, CEO of coaching and team building specialists, Leadership Revolution. "They need to have the ability to think boldly and risk being unpopular in that regard. They challenge the status quo because they are constantly seeking change. Developing these qualities in managers, to build them to be leaders, is one of the greatest challenges that organisations face."

Could you do with some mentoring and coaching?
As a consultant, where do you go for mentoring and coaching?
Anything structured?

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/business/25multi.html?ex=1332475200&en=f2956114b1265d9b&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Confident multitaskers of the world, could I have your attention?

When people divide their attention, they react more slowly and make more mistakes, scientists say.

Think you can juggle phone calls, e-mail, instant messages and computer work to get more done in a time-starved world? Read on, preferably shutting out the cacophony of digital devices for a while.

Several research reports, both recently published and not yet published, provide evidence of the limits of multitasking. The findings, according to neuroscientists, psychologists and management professors, suggest that many people would be wise to curb their multitasking behavior when working in an office, studying or driving a car.

Are you guilty of this?
Go on...get a cup of tea and stop to read the rest of this article...