Blog

Organisations increasingly use mentoring as a component of vocational pathways for their employees. But their efforts are not always as effective as they could be, as Gerard McManus explains. In some fields of endeavour, such as medicine, music or boxing, mentoring is a quintessential part of professional development.

Janice Chaffin says finding ways to help people innovate and flourish is an ongoing challenge for managers, and it is the key to success for Symantec's consumer business unit, Norton. By Hannah Flannery. Information is the lifeblood of modern business.

Australia is in the midst of an innovation and productivity crisis. It could do worse than look to Lego for solutions, Amy Birchall reports This Christmas season, Lego will sell 28 products every second.

With 1.3 million retirees set to enter the healthcare system in the next decade, we need to find new ways to cope with the demands and costs. Tom Skotnicki talks to Medibank's George Savvides about the challenges. Medibank CEO George Savvides, in an exclusive interview with Mt, was obviously energised by the prospect of transforming Australia's largest health insurance fund, Medibank, from "a payer to a player". It is more than a slogan.

Want to be a manager with all the perks and power? Sounds great, but there can be a downside to being the boss - sacking people. By Leon Gettler The toughest job for managers is having difficult conversations. Some examples: we're going to have to let you go; you didn't get that promotion; there's a problem with your performance. Managers may worry about the impact those conversations may have on a person (what if they cry? what if they turn violent?). They may also be aware other employees are watching. A badly communicated message could affect productivity.

Negotiating a pay rise can be a tricky task for any employee, but if you've done your research you'll reap the rewards. By Victoria Murray If you're not sure why you deserve a pay rise, why should your employer be? Too often, employees find themselves unprepared when pay discussions arise. Read your position description before having any pay discussion, says Carmel Ackerly, director of client solutions for AIM Victoria. "Do some background research on your job," Ackerly says. "Go online and visit Career One or Seek.com and scan the newspapers.

It's easy to believe the world's richest people attain wealth by luck, but most will say it's about creating your own good fortune. By Amy Birchall At first glance, billionaires such as Warren Buffett and Bill Gates appear to have been blessed with more than their fair share of luck. Buffett, for example, has a net worth of $41 billion and is considered by many as the most successful investor of the 20th century. He has claimed he won the "ovarian lottery" by being born at the right time and in a country where his skill set allowed him to become rich.

Boeing Australia's president Ian Thomas puts higher productivity and innovation into his flight plan. Tom Skotnicki reports The tragedy of September 11, 2001, marked a turning point for the Boeing Corporation. The world's largest aviation company scaled down production of passenger aircraft in the wake of the terrorist attacks. It reflected an American-centric view of the global aviation market.

Faster and better decision-making is a key to success, so why is there not more focus on hiring or promoting decisive people?

It's not just everyday people who need to be wary of the pitfalls of social media. By Leon Gettler Social media is reinventing activism, and managers who ignore it are making a big mistake.