Some people are more talented than others and some are a hell of a lot more talented, says rugby fan Neville Aitchison. He takes us into the thick of the scrum where he finds the best performers have found a balance between the emotional and the technical side of the game.

Taking a solutions-focused approach to problems has led to positive cultural change at the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind, says Peter Swanson. He tells Renee Lang of a thriving organisation with around 340 paid staff and over 2200 volunteers.

Good coaching can result in improved individual and organisational performance, says Paul Wood. But to get a good coach, you’ll need to know what you are looking for. He checks out the coaching process and what makes a good coach.

To keep developing, business leaders need to become more open to feedback the more they progress, says Gus McIntosh. Having someone point out problems can be daunting, but a good coach will help close the loop between feedback and what’s needed to improve performance.

There are major shifts taking place in New Zealand society and business. Soon, almost half of the new entrants to the workforce will be from diverse cultural backgrounds. By turning this diversity to its advantage, business has an opportunity to enhance competitiveness, productivity and innovation, says Irene Ohler. But leadership is needed if we are to turn cultural difference into a triple win.

Team building is not just an event, says Anne Pattillo. It’s an ongoing process that requires clear purpose and focused development. She and her team look at what it takes to build and lead an effective team.

The first days and weeks in a new job will most likely set the scene for the eventual success or failure of a career, says John Gill. Selecting carefully and giving new staff every opportunity to grow is bound to achieve excellent results, he says.

With another university year almost over, Janet Faulding, general manager of Seek, recently invited three of New Zealand’s sharp young minds to the online jobsite’s Auckland HQ to share their expectations of the world of work post-graduation. Employment Today reports.

Steve Dukeson spells out the difference between a probationary period and a trial period and argues that, given the former is pretty much toothless, it should be cast into oblivion.

Increasingly, organisations are actively engaging with the HR department to look at strategic aspects of their business. Lucy Nichols reports this has led to a marked increase in the recruitment of specialist HR positions.

Negotiations have broken down, industrial action is pending and you ask yourself “What could I have done differently?” Annie Newman outlines a new online tool to support employers, employees and advocates to collective bargaining.

The human resources team are a manager’s chief support officers, but it’s up to the manager to be a good leader. Shelley Major suggests some strategies to help managers realise their leadership potential and create real wealth.

Moving into a strategic HR role can be the next step after operational HR management. But what experience or skills should you have, and what does strategic HR involve? Angela Atkins shares her thoughts.

Findings from The Great New Zealand Employment Survey show that while employers are on track, there is still a way to go before our employees feel fully engaged in what they do. Jenni Miller explains.

Christchurch employers are facing more than just the challenge of dealing with continuing aftershocks. A survey of businesses in the region finds skill shortages and spiralling pay rates are also having an impact. Susan Doughty discusses the trends.

When the Employment Relations Authority found there was insufficient evidence to establish that a medical clinic administrator had misappropriated funds, the clinic turned to the Employment Court in an effort to recover the money. Paul Robertson discusses the outcome.