Independent business blogs are blogs that aren’t supported by an organization like a magazine, newspaper, company, or business school. Those people provide lots of great content, but they don’t need any additional exposure. In this post, every week, I bring you posts of quality from excellent bloggers that don’t get as much publicity.

This week, I’m pointing you to posts by Dan Rockwell, Suzi McAlpine, Ellen Weber, Chris Edmonds, and Mary Jo Asmus.

From Dan Rockwell: We Have Met the Enemy

“Most leaders are too concerned about leading others. The toughest person to lead is you. Walt Kelly wisely wrote, ‘We have met the enemy and he is us.’ Thankfully, you are also the ally.”

From Suzi McAlpine: 5 Ways To Bring Out The Best In Workplace Rebels

“If you manage one of these creatures, first of all, my sympathies. These people are not easy to lead! AND…if you recognise, understand and appreciate the gifts they bring, rebels can be an immensely valuable asset.”

From Ellen Weber: Ask More Cool Questions … Tell Far Fewer Boring Facts

“If I could go back to my first years as teacher, I’d ask more cool (two-footed) questions and tell far fewer boring facts. How so?”

From Chris Edmonds: Four bad workplace behaviors you need to stop tolerating now

“In the middle of a busy afternoon, two senior leaders engaged in a screaming match in the office.”

From Mary Jo Asmus: Beautiful clear communication

“You might think that the people who report to you understand you. You might also believe that they would tell you if they didn’t. The truth is that often, leaders speak in a way that doesn’t get through to the very people who need to hear what you have to say; and those recipients of your communication are reluctant to tell you that.”

That’s it for this week’s selections from independent business blogs. If you liked this piece you may enjoy my regular post on “Leadership Reading to Start Your Week” points you to choice articles from the business schools, the business press and major consulting firms about strategy, innovation, women and the workplace, and work now and in the future. Highlights from the last issue include what happened when venture capitalists took over the Golden State Warriors, anticipating the future of the IT Industry, how manufacturers benefit from the Digital Thread, and Late-Night Work Email: Blessing or Curse?

How I Select Posts for this Midweek Review

The five posts I select to share in my Midweek Review of the Independent Business Blogs are picked from a regular review of about sixty blogs I check daily and an additional twenty-five or so that I check occasionally. Here’s how I select the posts you see in this review.

They must be published within the previous week.

They must support the purpose of the blog: to help leaders at all levels do a better job and lead a better life.

They must be from an independent business blog.

As a general rule, I only select posts that stand on their own, no selections from a series.

Also as a general rule, I do not select posts that are either a book review or a book report.

I reserve the right to make exceptions to the above.

Here, on Three Star Leadership, I post things that will help a boss at any level do a better job and live a better life. At the The 360 Degree Feedback blog, I join other bloggers with posts on leadership development. And, at Wally Bock’s Writing Edge, I share tools and insights to help you write better.

If you’re a boss, you should check out my Working Supervisor’s Support Kit.