Had a call last week from a colleague who uses 360-degree feedback annually to help several hundred employees develop their skills.

"Until now, we've also factored the 360 results into decisions about merit pay," she said.

"But management wants to re-think that. Give me some guidance I can take to them."

Why Use 360 To Calculate Merit

Managers hate deciding merit pay.

They fear giving increases that might smack of favoritism. Or withholding money that's desperately needed.

I'm a novice but enthusiastic sailor.

So it caught my attention, in this current economic storm, that commentators are urging us to "clear the decks", "batten the hatches", and "reef the sails".

Seafarers have always employed those tactics to ride out deadly hurricanes, but what do they mean for those of us working in HR, OD, and training during today's crisis?

I first encountered the deep, dark voice of Johnny Cash as a kid of thirteen, listening to AM radio while I did my homework.

Today I'm still listening. I may be pushing the Repeat button on a Bose music system, but I'm no less moved by the stories he told, the struggles he sang about, and the boom, chica, boom rhythm of his band.

Good coaching, whether provided by managers, HR professionals, or dedicated coaches, is crucial for a successful 360-degree feedback program.

To assess whether you or your colleagues have the skills to be effective, check out these seven core competencies of the world's best coaches.

Coaching Orientation

Effective coaches understand how the human mind functions, and the conflicts, whether external or unconscious, that can impede a persons growth.

They avoid simplistic, off-the-shelf solutions to complex problems.

I guess everyone watching the 2008 Olympics has their favorite moment.

Like Michael Phelps winning 8 golds for swimming in only 9 days.

Or Ian Millar - at age 61- winning silver in equestrian team jumping.

And China's Guo Jingjing becoming the most successful Olympic diver ever, taking gold this week in the 3-meter springboard.

Suddenly, everyone is interested in China. We've been looking closely, critically, at issues of human rights, freedom of expression, pollution and the environment.

I went sail-boarding on the weekend for the first time in years. It was a blast!

Sail-boarding (or wind-surfing) means balancing on a narrow board while rocking on the waves, and using a hand-held sail to propel yourself - preferably without being blown overboard.

I love this sport. It's clean, mobile, silent (except for the bubbling wake at the stern), and puts me in touch with the wind and the water.

The wedding celebration was beautiful. An impressive dining tent stood in spacious grounds around the family home. A 7-piece orchestra played our favorite music. Off-duty police officers politely helped guests park their cars.

A charming bride and groom, excellent food, bright sunshine, and 100 happy guests.

Well, 99.

Before supper, someone spotted an invited guest sneaking into the master bedroom and closing the door. Moments later, a child spotted a necklace dangling from his pocket.

Last week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper rose in the Canadian House of Commons to apologize to native people who were removed from their families as children, then abused in residential schools owned by the government.

Many wept with relief.

A few months before, on February 13, Australian PM Kevin Rudd apologized for the grief and loss suffered by the "stolen generations", Aboriginal children who were removed from their families to be raised by whites.

Many cheered.

As I walked through a downtown neighborhood yesterday, I experienced four epiphanies in ordinary people.

Two women crossed the road in front of me, comfortable with silence, each with an arm around the other.

At the edge of the intersection, another two women were facing each other. Holding both hands. Looking into each other's eyes. Listening and telling their stories.

A moment later, I passed a man on his porch with a guitar, singing loud and raucous songs. All production, no sensitivity. Not a care for the neighbors.

By Timothy Bentley

I didn't get a moment's sleep. And I was furious.

Two weeks ago we moved to our new offices. A very cool location; three coffee shops at the nearby intersection. Subway only a block away. Fresh paint, new Cat-6 cables throughout, plenty of space for expansion.

I thought I'd planned this move meticulously.

The movers arrived on time, and nothing broke. Then, at 6 p.m. Sunday evening, a sole technician showed up, with no helper, to connect our computers and phones.