Dale Carnegie once said, "Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves." When it comes to leadership, one of the hardest jobs for managers to do is interact effectively on a day-to-day basis. I'm not talking about saying a quick "hello" and "good morning" as you pass each other on the way to the coffee pot. That's all well and good, but what I'm talking about is the kind of interaction that maintains and enhances self-esteem.

Problems on the job are the hard stuff. They can be solved more effectively and less stressfully when a manager deals with what people do rather than with their attitudes or personal    characteristics.

Case Study in Leadership

Maria is in charge of environmental services for a large hotel. "I needed to understand why the hotel was not getting value for the money spent with some of its vendors. I initiated an internal review process involving a variety of managers and supervisors," she said.

Maria also sought one-on-one input from some of the team members. Having initiated the review process, she made clear to them her commitment to understanding their issues and in communicating priorities.

The value of Maria's leadership helped her managers learn how to manage vendors more efficiently. It also gave her team confidence in their individual expertise. Maria added, "The entire team felt more supported in solving problems on a day-to-day basis."

Some Perspective

Organizations today face complex challenges. These challenges result in new and deeper demands on leadership. A cross-national study by the Center for Creative Leadership indicates that today's leadership involves more collaborative and innovative approaches. Leadership is likely to be a major driver in helping organizations to retain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

A Solution

My experience has shown that first-line managers, and the leadership skills they possess, can determine not only whether an individual stays with an organization but also how much that individual contributes to the organization's success.

Recognition is critically important

One of the most important and fundamental leadership skills is to maintain team member self-esteem.  Never say anything to a team member that would lower or diminish his or her self-esteem. Look for ways to brag on team members and be sure to recognize his or her contributions. Studies have shown that the number one motivator of employees is recognition for a job well done.

A behavior-based approach

Another important skill is to base discussions about performance and work habits on behavior, rather than on personalities and attitudes. For example, if an employee is late for work a number of times, don't say, "You've got a bad attitude about working here," but rather, something like, "Bill, you've been late to work for the last three days (behavior) this week; we need to talk about what we can do about that."

Involve workers at every opportunity

Equally important is the skill of involving team members in goal setting, problem solving and decision making. Don't just tell employees what you expect them to accomplish, get them involved in setting some of their own goals. Also, when there is a problem, involve team members in how to solve the problem.

It is vitally important that you develop the leadership skills of your managers, supervisors and team leaders.