The purpose of any communication falls into one of two categories: to inform or call to action. When people talk to each other, it’s either to share information or to ask someone to do something. When there is a call to action, it can either be through a direct request or it can be implied.

An important part of a leader’s job is empowering others.  Your goal is to have employees that are, for the most part, self-sufficient.  You are, of course, there to help them as needed, but the key to having great employees is having empowered employees.  Offering positive feedback is an important part of the process. #1:

Many managers believe that it is their responsibility to exert as much control as possible over their employees to create the desired results.  In reality, is it truly possible to control another person?  Ever dealt with a toddler having a melt-down in a store?  How’d it go when you tried to control that situation? The

How motivated is your team?  And by this, I mean how inspired are they to do what you want them to do?  Top performers know that true leadership is about getting people to want to do what you need them to do.  In fact, if they think it’s their idea, you’re just fine with that.

I’ve always said that people will even things out when they think there has been an injustice.  For example, you lower someone’s pay, whether they admit to it or not, they will adjust something in the relationship with the orgranization to compensate.  This may take the form of slower work, more sick days, a bad