Be a better listener. Pay attention to your employees. Sounds simple, but it is a common gripe, says Maureen Dolan Rosen, a human resources expert based in Chapel Hill, N.C. Among the things she stresses in workshops with managers is "learning how to listen better." She'll also offer a story about one of her former bosses, who cleverly perched his hand under his chin and appeared in meetings to be listening intently to whoever was speaking. But if you looked closely, under his glasses, his eyes were closed. He'd use the meetings to snooze.

Make time for employees. Regular, one-on-one meetings with your team members are important; if employees work remotely, meet by phone. If you can't meet weekly, do it at least twice a month. And don't take phone calls during meetings, unless it is an emergency. Show your employees they have your full attention. Talk about their career paths and how you envision them growing in their jobs. On the flip side, employees need to be aware of bosses' time pressures.

Get the word out to those affected as efficiently as possible. Take great pains to reach those who should be in the know about workplace changes coming down from above. This is tough. How easy it is to forget to tell someone, on a timely basis, something they should know about to do their job. But know the downfall: Work may not get done, and you may also look like you aren't in the know — which doesn't exactly inspire confidence in your troops.

Put out a consistent message about your values. Knowing who you are, and what you stand for, can help your employees make better decisions on their own (or at least decisions that you will like better). If you're sending mixed messages, explain them or suffer the consequences.

Give regular feedback; avoid surprises. Employees shouldn't first learn about significant performance issues in an annual evaluation. They should be confronted well beforehand (and as humanely as possible) that there is something they need to improve. "The annual evaluation should be more of a recap," Rosen says.

Be effective in speaking to groups. I'm not talking here about speaking to the local chamber of commerce or Rotary Club — although that is not a bad skill to have too, by the way. I mean employee groups. If you can't speak well at employee meetings or in front of employee groups, you lose credibility as a manager. Learn how to do it; learn how to get better at it. The same thing goes for writing group e-mails.

Don't hide behind e-mails. Most delicate matters must be discussed in person. Most conflicts must be settled in person, or at least by phone. When emotions are involved, e-mail becomes a less-appropriate vehicle to communicate. And e-mail is never an appropriate method to tell someone he or she is being laid off, some experts say. (Yes, I know it happens.) Nonetheless, e-mail is an important communications tool, so I've also included a set of tips on how to communicate best using e-mail.