Related: Read the previous column by Lisa Harrington “Purposeful Planning.”

In terms of brain function, we cannot multitask. When we try, bouncing ideas causes your brain to be as much as 40 percent less effective.

Active listening may be one of the most difficult disciplines we have to practice. One simple but obvious idea: You need to actually look at your employees to focus on them. Pick your head up from the desk and put the phone, paper, or other distractions down. Amazingly, this can be really difficult. Do you have a notification bell on your email, ringing every time there is a new message? Turn it off.

Next, clear a space across your desk so there is no implied barrier between the two of you. The body language you employ also helps—lean in and focus. Nod, smile and gesture.

Use verbal cues to let the person know you are engaged in the conversation. Asking questions keeps you focused as well as commenting on various aspects of the conversation, such as, “Wow, I bet that was hard to do!” or “Great idea!” as you go along in the conversation.

This may seem rudimentary, but the most basic and important things are often the ones that get lost in the hurriedness of life. Unfortunately, we tend to ignore polishing these basic skills, which are assumed to be done naturally. We are born knowing how to hear but not how to listen—this takes skill and practice. But this isn't the only focus you need.

What about the focus on your own set of needs? Have you scheduled your own training time, your rest and your time to think? Do you allow such time for your employees? In fact, do you insist upon them taking that time?

Have an up-to-date mission statement, then create language around that mission that empowers your internal code. Standardize everything to the three or four core values and missions you develop. Don't just brand your product—brand your mission. Nearly everything you do—internal documents, external news items, meeting agendas—can be organized or communicated around those concepts. This creates habits. Even accountability is enhanced because everyone will know what direction they are going all the time.

Related: Read another column by Lisa Harrington “Speed vs. Human Nature.”

The second lesson is to take care of each other. Vigorously protect those you lead and help them not to damage themselves. You may empower them by giving them enough rope to hang themselves, but never let the trap door open below them. Don't let them work so hard they forget other priorities such as family and rest; no one wins when they are burned out.

In general, your best employees need most of your attention. We have the bad habit of spending more time on our marginal employees, hoping we can fix them. Unfortunately, this means we don't have time to develop the ones that actually deserve our time.

Because we often allow the marginal employees to continue in their positions way too long, we actually punish the “good ones” who end up carrying more than their shares of the load. Because they are the good ones, they will continue to shoulder the load may even burn out, which manifests in many forms: giving up, becoming ill due to lack of rest or developing an attitude that suffers.

Related: Read the article “Long and Short of It” by Lisa Harrington.

Keep track of the time you spend with each employee, which will keep you from falling into a trap. It is fine to spend time trying to bring poor employees into the fold with training, attention or even different assignments, but be sure the ratios are right.

Help them stay focused on the bigger mission. Others may try pulling them away from the task, but don't allow it. Be sure you are aware of all the distractions that are in the way of the people you lead, even if this means eliminating or giving new life to processes that are old or unnecessary; there may be stale procedures that are just, “the way we have always done it.” These can rob you of efficiency and effectiveness.

Technology can have this effect as well. If all you have is a hammer, everything will look like a nail. Be sure your systems are current. This is difficult with the changes that come so fast, but the old rule of driving all work down to the lowest, cost-effective solution still stands. Similarly, if you have someone doing work that can be automated or delegated, you have inefficiency. This affects more than the bottom line. Your staff eventually will be demoralized when they see the impact on their day simply because you won't invest in the right tools.

Remember that most folks want to do a great job. You can reward them by allowing them to do so by providing them wit the proper tools and the proper focus from you.