Want to Be a Better Leader? Stop Emailing So Much! Business guru Jeffrey Hayzlett offers this tip to energize and empower your staff.

By Dan Bova

Including your employees in conversations surrounding your business is vital to its success. In his book The Hero Factor, author Jeffrey Hayzlett offers this advice for getting those important conversations going in a constructive way:

"Get your butt out of your chair, walk over to a desk, and ask a question to someone's face! Ask a question that opens people up and requires a thoughtful answer—the more personal and less work-driven, the better."

It's one thing to send an employee an email saying "do this task," but to get the best results, talk about it face to face. Answer questions, and ask questions. Having a deeper dialogue lets your employee knows how this one task is part of a bigger plan -- and opens the possibility of them offering insights on how to make it even more effective.

Learn more great leadership lessons by picking up The Hero Factor, on sale now.

Related: 15 Mistakes Successful Leaders Know to Avoid

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

More from Entrepreneur Exclusives

3 Simple Ways to Boost E-Commerce Sales

Why Your First 1,000 Customers Are Your Most Important

How to Grow Your Business By Finding New Customers

How to Beat The Working From Home Blues (60-Second Video)

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Personal Finance

Is AI Too Good at Tracking Stock Market Trends?

How long before AI-powered investment tools like this one become the norm?

Science & Technology

5 AI Tools Doing Overtime So You Can Run a Profitable Solo Business (Without Losing Your Mind)

Most entrepreneurs are using AI to save time — but that's not where the real leverage is.

Business News

Astronomer's CEO and HR Chief Were Placed on Leave After the Coldplay Kiss-Cam Scandal. Here's How the Unicorn Tech Company Has Responded.

Astronomer responded after its top leadership went viral during the usually cute "kiss cam" segment of Coldplay's show.

Business News

The CEO of the World's Most Valuable Company Says This Would Be His College Major in 2025

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang graduated with a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Oregon State University in 1984, but he would change that major if he were in college today.

Side Hustle

I Took My Side Hustle Full-Time and Made $222,000 Last Year. Here's How — and Why Sometimes I Work Just 10 Hours a Week.

Carter Osborne launched his side business in 2017 to help with his tuition payments for graduate school.