The term frontline leadership is starting to be heard of more and more in management circles and gradually in the media. What does it mean and how do leadership skills apply to frontline managers?

Going hand in hand with frontline leadership is another term that is gaining considerable popularity as the holy grail for organisations – that of employee engagement. If you can develop effective frontline leadership one of the major positive impacts is employee engagement. Your frontline people are motivated to go the extra mile, they strive to do their best and they get results.

Leadership skills such as communicating the big picture and coaching are increasingly important in frontline leaders. Some frontline leaders I work with spend up to half their time coaching their teams. The other half is devoted to more traditional management operations, getting through the paperwork and going to meetings.

Leadership skills that are particularly relevant to frontline leaders also include feedback and how to deliver both positive and balanced feedback. This factor alone can make a measureable difference in employee motivation and their openness to change.

Leaders used to be just the top tier, the senior managers. But those leaders in turn need to enable the next level to become leaders in their own right. By providing the appropriate support frontline leaders will become far more than just communicators of the top down. They are empowered to make their own decisions and policies. They tap into a greater sense of creativity and create unity amongst their teams.

Frontline leaders are the key to motivating your people and developing employee engagement. Provide your frontline leaders with the skills and routines to be effective at their jobs and watch the results for your organisational performance improve.