My boss pits employees against one another, dresses employees down in front of a crowd and blasts us for not reading his mind ...

Tough talk can be, well, tough. But it's also critical for ensuring your team is working at its best. Learn what holds managers back and how to remove the block that may be hurting your bottom line.

Consider Sarah, a star barista at a popular coffee chain. Her lattes were legendary, and she had top-notch rapport with regulars. When a new manager position opened up, Sarah was the obvious choice.