One of the areas managers frequently cite as their greatest area of difficulty is getting their team motivated. Amongst all the other tasks on their to-do list, this is invariably the one that keeps slipping off to the next day's list. It can seem impossible, and many report being unsure where to start.

However, if you can get this part of your management role right, the upside is massive. Your team will accept responsibility readily, they will take the initiative and help customers, people will be upbeat and producing great results.

You will not be wasting your time on petty conflicts, you'll be doing less fire-fighting and have more time to focus on the important issues that will develop your business and your people way into the future.

If you'd like some quick tips, here are my top 5:

1. Clear roles and responsibilities - does everyone know what the team is aiming to achieve and how they are expected to contribute? This is worth double-checking as it comes up time and time again with my individual clients. Who is responsible for which tasks? Who needs to be involved in which tasks?

2. Accept that teams and groups go through a well-known cycle of development - forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning.

As a manager you clearly want your team to spend the majority of time in the performing stage. This is when the team produces great work, they all work together well and the atmosphere is a real buzz. Understand that there is a process at work here, and you can manage it - however each phase needs to be gone through for the team to ultimately perform.(register here to get the full report)

3. Be conscious of your interaction style ... stay in 'adult'(more)

4. Understand that as the manager you set the tone for the team. They will follow your lead to a large degree; so if you want them to have a positive, open attitude and be honest with one another, that is what you need to have and do. Consistently.

5. Communicate, communicate, communicate!

These tips are part of a free series (How Real Leaders Inspire People) available viamy website

Joanne Murphy of Catalyst Coaching helps busy managers become influential leaders. She is passionate about helping her clients manage and motivate their people to achieve fantastic results. She is an Executive Coach accredited by the prestigious Institute of Leadership and Management.