A number of leadership oriented thinkers suggest that the fundamentals of leadership mean that an individual has articulated a direction, facilitated alignment of perspectives and resources with that vision, and motivated others to work in a committed fashion to realize that vision. And when you ask the next question--what does direction, alignment, and commitment really look like?--you open Pandora's box of potential solutions. Regardless of the "big" answer, the "small" answer resides in how leaders attend to their everyday interactions with others and with their environment (and by that I mean how they use symbols to influence the psychological environment). The smallest of interactions with your employees, peers, team members, or stakeholders can have an enormous influence on how they perceive you as a leader -- and help you reach your business's goals. I've used the following example a number of times to make this point. As 49-year-old Car...