My main point is this: philanthropic events are a team sport. They are a place where “we” should apply before “me.” Therefore, when providing feedback regarding your individual experience, pause to ensure you’re providing constructive, actionable advice for how to improve.

My plea today is to bring the temperature down in political discourse by being mindful of the language we use. Yes, extreme language makes for juicy headlines, but it also creates unnecessary barriers to constructive conversations.

Please make the time today to fill out the paperwork with your employer to support the United Way in your community through automated payroll deduction. If your employer does not run a United Way campaign, then (a) donate directly on their website, and (b) encourage your company’s human resources leader to reach out to your local United Way and get a campaign started.

So is ambition dead? The answer depends on one’s perspective. If your definition of ambition bends more toward blind ambition to climb a ladder at any cost and show a “boss” that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead, then I say that this type of ambition is on the way out and should peacefully fade away.

The name “quiet quitting” is problematic because the phrase implies that something nefarious is going on—namely that an individual has checked out and is dead weight to a company or team. The phase is unnecessarily sensational and leads many to jump to the conclusion that quiet quitters are detrimental to company performance and team morale. In my opinion, we need to quickly relegate this phrase to the historical annals of corporate and popular vernacular.

Hopefully we can all agree that living in a more educated society is better than living in one that is less educated. Does everyone need to go to college? The answer is an emphatic “no.” Should everyone commit to continued learning and growth throughout their lifetimes? Absolutely. Limited educational backgrounds lead to more fixed mindsets and societal participants who are unsympathetic toward groups that don’t look or think the way they do. They are also more easily swayed by group-think and the psychology of crowds.