Without purposeful care and attention, teams splinter into silos that promote internal competition and prevent the information sharing that’s necessary to encourage collaboration. Silos and affinity groups will always exist within your business—especially as it scales and grows. However, it’s essential to create an environment where silos fulfill their purpose of necessary specialization but don’t become fiefdoms ruled by minor nobles who promote idiosyncratic ways of working and unproductive subcultures.

When it comes to any topic that has the potential to become emotionally charged, email is the worst. Why? Because email is a one-way communication tool. It feels great to pour yourself into a well-crafted email, filled with (self)righteous bullet points to support your position. But in reality, this kind of message is a ticking time bomb that’s just waiting to go off.

In business and in our personal lives, honing the skill of both giving and receiving constructive feedback is essential to building trust and driving long-term results. Most of us philosophically recognize the importance of this skill, but struggle with its implementation in real life. In today’s video muse, I provide three tips for engaging in constructive feedback.

We can rise above, we can make a difference, but only if we move forward together. I believe in the promise of democracy and the power of the diversity of the human race. Let’s do this. Let’s uphold our civic duty to be educated citizens and vote.

However, in the long-term, healthy work relationships and cultures depend on routinely exercising the kindnesses of constructive feedback, active listening, and transparency.

Are “nice” and “kind” the same? The answer is an emphatic no. Is the distinction between these two adjectives important in both life and business? Absolutely. Understanding the difference is essential to the development of a high-functioning emotional intelligence toolkit and more productive interactions between teams and individuals.