Moreover, what does hardcore even mean? To some, that might be five 10 hour days a week. To others, it might literally mean working around the clock and catching a few zzz’s—leaving a pool of drool on the break room couch! This lack of clarity, coupled with mass terminations and ultimatums will create an environment of suspicion, insecurity, and self-doubt. Trust and accountability have no way to take root in an organizational culture like this. Active disengagement, obfuscation, mistrust, and a$$ kissing are the most likely results.

This coming Tuesday is “Giving Tuesday,” where charitable organizations around the world make appeals for year-end contributions. My ask of you today is to include your local United Way in your philanthropic plans as we close out 2022.

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.

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.