I was once told that “good leaders are good servants.”

I bristled at first, but soon came to realize this did not mean they are subservient or submissive. Rather, it means they made a conscious choice to tamp down their ego and become a good coach to their team.

Their main focus is on helping their players achieve peak performance. They dedicate themselves to the specific needs of each team member.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris is the true story of Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew who spent two and a half years at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. 

During his time at Auschwitz, Lale was called “Tätowierer” - the German word for tattooist. He received this name because he was forced to ink identification numbers onto the left arms of thousands of his fellow prisoners. 

These marks eventually became one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust. 

Venting is normal. We all do it. When we’re frustrated and feel like we’re in a pressure cooker, it’s generally a good thing to let off steam in a safe place, rather than exploding in a way we’ll regret later.

When carried out effectively, venting can be a healthy way to deal with strong emotions. It can help people bond. It can make employees feel more comfortable in the office and improve a team’s dynamics.

Gossiping, on the other hand, is a lot less helpful. It causes conflicts. It harms reputations. It can lead to accusations of bullying and even resignations.

So, how can we tell the difference between venting and workplace gossip? 

In general, venting becomes gossiping when one of the following three things happens:

If you’re a team leader, you may be wondering what the best way to improve your team's dynamics is. Here's a list of 11 strategies you can use to build good group dynamics and a highly effective team.

The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma is a book about establishing an early morning routine to boost mental focus and reach peak performance. Its motto is, “Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life.”

Back then, it was “cool” to work long hours, brag about how little sleep you got, and tell your coworkers how much caffeine you could down to make it through the day.

I believe, in order to be more effective at work, we have to make a conscious effort to cut down on how often we burn the midnight oil - and how frequently, as leaders, we set this expectation for our teams.

Whether you are just taking your first step or have been pursuing your goals for years, you won’t get far without hard work. There are no shortcuts to success.

175 motivational quotes from people like Elon Musk, Maya Angelou, Serena Williams, Theodore Roosevelt, Walt Disney, and Steve Jobs that are sure to keep you focused on achieving your goals:

“Most meetings are too long, too dull, too unproductive.” - Lois Wyse

She isn’t wrong. A lot of meetings are ineffective and boring. They only exist to make the person who organized it feel like they’re doing something.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. When managed well, meetings can be incredibly powerful tools. They can impart wisdom, improve staff morale, and help leaders make decisions.

Many managers go out of their way to avoid giving negative feedback to members of their team. They do so because they believe these conversations will make people upset or uncomfortable. 

If you are one of those managers, I have a little bit of constructive criticism for you. You need to start having those conversations, even if they feel slightly awkward at first.