What separates a strong team from a weak one? More often than not, it comes down to leadership.

Strong teams are guided by leaders who lead by example—those who model integrity, resilience, and accountability in their everyday actions. These leaders don’t just point the way; they walk it. They demonstrate how to handle setbacks with grace, how to stay grounded in values, and how to engage others with respect and purpose.In turn, employees reflect what they see. They mirror their leader’s behavior, adopt similar standards, and become more confident in sharing ideas, owning mistakes, and growing together.

Taking things personally in the workplace can be deeply detrimental to both your performance and your professional relationships. While it’s natural to feel emotional or affected by what others say or do, internalizing every piece of feedback, criticism, or perceived slight can lead to burnout, frustration, and a sense of isolation. It can make you appear defensive, overly sensitive, or lacking in confidence — characteristics that may hinder your growth and prevent you from taking on leadership opportunities. At its core, taking things personally means assuming that everything negative is somehow a direct attack on your character or capabilities, even when that’s not the case.

Nothing blows up a relationship faster than criticism. It is led by a judgment, whether consciously or subconsciously. Criticism is personal, destructive, vague, inexpert, ignorant, and selfish. It comes from a place of finding fault.

Are you ready to change your approach? 

A leader is someone who empowers those around him to work toward common objectives. A leader’s most powerful tool for doing so is communication.

Effective communication is vital to gain trust, align efforts, and inspire positive change. When communication is lacking, information can be misinterpreted, relationships can suffer and, barriers can hinder progress.