22 Qualities That Make a Great Leader

1. Focus 

“It’s been said that leadership is making important but unpopular decisions. That’s certainly a partial truth, but I think it underscores the importance of focus. To be a good leader, you cannot major in minor things, and you must be less distracted than your competition. To get the few critical things done, you must develop incredible selective ignorance. Otherwise, the trivial will drown you.”

—Tim Ferriss, bestselling author, host of The Tim Ferriss Show 

2. Confidence

“A leader instills confidence and ‘followership’ by having a clear vision, showing empathy and being a strong coach. As a female leader, to be recognized I feel I have to show up with swagger and assertiveness, yet always try to maintain my Southern upbringing, which underscores kindness and generosity. The two work well together in gaining respect.”

—Barri Rafferty, CEO, Ketchum North America

3. Transparency

“I’ve never bought into the concept of ‘wearing the mask.’ As a leader, the only way I know how to engender trust and buy-in from my team and with my colleagues is to be 100 percent authentically me—open, sometimes flawed, but always passionate about our work. It has allowed me the freedom to be fully present and consistent. They know what they’re getting at all times. No surprises.”

—Keri Potts, senior director of public relations, ESPN

4. Integrity

“Our employees are a direct reflection of the values we embody as leaders. If we’re playing from a reactive and obsolete playbook of needing to be right instead of doing what’s right, then we limit the full potential of our business and lose quality talent. If you focus on becoming authentic in all your interactions, that will rub off on your business and your culture, and the rest takes care of itself.”

—Gunnar Lovelace, co-CEO and cofounder, Thrive Market

5. Inspiration

“People always say I’m a self-made man. But there is no such thing. Leaders aren’t self-made; they are driven. I arrived in America with no money or any belongings besides my gym bag, but I can’t say I came with nothing: Others gave me great inspiration and fantastic advice, and I was fueled by my beliefs and an internal drive and passion. That’s why I’m always willing to  offer motivation—to friends or strangers on Reddit. I know the power of inspiration, and if someone can stand on my shoulders to achieve greatness, I’m more than willing to help them up.” 

—Arnold Schwarzenegger, former governor of California

6. Passion

“You must love what you do. In order to be truly successful at something, you must obsess over it and let it consume you. No matter how successful your business might become, you are never satisfied and constantly push to do something bigger, better and greater. You lead by example not because you feel like it’s what you should do, but because it is your way of life.”

—Joe Perez, cofounder, Tastemade

7. Innovation

“In any system with finite resources and infinite expansion of population—like your business, or like all of humanity—innovation is essential for not only success  but also survival. The innovators are our leaders. You cannot separate the two. Whether it is by thought, technology or organization, innovation is our only hope to solve our challenges.”

—Aubrey Marcus, founder, Onnit

8. Patience

“Patience is really courage that’s meant to test your commitment to your cause. The path to great things is always tough, but the best leaders understand when to abandon the cause and when to stay the course. If your vision is bold enough, there will be hundreds of reasons why it ‘can’t be done’ and plenty of doubters. A lot of things have to come together—external markets, competition, financing, consumer demand and always a little luck—to pull off something big.”

—Dan Brian, COO, WhipClip

9. Stoicism

“It’s inevitable: We’re going to find ourselves in some real shit situations, whether they’re costly mistakes, unexpected failures or unscrupulous enemies. Stoicism is, at its core, accepting and anticipating this in advance, so that you don’t freak out, react emotionally and aggravate things further. Train our minds, consider the worst-case scenarios and regulate our unhelpful instinctual responses—that’s how we make sure shit situations don’t turn into fatal resolutions.” 

—Ryan Holiday, author of The Obstacle is the Way and former director of marketing, American Apparel

10. Wonkiness

“Understanding the underlying numbers is the best thing I’ve done for my business. As we have a subscription-based service, the biggest impact on our bottom line was to decrease our churn rate. Being able to nudge that number from 6 percent to 4 Percent meant a 50 percent increase in the average customer’s lifetime value.
We would not have known to focus on this metric without being able to accurately analyze our data.” 

—Sol Orwell, cofounder, Examine.com

11. Authenticity

“It’s true that imitation is one of the greatest forms of flattery, but not when it comes to leadership—and every great leader in my life, from Mike Tomlin to Olympic ski coach Scott Rawles, led from a place of authenticity. Learn from others, read autobiographies of your favorite leaders, pick up skills along the way... but never lose your authentic voice, opinions and, ultimately, how you make decisions.”

—Jeremy Bloom, cofounder and CEO, Integrate

12. Open-mindedness

“One of the biggest myths is that good business leaders are great visionaries with dogged determination to stick to their goals no matter what. It’s nonsense. The truth is, leaders need to keep an open mind while being flexible, and adjust if necessary. When in the startup phase of a company, planning is highly overrated and goals are not static. Your commitment should be to invest, develop and maintain great relationships.”

—Daymond John, CEO, Shark Branding and FUBU

13. Decisiveness

“In high school and college, to pick up extra cash I would often referee recreational basketball games. The mentor who taught me how to officiate gave his refs one important piece of advice that translates well into the professional world: ‘Make the call fast, make the call loud and don’t look back.’ In marginal situations, a decisively made wrong call will often lead to better long-term results and a stronger team than a wishy-washy decision that turns out to be right.”

—Scott Hoffman, owner, Folio Literary Management

14. Personableness

“We all provide something unique to this world, and we can all smell when someone isn’t being real. The more you focus on genuine connections with people, and look for ways to help them—rather than just focus on what they can do for you—the more likable and personable you become. This isn’t required to be a great leader, but it is to be a respected leader, which can make all the difference in your business.”

—Lewis Howes, New York Times bestselling author of The School of Greatness

15. Empowerment

“Many of my leadership philosophies were learned as an athlete. My most successful teams didn’t always have the most talent but did have teammates with the right combination of skills, strengths and a common trust in each other. To build an ‘overachieving’ team, you need to delegate responsibility and authority. Giving away responsibilities isn’t always easy. It can actually be harder to do than completing the task yourself, but with the right project selection and support, delegating can pay off in dividends. It is how you truly find people’s capabilities and get the most out of them.” 

—Shannon Pappas, senior vice president, Beachbody LIVE

16. Positivity 

“In order to achieve greatness, you must create a culture of optimism. There will be many ups and downs, but the prevalence of positivity will keep the company going. But be warned: This requires fearlessness. You have to truly believe in making the impossible possible.”

 —Jason Harris, CEO, Mekanism

17. Generosity

“My main goal has always been to offer the best of myself. We all grow—as a collective whole—when I’m able to build up others and help them grow as individuals.”

—Christopher Perilli, CEO, Pixel Mobb

18. Persistence

“A great leader once told me, ‘persistence beats resistance.’ And after working at Facebook, Intel and Microsoft and starting my own company, I’ve learned two major lessons: All great things take time, and you must persist no matter what. That’s what it takes to be a leader: willingness to go beyond where others will stop.” 

—Noah Kagan, Chief Sumo, appsumo

19. Insightfulness

“It takes insight every day to be able to separate that which is really important from all the incoming fire. It’s like wisdom—it can be improved with time, if you’re paying attention, but it has to exist in your character. It’s inherent. When your insight is right, you look like a genius. And when your insight is wrong, you look like an idiot.”

—Raj Bhakta, founder, WhistlePig Whiskey

20. Communication

“If people aren’t aware of your expectations, and they fall short, it’s really your fault for not expressing it to them. The people I work with are in constant communication, probably to a fault. But communication is a balancing act. You might have a specific want or need, but it’s superimportant to treat work as a collaboration. We always want people to tell us their thoughts and ideas—that’s why we have all these very talented people working with us.”

—Kim Kurlanchik Russen, partner, TAO Group

21. Accountability 

“It’s a lot easier to assign blame than to hold yourself accountable. But if you want to know how to do it right, learn from financial expert Larry Robbins. He wrote a genuinely humble letter to his investors about his bad judgment that caused their investments to falter. He then opened up a new fund without management and performance fees—unheard of in the hedge fund world. This is character. This is accountability. It’s not only taking responsibility; it’s taking the next step to make it right.”

—Sandra Carreon-John, senior vice president, M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment

22. Restlessness

“It takes real leadership to find the strengths within each person on your team and then be willing to look outside to plug the gaps. It’s best to believe that your team alone does not have all the answers— because if you believe that, it usually means you’re not asking all the right questions.”

Amazon Sues Former Employee Over New Job at Target

Amazon.com Inc. has sued a former executive hired by Target Corp. as its chief supply chain and logistics officer to prevent him from revealing trade secrets.

Amazon said in the lawsuit that the former employee, Arthur Valdez, was in violation of a noncompetition agreement that he signed while working for the company.

The lawsuit said his new role in Target would breach the agreement, which required him to not engage in competition with Amazon for 18 months after leaving the company.

Amazon claims Valdez, whose appointment was announced by Target in February, was privy to confidential information in a highly competitive area for both companies -- moving and shipping goods in the most effective manner.

Valdez had been president of operations at Amazon, focusing on the company's international supply chain expansion.

The lawsuit did not specify when Valdez left Amazon. However, Valdez's attorney informed Amazon that he would start at Target on March 28, according to the lawsuit.

"We have taken significant precautions to ensure that any proprietary information remains confidential and we believe this suit is without merit," Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder said.

(Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

What Entrepreneurs Must Know Before Entering New Markets

Conventional wisdom says location plays a critical role in whether enterprises succeed. But, choosing where to grow a company is only half the battle, because expanding into new markets is a tricky affair: Entrepreneurs must simultaneously cultivate their niche and adapt to a new consumer base (or bases).

Fast-paced globalization and rapidly evolving markets, moreover, are factors that demand greater agility from entrepreneurs than they’ve needed to create in the past. With growing opportunities in emerging and frontier economies -- and countries like Iran and Cuba -- a current news headline, given President Obama's visit there -- opening up for business, adapting to diverse locations will prove key in the global business landscape.

Entrepreneurs should take the following steps to ensure success in these new markets:

1. Optimize the digital dividend.

The proliferation of cell phones and ecommerce has disrupted traditional delivery services in markets around the world, particularly in emerging and frontier economies. Across the world, more than half of global consumers say they would use the Internet to buy groceries. And this trend is taking root: In Uruguay, 70 percent of Internet users surveyed said they already purchase goods online.

These numbers illustrate the opportunities created by the fusion between throbbing consumerism and fast-paced technological trends.

Indeed, the digital dividend creates a favorable platform through which businesses can expand their reach to potential consumers. The disruption caused by Uber and other companies in markets such as Kenya and South Africa demonstrates this point: The digital dividend can be a potent force when companies harness it correctly.

We’ve only begun to see the possibilities inherent in big data manipulation, and businesses should act now to avoid missing the action. The coming decade holds opportunities we haven’t even envisioned for aggregating, analyzing and deploying consumer intelligence in established and emerging markets.

2. Understand the competition.

Overlooking the competition -- in both formal and, more importantly, informal economic sectors -- is a chief reason why ventures fail in new locations. Business leaders must identify direct and indirect competitors and assess the market for gaps they can fill.

When considering frontier markets, businesses should never underestimate the competition from these economies’ informal sectors. So, make an incisive SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) assessment of key competitors; this will put the landscape you face into perspective and enable your business to evaluate its position.

In fact, SWOT assessments provide value for businesses in any market, from smaller companies, such as finance blogs or tech consultants, to the top of the Fortune 100. Formalizing these discussions can provide a road map for maneuvering past the competition in key areas before entering a foreign market.

Many enterprises also make the mistake of competing on price points instead of building a consumer-centric culture. The latter strategy, however, allows a business to develop a strong bond with its clients and leverage that relationship as a marketing tool.

3. Build resourceful networks.

Business communities thrive on resourceful, mutually beneficial exchanges of information. Entrepreneurs starting out in new locations should unearth potential networks as early as possible; these connections will help them identify the best service providers, budding market opportunities and partnerships that will enhance their competitiveness.

In-country contacts can provide valuable information about compliance issues, local markets and other essential details for a successful expansion. Waygo founder Ryan Rogowski learned this while expanding his business into Beijing: He began a correspondence with business leaders in the area before his actual move, to ensure that he had a support system in place for navigating uncharted territory.

Building business ecosystems in places such as China actually creates a buffer against cultural and infrastructure challenges that hamper entrepreneurs. Opportunities may abound, but ventures will still fail without the right connections.

4 Tips For Successfully Launching a New Product From the Co-Founder of 5-Hour Energy

Tom Morse knows something about launching products that explode into national best-sellers. The savvy marketer is the co-founder and former president of Living Essentials, the company that put 5-Hour Energy on store shelves everywhere.

Before helping to springboard the popular pocket-sized caffeine jolt to a staggering $1.25 billion in estimated yearly sales, Morse worked his product marketing magic on a different kind of pick me up -- Chaser, a homeopathic hangover-helper. It, too, sold exceptionally well. 

Now the Detroit native is the CEO of Instavit, maker of a new line of oral spray health supplements. The flavored supplements, priced at $15.99 per bottle, are designed to enhance sleep, boost energy and fulfill daily multivitamin needs.

Morse says the products are off to a promising start. Launched in the U.S. this past January, he says sales of the supplements at national drugstore chains were up 51 percent during the first two months of this year, month over month in same-store sales. He did not, however, provide specific sales dollar amounts. 

Here are the veteran marketing wizard’s four top tips for successfully launching a new product:

1. Schmooze with retail product buyers at industry trade shows.

The first step to getting your product in front of consumers is to put it directly in the hands of retailers' buyers. They’re typically the people who have the power to sell it at big-box stores throughout the country. One of the best ways to chat your wares up with these key players is to exhibit your product at leading merchandising industry trade shows.

“It’s always worth it because you never know who you’re going to meet pacing the expo aisles,” he says. “Talk to everyone because, soon enough, you’ll connect with the right people.”

He should know. Soon after 5-Hour Energy’s launch, Morse attracted buyers for the buzzy drink from Walmart and a host of other major multinational retailers while rubbing elbows at back-to-back industry conferences.

To find an expo that best fits your product, check out the World Alliance For Retail Excellence and Standards’ list of annual international retail trade shows.

2. Be sure your product solves a common, highly relatable problem.

Generally speaking, products that sell like gangbusters simply make consumers' lives easier. “To create a sales phenomenon, make sure your product fits easily into people’s lives and fixes a problem that a lot of us have,” Morse says. “Make a connection that runs deep with them.”

As an example, he points to the original inspiration for Instavit. British surgeon Dr. Jatin Joshi created the product line after he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. To combat the digestive tract disorder, Joshi had a large portion of his colon removed. Unable to absorb nutrients from food properly post-surgery and fast losing feeling in his fingertips, the doctor was forced to endure routine vitamin injections.

Fed up with his painful needle regiment and sick of popping vitamin pills, he invented the micronutrient spray as an alternative. A common problem was solved and a highly marketable product was born.

3. Publicize your product’s inspiration story for free.

Joshi’s real-life product creation backstory is something his target customers -- anyone who takes vitamin supplements but doesn’t like swallowing them -- can easily relate to. One way the doctor strategically shared that highly relatable story with potential customers, Morse says, was to strategically broadcast it through a myriad of publications they likely read.

“The most brilliant entrepreneurs seek out ways to create demand for product,” he says, “and the most efficient and cost-effective way is to earn coverage from premiere magazines and media outlets. You don’t have to spend any money like you would on ads, yet you’ll still have a big impact.”

4. Be ready for sales to take off.

It’s not enough to just create a big buzz around your product, in the media and amongst potential retailers and customers. When that buzz catches fire and your product takes off, you have to be prepared to start selling to the masses and hard.

15 Ways Millionaires Manage Their Money That Make Them Richer

It’s no secret that millionaires have different habits, qualities, and ways of thinking than the average person. Those habits are most prevalent when it comes to the ways that they manage their money. They have a unique way of thinking that actually helps them earn even more money by making wise financial decisions like the following 15 ways that they manage their money:

1. They’re not impulsive.

How many times have you made an impulse decision while at the grocery store? Or how about when you are on Amazon? It’s common for most of people to make a few impulsive decisions when making purchases. Millionaires, however, have the ability to delay gratification and hold back on making impulsive decisions.

There was a famous study conducted by Dr. Walter Mischel at Stanford in the 1960s that backs up this claim. Dr. Mischel gave preschoolers the choice of eating one marshmallow whenever they wanted. The other option was to wait until the adult came back into the room. If they could stand to wait until the adult came back into the room, they would received two marshmallows. Dr. Mischel has continued to follow his subjects through the years, and he discovered that those children who could wait for the marshmallows in order to receive two marshmallows instead of only receiving one, “have a lower BMI, lower rates of addiction, a lower divorce rate and higher SAT scores.”

2. Know the difference between wants and needs.

Millionaires also know the difference between wants and needs. We all have moments when we would like a new house, pair of shoes, car, or office. But, are they necessary? Or, do you just want that new luxury car? Sure that car is powerful and would great in your driveway. But, it’s not a necessity. Instead of spending money on things that aren’t practical, millionaires put that money towards essential items that will continue to increase their wealth.

Maybe that’s why 61% of people who earn more than $250,000 per year purchase the same vehicles that we do.

3. Focus on the long term.

As Timothy Sykes, the Penny Stock Millionaire, says in Entrepreneur,

“Long-term goals take a minimum of one to five years to accomplish. Long-term goals are excellent motivators. They enable you to look beyond the moment and put into perspective why you are spending your time today as you are.”

Your daily tasks should connect to your long-term goals, and if they do not, your goals need to be adjusted in some way. The adjustment may be altering your tasks in some way, or possibly cutting out or reducing non-essential tasks and adding some task that will benefit you in the future.

4. Have multiple sources of income.

After establishing some financial security, millionaires begin to look for other ways to bring in money. Why? Because they realize that their main source of income could suddenly dry-up. To avoid a possible loss of revenue, a millionaire will establish multiple sources of income that generate cash flow as a backup plan.

5. Automate investments.

There are robo advisors and other ways to automate investments, such as deducting percentage of your paycheck and placing it into a e-cash retirement account, but millionaires also invest so frequently that it’s becomes a habit. They know how and when to take advantage of an opportunity, as well as how much to invest, seemingly without blinking an eye. But they have practiced this investment strategy often enough that they gain a definite knowledge about investment workings.

6. Follow a budget.

By following a budget, millionaires can see how much money is coming in and how much is going out. This allows them to create a spending plan so that they can afford the necessities and remove wasteful expenses. There has been at least one study that says many wealthy people do not have a budget, per se, but the very wealthy know, and keep track of where their money is being spent.

Related: 3 Realities That Make Personal Finance Different for Entrepreneurs

7. Are prepared for emergencies.

Millionaires have a rainy-day fund set aside. They realize that there may be time when they’ll have a crisis, like losing their job or an unexpected family death. Instead of borrowing money, they have the money saved up to support themselves until the crisis is over. Many disasters can be averted by being prepared with an emergency fund. I personally recommend that you have 12 months cash sitting in the bank so that if all shiz hit the fan, you're good.

8. Only invest what in what they understand.

Warren Buffett and the legendary stock investor Peter Lynch have offered the advice that you should “invest in what you know.” It’s a trick that millionaires have embraced because when they understand how a company generates income and profitability, they have a competitive edge. They’re aware of the risks and opportunities.

Related: The 6 Attributes Shared by Young Millionaires

9. Keep track of expenses.

Do you know how much money you’re spending on your expenses? If you don’t, start tracking your daily, monthly, and yearly expenses - just like millionaires do. You’ll quickly realize that you’re wasting money on items that aren’t needed or can be purchased at a better rate.

10. Live below their means.

It’s no secret that wealthy individuals live either below or within their means. For example, Warren Buffett still lives in his Omaha, Nebraska home that he purchased in 1958 for just $31,500. Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was known to fly commercial. Even though they could have owned a mansion or private jet, they opted to save their money for necessities and not luxury items.

11. Willing to make sacrifices.

So what if you’re driving around in a 2000 Toyota Camry. You realize that eventually, like within the next two years, you’ll be able to purchase a new vehicle because you’ll have the means to do so. That’s how millionaires think when it comes to managing their money. They’ll make temporary sacrifices when it benefits the bigger goal. I personally was worth millions and driving around a 2006 salvage title Hyundai Sonata till a a year ago. Make sacrifices today to live better tomorrow.

Related: 5 Words Millionaires Understand Better Than Others

12. They don’t get into debt.

Millionaires don’t allow themselves to get in debt. They don’t borrow any money and avoid using credit cards if they don’t have the money to pay the card off - unless it’s an investment to improve their business or start a new company. In other words, if they don’t have it, they’re not going to spend it. They do without - rather than spend what they don't have.

13. They get financial advice.

Millionaires know their strengths and weaknesses. Instead of spending the time and money to fix their weaknesses - they ask for help - especially when it comes to money management. Just because they built a social network or gadget, doesn’t mean that they know how to invest or save their money. They ask a financial advisor or accountant for help.

Related: 5 Things Millionaires Do That Most People Don't

14. Educate themselves.

Formal education is not a prerequisite for millionaires. Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Amancio Ortega all earned their fortunes without obtaining a college degree. Tai Lopez is well known for bragging about not having a formal education, yet he will be the first to tell you about self-education - Lopez reads approximately a book a day. Like most wealthy individuals, each of these have used their specialized knowledge and continue to learn how to become more successful through self-education.

15. Run the numbers before making a decision.

I’m not talking about doing mathematical equations that you did back in your trigonometry class. Just basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division before making any financial decisions. For example, if you have an older vehicle that needs some repairs, a millionaire would compare the costs of repairing the car to purchasing a new vehicle. Then, the decision will be based on whatever’s more cost-effective.

7 Times a 'Thank You' Is the Best Response

1. When you’re receiving a compliment.

We often ruin compliments by devaluing the statement or acting overly humble. Internally, you might think this prevents you from appearing arrogant or smug.

The problem is that by deflecting the praise of a genuine compliment, you don’t acknowledge the person who was nice enough to say something. Simply saying “Thank You” fully acknowledges the person who made the compliment and allows you to enjoy the moment as well.

Example: “Your dress looks great.”

• Instead of: “Oh, this old thing? I’ve had it for years.”
• Try saying: “Thank you. I’m glad you like it.”

Example: “Wow! 20 points tonight. You played really well in the game.”

• Instead of: “Yeah, but I missed that wide-open shot in the 3rd quarter.”
• Try saying: “Thank you. It was a good night.”

Example: “You killed your presentation today!”

• Instead of: “Did I? I felt so nervous up there. I’m glad it looked alright.”
• Try saying: “Thank you. I’m happy it went well.”

There is something empowering about fully accepting a compliment. When you deflect praise, you can’t really own it. When you just say “Thank You,” you let the weight of the compliment sink in and become yours. Saying “Thank You” gives your mind permission to be built up by the compliments you receive.

Getting compliments should be fun and enjoyable, but we often ruin the experience. There’s no need to sabotage compliments that come your way. Accept them with grace and enjoy the moment. 

2. When you’re running late.

Being late is the worst. It’s stressful for the person who is running late and it’s disrespectful to the person who is waiting.

It might seem strange to thank someone for dealing with your hassle, but that’s exactly the correct response. Most people stumble in the door and say, “Sorry I’m late.”

The problem is this response still makes the situation about you. Sorry, I’m late. Saying “Thank You” turns the tables and acknowledges the sacrifice the other person made by waiting. Thank you for waiting. 

Example: You walk in the door 14 minutes late.

• Instead of: “So sorry I’m late. Traffic was insane out there.”
• Try saying: “Thank you for your patience.”

When we make a mistake, someone else often makes a sacrifice. Our default response is to apologize for our failure, but the better approach is to praise their patience and loyalty. Thank them for what they did despite your error.

3. When you’re comforting someone.

When someone comes to you with bad news, it can be awkward. You want to be a good friend, but most people don’t know what to say. I know I’ve felt that way before.

Often times, we think it’s a good idea to add a silver lining to the problem. “Well, at least you have…”

What we fail to realize is that it doesn’t matter if you don’t know what to say. All you really need is to be present and thank them for trusting you.

Example: Your co-worker’s mother passed away recently.

• Instead of: “At least you have a lot of fond memories to hold onto.”
• Try saying: “Thank you for sharing that with me. I know this is a hard time for you.”

Example: Your brother lost his job.

• Instead of: “At least you have your health.”
• Try saying: “Thank you for sharing this with me. I’m here to support you.”

Example: Your friend’s pet just died.

• Instead of: “At least they had a long and happy life.”
• Try saying: “Thank you for sharing that with me. I’m here for you.”

In times of suffering, we don’t need to hear words to ease the pain as much as we need someone to share our pain. When you don’t know what to say, just say “Thank You” and be there.

4. When you’re receiving helpful feedback.

Feedback can be very helpful, but we rarely see it that way. Whether it is an unflattering performance review from your boss or an email from an unhappy customer, the standard reaction is to get defensive. That’s a shame because the correct response is to simply say, “Thank You” and use the information to improve.

Example: “This work isn’t good enough. I thought you would do better.”

• Instead of: “You don’t understand. Here’s what really happened.”
• Try saying: “Thank you for expecting more of me.”

Example: “I bought your product last week and it already broke. I am not happy with this experience.”

• Instead of: “How did you use it? We made it very clear in our terms and conditions that the product is not designed to work in certain conditions.“
• Try saying: “Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Please know we are committed to becoming better. Can you share more details about the issue?”

Nobody likes to fail, but failure is just a data point. Respond to helpful feedback with thanks and use it to become better. 

5. When you’re receiving unfair criticism.

Sometimes criticism isn’t helpful at all. It’s just vindictive and mean. I’ve written about how to deal with haters previously, but one of the best approaches is to just say thank you and move on.

When you thank someone for criticizing you, it immediately neutralizes the power of their statements. If it’s not a big deal to you, then it can’t grow into a larger argument.

Example: “This might be good advice for beginners, but anyone who knows what they are doing will find this useless.”

• Instead of: “Well, clearly, I wrote this for beginners. This might be a surprise, but not everything was written with you in mind.”
• Try saying: “Thank you for sharing your opinion. I’ll try to improve next time.”

Example: “Your statement is the dumbest thing I’ve read all week.”

• Instead of: “You’re an idiot. Let me tell you why…”
• Try saying: “Thank you for the feedback. I still have a lot to learn.”

Releasing the need to win every argument is a sign of maturity. Someone on the internet said something wrong? So what. Win the argument by the way you live your life.

6. When someone gives you unsolicited advice.

This shows up a lot in the gym. Everybody has an opinion about what your technique should look like. I think most people are just trying to be helpful, but hearing someone’s opinion about you when you didn’t ask for it can be annoying.

One time, someone pointed out some flaws in my squat technique in a video I posted online. I responded by sarcastically asking if he had a video of himself doing it correctly. Somewhere deep in my mind, I assumed that if I reminded him that his technique wasn’t perfect, then I would feel better about the fact that mine wasn’t perfect either. That’s an unnecessary and defensive response.

The better approach? Just say “Thank You.”

Example: “You know, you should really keep your hips back when you do that exercise.”

• Instead of: “Oh really? Do you have a video of yourself doing it so I can see it done correctly?”
• Try saying: “Thank you for the help.”

Pointing out others faults doesn’t remove your own. Thank people for raising your self-awareness, even if it was unsolicited.

7. When you’re not sure if you should thank someone.

When in doubt, just say thank you. There is no downside. Are you honestly worried about showing too much gratitude to the people in your life?

“Should I send a Thank You card in this situation?” Yes, you should.

“Should I tip him?” If you don’t, at least say thank you.

Say thank you, more often.