It is natural to get defensive when receiving negative feedback. Our brains treat criticism as a form of social threat, and we respond as if we’ve just been cornered.

Most leaders know the classic advice for briefing a senior executive: keep it short, start with the bottom line, and stay on point. That’s not wrong—but it’s only half the equation.

Top-performing teams don’t necessarily like each other. They just know how to work together.

Being told to “think more strategically” feels like a vague directive, one that’s as frustrating as it is common.

You can turn networking from a cringe-fest into a career catalyst with the right mindset and strategies.