Once people take ownership over the decision to receive feedback, they're less defensive about it.

Negative feedback can make people feel inferior.

Teams need the opportunity to learn about each other's capabilities and develop productive routines. So once we get the right people on the bus, let's make sure they spend some time driving together.

When writing 'Give and Take' and 'Originals,' the predominant emotion for me was curiosity.

Being a giver is not about saying yes to all of the people all of the time to all of the requests.

Productive givers focus on acting in the long-term best interests of others, even if it's not pleasant. They have the courage to give the critical feedback we prefer not to hear, but truly need to hear. They offer tough love, knowing that we might like them less, but we'll come to trust and respect them more.