Feedback is a daily staple of my work as an executive coach. I am often giving direct feedback to the leaders I work with, sharing 360-degree feedback from the leader’s colleagues, and then helping them process and reflect on the feedback they receive.

For the first time in history, a major political party in the United States has several women who have declared their candidacy to be their party’s presidential nominee. But TV pundits have been questioning whether, despite the progress indicated by the huge influx of women elected into Congress last fall, the U.S. is ever going to elect a woman to the country’s highest leadership position.

Today’s workers have different wants and needs compared to those of previous generations. Security and predictability have given way to preferences for flexibility, culture fit and a people-first focus.

Have you ever wondered if there is a secret formula for being successful? Why is it that some people seem to have a Midas touch while others struggle to get by? American historian, best-selling author and keynote speaker Kevin Kruse recently interviewed more than 200 highly successful people, a group that included seven billionaires, 13 Olympians, and accomplished entrepreneurs from many walks of life. One simple question provided a tremendous amount of insight. The question was: “What is your number one secret to productivity?”

Some people call it an internal struggle. Others call it a “me-me” conflict. I like to call it my personal civil war. Many of us have one (or more) of these internal conflicts and they tend to cause us mental anguish, often on a daily basis.

Emotional intelligence (or EQ) is a hot button topic these days, especially in the workplace. It is widely believed, and rightly so, that individuals with high emotional intelligence tend to better manage the rigors and stresses found regularly in the workplace.

The employment landscape has changed significantly over the past few years. Gone are the days of employers having hundreds of candidates to choose from with employees scrambling to land any job they could get. Today, the employees have the upper hand. This shift took place the moment that job openings surpassed hires. That trend continues to rise so it appears that it will continue to be an employee’s market for the foreseeable future.