Is there any good way to confront or correct a team member? I believe there is. That doesn’t mean it’s always easy, or always goes the way we want it to. But there are some guidelines we can follow to create the best conditions for a positive outcome.

When I was a younger, more positive person, before the eternal darkness of reality crept into my soul, I used to "network." And by "network" I mean that I used to go to any industry event I could. Mixer for PR professionals in NYC? Just try and stop me. You’re having a wine tasting at a law firm and one journalist is there? Out of my way, plebes! I must pass you, as I must go to the very important place to do the thing.

There's a paradox at the heart of off-the-cuff speaking: You can still prepare to appear spontaneous. It isn't just about faking it, though. It’s about having a prepared mind. True, in many contexts, you can't decide in advance what you're going to say and how you're going to say it. Sometimes you're put on the spot unexpectedly. Other times, you know you'll need to speak, but the format doesn't allow you to show up with notes in hand and peek at them halfway through.

As a business owner, leader or manager of an entrepreneurial company, think about this for a minute: You may have a wonderful, awe-inspiring, audacious goal, a well-defined target market for an incredible product that everyone needs, wants, and is willing to pay a premium to own. You may possess a proprietary technology and even hold a few patents. But, if you don’t have an actively-engaged, fired-up workforce that can execute, none of those things will matter.

Diversity of thought fuels wisdom. If you are courageous and wise enough to accept this fact, you will not be afraid to be more vulnerable, take ownership of this mindset, and lead the new normal.