Category Archives: Golden Rule

A&M graduate David Cordani 88 has run in dozens of races as a guide with Achilles International, an organization that enables people with physical and mental challenges to participate in mainstream athletics.

Cigna Global Health Service Company

Matias Ferreira, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and double amputee athlete, was close to quitting the race. Sitting on the side of the road, struggling with his prosthetics, the young man got frustrated and chucked one leg into the nearby woods. His running guide, David Cordani 88, wasnt having it. What are you doing? Cordani asked Ferreira before calmly retrieving the mans limb from its swampy resting place, wiping off the mud and reattaching it to Ferreiras body. It was a low point, but it was not the end. With Cordanis reserve of patience and persistence to draw from, Ferreira got up and finished the half-marathon.

This was Ferreiras first race after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan and losing his legs a year before. A seasoned athlete, it was Cordanis first race as a guide with Achilles International, an organization that promotes personal achievement and enables people with all types of physical and mental challenges to participate in mainstream athletics.

Crossing the finish line was a significant milestone for both men. For Ferreira, it confirmed that he was still capable of greatness despite his physical limitations. For Cordani, theeuphoria he experienced in helping someone achieve such an enormous goal was intoxicating. He was hooked. After that race, I volunteered wherever they needed me or whenever I could be of help to safely guide a veteran from the starting line to the finish line, Cordani said.

Cordani has run in dozens of races as a guide with Achilles International, an organization that enables people with physical and mental challenges to participate in mainstream athletics.

For both men, the finish line was only the start of a much greater race. Utilizing the lessons he learned from Cordani and Achilles about goal setting, training and dogged determination, Ferreira later became a police officer in Long Island, New York, making history as the first double amputee to serve as a full-time officer in the United States. Cordani, the chairman and CEO of health service company Cigna, went on to run dozens more races as a guide. He also co-authored a best-selling book on leadership based on his experiences with Achilles athletes titled The Courage to Go Forward: The Power of Micro Communities.

Today, Cordani is bringing the life-changing lessons of his Achilles experiences to bear in his leadership of Cigna and finding new ways to make an impact in the lives of wounded athletes, as well as the 70,000 employees and 190 million customer relationships Cigna serves around the world.

Since 2009, Cordani has served as president and CEO of Cigna; in January 2022, he was named to the additional role of chairman.

Cigna Global Health Service Company

Family Values, Aggie Vision

Cordani grew up in Connecticut in a multigenerational home, where he and his two brothers were raised by parents, grandparents and a network of relatives in the neighborhood. He credits his family with instilling in him three essential life lessons: hard work, the Golden Rule and giving back. We were raised to make a difference in peoples lives and to give our time, energy and commitment to do it, he said.

Cordanis family temporarily relocated to Houston during his high school years, prompting his older brother John to enroll at Texas A&M University. Cordani visited campus often and fell in love with Aggielands unique culture. When the rest of his family moved back to Connecticut, he followed his brother to College Station, drawn to the university communitys emphasis on respect, leadership and service. The environment to me was palpable, he recalled. I chose Texas A&M for the school spirit and the universitys values.

In the classroom, faculty members encouraged Cordani to learnhowto think instead ofwhatto think. He appreciated that integrating real-life experiences into academic pursuits was paramount and that the other education was valued. He majored in finance in Mays Business School and enjoyed competing with his classmates in national stock market game and performance events.

It was real-life learning that took classroom theory to practice, he said. He didnt realize at the time just how useful these events were to his career training, as the team had to collaborate todevelop a strategy, pitch ideas and compromise while working toward a goal. The experience taught him how to research, merge analytics with intuition and lead in dynamic situations.

You could come up with a brilliant plan as a team, but you had to be flexible and willing to modify the plan due to changes in the market situation, he explained. Collaborating with people of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints to find a consensus was a valuable experience that led directly to his success in the workplace.

As the president, CEO and chairman of the global health service company Cigna, Cordani has guided the company to reach No. 13 in the Fortune 500.

The stock market crash in 1987, known as Black Friday, was a pivotal moment in Cordanis life. At the time, he had ambitions of going to Wall Street to start his career the following year. I loved the challenge of the complex finance environment, he said. Cordani recalled a faculty member canceling class on that significant day. History is being made, he told students. Youll learn more by watching the news right now than what I can teach you.

Standing in the lobby of the Blocker Building, watching the headlines scroll across multiple TV screens, Cordani decided to adjust his personal action plan. I realized there wouldnt be a lot of jobs on Wall Street in the foreseeable future, he said. That day, he added an accounting major.

It was the right move.

After graduation, Cordani secured a position at Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers), the highly esteemed accounting firm. His clients were primarily financial services and health care companies. The financial clients were in his wheelhouse of expertise, but he was surprised to discover how the health care companies captured his interest.

The health care industry was on the brink of significant and innovative changeand change creates opportunity, he said. For the generous-hearted Cordani, health care was also appealing because it focused on helping people and creating social positives. When I saw those things line upchange and opportunity and human impactI fell in love with health care, he shared.

Three years after starting his career in public accounting, he was approached to consider a position in the leadership development program at Cigna. The program allowed him to take a deep dive into finance, operations, investments and human resources within the health care industry. It fascinated and motivated him, so much so that he spent the next 30-plus years moving through progressive positions of influence within the organization. Since 2009, he has served as president and CEO of the global health service company; in January 2022, he was named to the additional role of chairman.

And since 2009, Cigna has grown its customer relationships from 30 million to more than 185 million today, increased shareholder returns annually by 17% and increased its overall revenue 10 times over, thanks to Cordanis effective leadership.

In 2021, Cordani celebrated his 30th year of participating in triathlons.

Cigna Global Health Service Company

Athletic Excellence

As a young man, Cordani wasnt a great athlete, but I was scrappy, he said. He also loved to eatand it showed. During his freshman year at Texas A&M, he decided he needed to get in shape. Instead of gaining the proverbial freshman 15, he took up running and intramural basketball and shed 55 pounds within a year. I saw the health effects of being more physically active. I had a higher energy level and felt better physically, he said. The exercise made him feel so good that it has become an essential part of his daily life.

I get centered every morning by exercising and watching the business news. Its a healthy means of keeping the mind and body in check, he said, noting that exercise also helps manage stress.

In 2021, Cordani celebrated his 30th year of participating in triathlons. Racing is a great metaphor for work and life, he reflected. In racing, you set a goal, you have a strategy attached to pursuing that goal, you prepare, then you get to the starting line and you execute. Some unintended things will happen. The ocean could be choppy, and you get physically beat up in the swim. Your bike could malfunction. You could have nutrition problems on the run. It could be unbelievably humid, and you have hydration problems. But you must adapt and adjust.

Cordani co-authored a best-selling book on leadership based on his experiences with Achilles athletes titled The Courage to Go Forward: The Power of Micro Communities.

He hopes to pass on this perspective to the veterans he works with through Achilles, as well as to Cignas thousands of employees. In The Courage to Go Forward, Cordani lays out six steps he calls The Recipe that sumup the philosophy: define the vision, create a strategy, attract the right resources, execute the plan, overcome obstacles, then expand and grow. Whether youre training for a marathon or steering a health care company through the uncharted waters of a pandemic, the recipe applies, he said.

Seeing this strategy transform lives has been rewarding for Cordani. These veterans think, There is no way I can run a half- or full marathon without two legs. I couldnt run a half-marathon when I was able-bodied. How am I going to run it on prosthetics? Cordani and others work with veterans to set the goal, train and account for curveballs. When we cross the finish line and that soldier says, I achieved this, its an eye-opening moment. Then they can ask themselves, What other goals do I want to set? knowing they can do just about anything.

That confidence goes beyond the racecourse, he said, noting the personal and professional goals achieved by Achilles athletes. Goal setting, peer support, goal pursuit and goal achievement is a powerful elixir for a lot of life.

A Virtuous Cycle

Working with wounded veterans, Cordani has experienced firsthand how many who return home injured have lost more than a limb; oftentimes, their sense of self is forever altered. So much of a soldiers identity is tied to physical capability, he explained. Injuries can be debilitating both physically and psychologically as the veteran is confronted with a new vision for their future.

Cordani works closely with Achilles Freedom Team, which serves wounded veterans predominantly of Iraq and Afghanistan. Training for and completing strenuous physical events and regaining a sense of physical capability is not just life changing. For some, it is lifesaving, as the rate of veteran suicide is twice as high as that of the civilian population. Connecting veterans with the right resources to restore mind and body can be a matter of life or death.

Cordanis first real exposure to the military was through Texas A&Ms culture. His Aggie ring, with stars, stripes, eagle and shield, reminds him daily of that military history and the values of his alma mater. His passion for serving veterans has come full circle back to the university, where he has created two endowments for student veterans. The Sherry L. and David M. Cordani 88 Aggie Veteran Freedom Scholarship supports Aggie veterans or their spouses attending Texas A&M. Similarly, the Student Aggie Veteran Enhancement Fund created through the Cordani Family Foundation with matching funds from Cigna is an emergency fund that assists student veterans in circumstances of outstanding financial need.

These men and women served to protect the freedoms of our country, Cordani said. To me, it is a privilege and a responsibility to try to reciprocate some of that service. Its a way of saying thank you.

The Power of One

Cordani has led Cigna through significant shifts in health care, from the Great Recession and the introduction of the Affordable Care Act to the global COVID-19 pandemic. With each new challenge comes new opportunities to increase the organizations impact. The constant point across these challenges is a brutally clear focus on whats most important. When faced with uncertainty, its important to rely upon the values system of the corporation, he said. We are guided by our mission. We exist to improve the health, well-being and peace of mind of those we serve.

Under his leadership the last 12 years, Cigna has seen continuous growth, climbing the Fortune 500 to reach No. 13. The company has led the industry in addressing some of the most pressing health care concerns of the day, including the opioid crisis, lowering the cost of insulin and the loneliness epidemic.

Inspired by his time in Aggieland and his experiences with Achilles athletes, Cordani and his wife have created two gifts that benefit student veterans at Texas A&M University.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a prime example. In March 2020, nobody knew what would transpire, but one thing was certain: It would have a significant impact on peoples health care needs. As chair of the board of directors of Americas Health Insurance Plans at that time, Cordani convened the board to take bold action. They coordinated with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and, within hours, developed a plan to ensure that every American, regardless of their health insurance provider, had access to COVID-19 diagnostic testsat no cost.

Cordani sees Cignas willingness to embrace change in the dynamic and shifting marketplace as a key indicator of its strength and success. We live in an environment of perpetual change, he stated. Our culture and our company come closer to thriving if we can embrace a change environment, rather than tolerating it or resisting it.

While Cordani leads a huge and ever-expanding corporation, he stresses that a position like his isnt necessary to change the world. A lot of well-meaning people assume that the only way you can have an impact is to have a massive infrastructure, he said, but I believe you can turn that on its head and start from the power of one. All of us can make our business or our community a little bit better every day. Marginal improvements, compounded by time and teamwork, generate a flywheel effect that magnifies the action. So many times, we convince ourselves that it has to be big to matter. But harnessing the power of smallthe power of one, the power of an individualis just as important.

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Going The Distance - Texas A&M University Today

When it comes to home safety, every inch counts. Literally. "The smallest toy at the top of the stairs that isnt quite placed properly is a common culprit behind cases that I see all-too-often in the emergency room," says Mark Conroy, MD, emergency medicine and sports medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

While preventing certain dangerous situations from happeningincluding the dreaded accident abovecan feel outside of one's control (the saying "accidents happen" exists for a reason, after all), there are small steps we can take to make our homes significantly safer. In case you were looking for some pointers about what sorts of safety rules that ER doctors follow in their own lives, youre in luck: Dr. Conroy broke down some guidelines he always follows in his own home to minimize as much risk as he can.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless gas that can be life threatening for people exposed to the substance in their homes. Its a really easy thing to let slip through the cracks, says Dr. Conroy. But Ive seen pretty bad cases in my career of carbon monoxide poisoning, so I am diligent about making sure that my house has up-to-date carbon monoxide monitors at all times, in all of my roomsand I check them regularly. Dr. Conroy adds that he uses BlueTooth carbon monoxide detectors that connect to his phone to make life a bit easier.

Another golden rule of home safety that Dr. Conroy follows is that he tries to make sure that the stairs in his home are always free of things like toys or clothes. When people have small children or pets, it can be really hard to stay on top of clutter, but doing so can help prevent serious falls down the stairs. All it takes is that one small toy at the top of the stairs that you dont see in the middle of the night to trip over, says Dr. Conroy. "You want a clear path with no obstructions to prevent accidents."

"Although its important to be careful whenever you step foot on a ladder (and you should always do so with supervision), ladders and step ladders are always better options than using a chair, table, or another piece of furniture," says Dr. Conroy. A step ladder with the proper weight limit that is resting on a clean, clear floor is the best for reaching somewhere high up as opposed to using something like a counter or chair. "You dont want a soft surface that will break, flip, tip, or otherwise end up not supporting you properly when trying to reach something," says Dr. Conroy.

Dr. Conroy adds that he will try never to push a ladder to the limit. Sometimes you have a project, and the thing you need to get to is just out of your reachthis is typically when people will climb to that extra rung and reach as far as they can. This is a recipe for disaster, according to Dr. Conroy. If my ladder cant comfortably and reliably allow me to access a spot, then I would much rather head to my hardware store and rent the correct height of the ladder.

Pushing your limit on a ladder is how people often fall or injure themselves in some way. Ladder injuries, according to Dr. Conroy, have the potential to be severe given that gravity is at play and the fact that you may also be using power tools.

"In addition to a first aid kit, I think that its important to keep extra items like flashlights, batteries, and other emergency products in my home. You never know what can happen, so its useful to just keep things you might need closeby," Dr. Conroy says. He recommends tailoring your items to your region and needs. "For example, if you have allergies in your household, you should keep the necessary medications and make sure everyone knows where they are. If you live in a place that often has major storms, knowing how and when to store emergency water is important, just in case."

There are a lot of rules, regulations, guidelines, and instructions when it comes to car seats and children, yet Dr. Conroy stresses that he always tries to follow exact protocols for his kids car seats. After you see what happens to children in accidents and how protective car seats really can be, its important to me to really follow those guidelines, says Dr. Conroy. This extends to booster seats as wellas some goes forfollowing the laws of your state, closely reading the installation instructions provided by your car seats, and making sure that you practice age-appropriate seating positions in the car.

Any body of water adds an additional level of anxiety and risk to a situation, says Dr. Conroy when asked about pool safety. Though Dr. Conroy doesnt have a pool, he says that if his family is staying somewhere close to any body of water, his kids will always have supervision. "This risk awareness goes for most at-home risks, like hot stoves, grills, ovens, dishwashers, trampolines, and so on." Being aware of what risks your home has and then staying on top of minimizing those risks is important. This means making sure you pay attention to what youre doing when youre cooking, out swimming, working in the garden, or doing a DIY project.

When it comes to staying safe anywhere, Dr. Conroy affirms that the main goal is to always try to minimize distractions, multitasking, and too many variables at once. "Staying safe or risk management doesnt mean that you have to be afraid all of the time: Just take things slow and pay attention to your surroundings," he concludes.

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Im an ER Doctor, and These Are the 6 Rules I Always Follow at Home To Prevent Accidents and Injuries - Well+Good

In Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam, lawyer and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy talks about his internship at Goldman Sachsan internship that he starts by saying was coveted because Goldman was "the most elite financial institution in America." "You didn't join Goldman as a summer intern for the $1,500-per-week paycheck, though that wasn't bad. Or for the possibility of a $65,000-a-year full-time offer for a 100-plus-hour-a-week job. You did it for the privilege of saying: 'I work at Goldman Sachs.'" But he soured on Goldman, in part because of things like the following incident:

The hallmark event at Goldman Sachs the summer I worked there wasn't a poker tournament on a lavish boat cruise followed by a debauched night of clubbing, as it had been at the more edgy firm where I'd worked the prior summer. Rather, it was "service day"a day that involved dressing up in a T-shirt and shorts and then dedicating time to serving the community. Back in 2006, that involved planting trees in a garden in Harlem. The co-head of the group at the time was supposed to lead the way.

I welcomed the prospect of a full day spent at a park away from Goldman's cloistered offices. Yet when I showed up at the park in Harlem, very few of my colleagues seemed interested in well, planting trees. The full-time analysts shared office gossip with the summer analysts. The vice presidents one-upped each other with war stories about investment deals. And, of course, the head of the group was nowhere to be found.

It was supposed to be an all-day activity, yet after an hour I noticed that very little service had actually been performed. As if on cue, the co-head of the group showed up an hour latewearing a slim-fit suit and a pair of Gucci boots. The chatter among the rest of the team died down, as we awaited what he had to say.

"Alright, guys," he said with a somber expression, as though he were going to discipline the team. A moment of tension hung in the air. And then he broke the ice: "Let's take some pictures and get out of here!" The entire group burst into laughter. Within minutes we had vacated the premises. No trees had been planted. Within a half hour, the entire group was seated comfortably at a nearby bar that was well prepared for our arrivalpitchers of beer ready on the tables and all.

I turned to one of the younger associates sitting next to me at the bar. I remarked that if we wanted to have a "social day," then we should've just called it that instead of "service day."

He laughed and demurred: "Look, just do what the boss says." Then he quipped back: "You ever heard of the Golden Rule?"

"Treat others like you want to be treated," I replied.

"Wrong," he said. "He who has the gold makes the rules."

I called it "the Goldman Rule." I learned something valuable that summer after all.

And Ramaswamy then returns to use this phrase elsewhere in the book.

Of course, "He who has the gold makes the rules" is a familiar line, often labeled "the Golden Rule," as a play on the other, quite different, Golden Rule. Ramaswamy labeled it "the Goldman Rule," likewise as a play on Golden Rule.

Then, this past Thursday, the Ramaswamy formulation appeared in Judge James Ho's concurrence in denial of en banc in Sambrano v. United Airlines. The specific legal dispute at this stage of the case is, as so many legal disputes, about procedural questions (such as when preliminary injunctions are available in religious discrimination cases, when opinions should be labeled precedential, and when courts should rehear cases en banc), but the underlying substantive question relates to United Airlines' vaccination mandate and its absence of religious exemptions. Here's an excerpt from Judge Ho's opinion:

If the dissent is right, and this case is indeed pathbreaking, it's important to understand why. What's new here is not the law, but the behavior of industry. Historically, corporations typically focus on increasing shareholder valuenot on imposing certain cultural values on others. But that is rapidly changing.

I began by imagining a hypothetical employer who doesn't care how productive an employee you might behe insists that you abandon certain religious beliefs he finds offensive, whether it's abortion, marriage, sexuality, gender, or something else. But here's the thing: What was once hypothetical is now rapidly becoming reality. Examples of this abound. [Citations omitted. -EV]

So this case may be the first, but I suspect it will not be the last.

[* * *]

A prominent commentator and former CEO recently expressed "deep[ ] concern[ ]" about this "new model of capitalism," calling it "a dangerous expansion of corporate power that threatens to subvert American democracy." Vivek Ramaswamy, Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam 18 (2021). As he explained, "America was founded on the idea that we make our most important value judgments through our democratic process, where each citizen's voice is weighted equally, rather than by a small group of elites in private. Debates about our social values belong in the civic sphere, not in the corner offices of corporate America." "[T]here's a difference between speaking up as a citizen and using your company's market power to foist your views onto society while avoiding the rigors of public debate in our democracy." "When companies use their market power to make moral rules, they effectively prevent other citizens from having the same say in our democracy."

In sum, "it's the Goldman Rule in action. The guys with the gold get to make the rules." Id. at 18.

Not surprisingly, many Americans bemoan the impact that this new form of capitalism is starting to have on our Nation's culture. Cf. Oliver v. Arnold, 19 F.4th 843, 84344, 85354 (5th Cir. 2021) (Ho, J., concurring in denial of rehearing en banc); Villarreal v. City of Laredo, _ F.4th _, __ (5th Cir. 2022) (Ho, J., concurring).

My point today is less ambitious: We know what this new corporate trend is doing to employees. It's violating the religious convictions of workers across the country. And in cases like this, the injuries are irreparable.

So here's the controversy: Some are claiming that referring to this as the "Goldman Rule" is "antisemitic" (on the theory that "Doesn't really matter if he meant to be antisemitic. It is, and there's a reason this kind of rhetoric is bubbling up now.") See also here and here ("completely internalized antisemitism") and here.

I take it the theory is that the label "Goldman Rule" is an attempt to condemn Goldman as a Jewish-founded company, or presumably to tie the universal principle ("The guys with the gold get to make the rules") specifically to Jewsrather than, as the passage from the opinion suggests, to condemn certain behavior by large corporations generally (such as the not-particularly-Jewish-linked United Airlines).

This strikes me as quite mistaken. One great consequence of America's longstanding relative openness to Jews has been that many Jews have thrived and reached prominencein business, in politics, and elsewhere. When you become prominent enough, things become named after you: businesses, statutes, sayings, and more.

Some of them are positive, for instance using Einstein as the paragon of genius (though even that might be used sarcastically and negatively). Some of them are neutral, or perhaps negative but in a way that doesn't reflect on the author, for instance the other Goldman Rule, named after screenwriter William Goldman: "Nobody knows anything" when it comes to predicting which movies will be successful. Some of them are negative in a way that's critical of their namesakes, such as Ramaswamy's Goldman Rule. Some of them are purely descriptive but may be loathed by those who disapprove of their substance. (There's a gun control statute, for instance, called the Lautenberg Amendment, after Senator Frank Lautenberg.)

More broadly, some will criticize prominent people and institutions that happen to be Jewish, much as they may criticize prominent people and institutions that happen to belong to other groups. That will include people and institutions that are associated with businesses that for various reasons have been disproportionately Jewish (including, for instance, finance), precisely because lots of Jews have become prominent in those fields and there are thus more Jewish-linked institutions in those fields that merit comment, whether negative, positive, or neutral. Recall Ramaswamy's story: He went to Goldman precisely because it was seen as so "elite."

And of course such institutions shouldn't be immune from criticism any more than institutions associated with other groups. It's just as legitimate to criticize Mark Zuckerberg as Jack Dorsey, and just as legitimate to criticize Goldman Sachs as any other business (or as some people back in the day criticized the Rockefellers or J.P. Morgan or the like). And unsurprisingly Goldman Sachs is routinely harshly criticized, at least as often from the Left (see, e.g., this Bernie Sanders anti-Goldman-Sachs ad and many of these articles in The Nation, to choose just one Left publication) as from the Right. Ramaswamy's "Goldman Rule" is pretty tame compared to some such criticisms. Will some anti-Semite listeners or readers endorse such criticisms because of their own preconceived anti-Semitic notions? Doubtless so. But the stupid reactions of some stupid people don't make it improper for us to engage in legitimate criticism (though of course one can always disagree with that criticism on the merits).

Now to be sure, someone who hadn't read Ramaswamy's story might wonder, "Why is Ramaswamy calling it the 'Goldman Rule'?" But thankfully we live in an era where all human knowledge is on a small box in each of our pockets. A few keystrokes will let you search for "ramaswamy 'goldman rule,'" and there you have the answer: Ramaswamy thought Goldman was elite, decided his idol had feet of clay, and then used the coincidental similarity of "Goldman" and "Golden" as a way of criticizing what he saw as overstepping by business generally (and not, by the way, just financial businesses, which are more associated with Jews than corporate America generally). Judge Ho quoted part of Ramaswamy's criticism, in the process quoting Ramaswamy's label.

Seems quite reasonable to me (though, again, one can argue whether that criticism is indeed apt in this situation). There really is real anti-Semitism out there, regrettably. This isn't it.

Link:

Ramaswamy, Ho, and Goldman - Reason

For many professionals, the majority of daily work communication happens through emails. Unfortunately, it can be hard to gauge someone's tone through a computer and your emails could be coming off a little aggressive.

Whether intentional or unintentional, being passive-aggressive in the workplace could make others uncomfortable, create tension and even jeopardize your job.

A recent study from WordFinder by Your Dictionary, an online word search tool, collected data from Ahrefs and Google Adwords to find the most-used passive-aggressive work phrases, most of which seem pretty harmless at first glance.

"For better or worse, digital communication, whether it's through email or direct messages on platforms like Slack, doesn't let us see each other's immediate reactions which is why we look for ways to 'politely' express irritation," WordFinder representative Joe Mercurio tells CNBC Make It. "As a result, employee frustration and miscommunication are at an all-time high, with tone alone being misinterpreted quite a bit in email communication."

According to the findings, here are the top 10 most passive-aggressive phrases in the workplace:

1. Please advise

2. Noted

3. Friendly Reminder

4. Will do

5. Thanks in advance

6. Per our last conversation

7. Circling back

8. As per my last email

9. As promised

10. As discussed

WordFinder also identified some of the least passive-aggressive work phrases, including "Sorry to bother you again," "Any update on this" and "I'll take care of it."

According to Mercurio, the difference in the delivery of these phrases have to do with timing and attitude. He also urges employees to think twice before sending their emails.

"To communicate effectively, employees should remember not to respond to messages or emails when in a state of frustration. They should also assume good intent, show empathy and encouragement, and avoid digital ghosting. As a rule of thumb: if you feel uncomfortable reading it directed toward you, try rethinking your approach."

Communication is one of the most important parts of an effective workplace, according to BetterUp, as it "boosts employee morale, engagement, productivity, and satisfaction." Communication also enhances teamwork and coordination and helps ensure better performance for organizations as a whole.

Mercurio advises professionals to bring the "Golden Rule" into the workplace when it comes to interacting and communicating with others.

"Treat people how you would like to be treated. Start by deciding if the request is better suited for an email or a face-to-face conversation. If it's something that can be relayed over email, reread the email and think about things like tone and reception. Overall, open and honest communication is the best way people can work together."

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10 common phrases that make you sound passive-aggressive in the workplace - CNBC

Led Zeppelinenjoyed a stellar career, with almost everything they created remaining cherished by fans and critics alike. From the high-octane blues rock of their eponymous debut to the pastoral dreamland ofLed Zeppelin IVand even hard progressive rock ofPhysical Graffiti, there are many highlights in their back catalogue, with most of them standing the test of time.

Theres a reason that the English quartet were able to fill the void left by The Beatles with such ease, as the combined brilliance of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham was such a powerful force that all their contemporaries were no match for it.

However, this doesnt mean that they didnt produce misfires. Be itLed Zeppelin IIIorPresence,there are numerous moments in the bands discography that have long been the source of debate between fans and even the band members themselves. One of the most notorious is Dyer Maker, a song taken from the 1973 albumHouses of the Holy. To many people, it is the track that lets an otherwise perfect record down.

Meant to imitate reggae and dub, Dyer Maker is one of the most dated tracks that Led Zeppelin released, and even at the time, drummer Bonham had a major problem with it. As pointed out by John Paul Jones, Bonhams performance reflected just how much he despised the song. According to him, Bonham wasnt a fan of the reggae genre, nor the style of drumming that came with it.

John was interested in everything except jazz and reggae, Jones is quoted as saying Chris WelchsJohn Bonham: A Thunder of Drums. He didnt hate jazz but he hated playing reggae he thought it was really boring.

He wouldnt play anything but the same shuffle beat all the way through it, Jones recalled to Welch, adding thatBonhamhad such a disdain for the track that this is what resulted in its lack of groove. The drumming hero hated it so much that he put very little effort into his part, with Jones claiming that if hed worked more at it, the final product would have been much better.

Jones opined: It would have been all right if he had worked at the part, [but] he wouldnt, so it sounded dreadful.

Despite maintaining that the song would have been better if Bonham had tried harder, Jones also revealed that he agreed with Bonham, going as far as to call it dreadful because their rhythm section did not stick to the golden rule of a reggae band. He told Welch: The whole point of reggae is that the drums and bass really have to be very strict about what they play.

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The Led Zeppelin song John Bonham hated so much that he refused to try - Far Out Magazine

Natural cleaning agents are often favoured over harsh chemical products for their gentle yet effective results, yet even some household surfaces are too delicate to be cleaned with them. Granite is just one type of stone which struggles to withstand overly-acidic cleansers, which is why vinegar should always be avoided. But why is it so damaging?

Cleaning visible dirt from surfaces is easy to do using soap and water, but some tough stains call for more powerful cleaning agents.

While white vinegar is often the go-to ingredient to banish dirt and grime from any surface, granite can look worse for wear after being wiped down with this pungent liquid.

Some cleaning experts recommend keeping vinegar well away from granite in even the smallest doses to avoid unnecessary damage.

READ MORE:Golden rule for removing toilet limescale with just 2 ingredients

According to the cleaning experts at Apartment Therapy, the acid in vinegar is to blame for its damaging effects.

They said: Vinegar spells trouble for granite countertops (and any other natural stone countertop).

The acid in vinegar wears away at the protective sealant that prevents spills from penetrating the stone and causing permanent stains.

Its not just impossible stains that are a problem either, in fact, the vinegar can cause long-lasting damage to the structure of the stone itself.

While one application is enough to set stubborn stains for good, repeated use of vinegar on granite can lead to small etchings which remain in the stone forever.

The experts at Apartment Therapy explained that this is also true for other acidic cleansers such as lemon juice and citric acid.

Its not just pure versions of these products that can cause damage as products containing even small amounts of acid can also be problematic.

This includes products designed to clean metal, bathtubs, tiles, windows, and even some all-purpose solutions.

Keeping things simple really is the best way to clean luxury materials including granite, marble, and other natural stones.

To clean surface dirt, warm water, and mild dish soap is the only solution you need.

For sanitation purposes, something stronger such as isopropyl alcohol wipes are safe to use.

A DIY spray made of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and water will also work, just make sure you always use a soft microfiber cloth for gentle cleansing.

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Cleaning warning: The one item you should never use to clean granite - 'spells trouble' - Express

Since the ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Mississippi abortion case, Dobbs, vs. Jackson Womens Health Organization, Republican politicians throughout the country have moved to impose whatever abortion restrictions their legislatures can come up with. The Republican dominated 2021 Montana Legislature passed a bundle of laws aimed at restricting access to abortion. Three of those laws are blocked for now by a lawsuit challenging their legality.

Now, the Republican Governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte, is asking the states high court to consider his arguments that the justices should reverse a previous decision upholding the right to an abortion (Armstrong vs. the State of Montana) and instead put the matter in state legislators hands. Gianforte wrote in a tweet, Its the Legislatures prerogative to set policy regarding life, as it was for over a century until 1999.

Do Montanans really agree that the Legislature is the final word on who lives and who dies?

These are deeply moral decisions and, frankly, beyond the scope of a group people elected to run the state, not to make personal moral decisions which intervene in citizens personal lives.

This is especially true when the case involves a womans right to make decisions about her own body and her private reproductive choices, free from government interference.

Morality is the differentiation of decisions, intentions, and actions between those that are proper (right) and those that are improper (wrong). Immorality is the active opposition to what is good or right. Morality, in short, are the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong, or good and bad behavior. It is the basis of the Golden Rule, which states One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.

Gianforte, and many other acolytes of the New GOP, who claim they are for limited and smaller government apparently have no problem in inserting their personal religious beliefs into the lives of everyone else. What these Republicans are asking the Montana Supreme Court to do is neither good nor right. It is time to get very frank with these people about what their positions mean.

Across the land Republicans are passing laws which would make no allowance for abortions in the case of incest or rape, or for medical conditions which threaten the health or life of the mother, or the viability of the fetus if it should come to full term because of genetic or non-genetic based maladies. If you are a boy or a girl, teenager or adult, a man, or a woman, and you have been the victim of a rape your life is changed forever. The trauma experienced will have lasting consequences on your physical health, psyche, self-image, and personal feeling of self-worth.

The physical injuries may be life-long, along with the possible consequences of sexually transmitted disease. You may forever be warped in your trust of other people, and may have post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, sleep and eating disorders, along with deeper psychological issues such as borderline personality disorder and dissociative identity disorder. In short, your future life will be a mess. It is a life-changing event.

Having to decide to have an abortion is a decision that only a woman will have to make, because it is a unique aspect of the fact that only women can become pregnant. To even suggest that the victim of rape or incest (which in all cases involving sexual intercourse is rape) should be forced to carry this pregnancy to term is outrageous and immoral. It is codifying the state as a supreme power to intervene and determine the most intimate personal moral and physical decision a person can make, taking away the persons right to self-determination in making their own decisions. It is an affront to the basic human rights of freedom, privacy, recognition as a person before the law and freedom from degrading treatment. However, regardless of the situation that created a pregnancy, each and every women should be the only person to make the decision to have an abortion, or not.

It is their right alone.

The rest is here:

The immorality of Gianforte and the 'New GOP' Daily Montanan - Daily Montanan

Oh hi, I didnt see you there! Youre just in time for me to tell you all about the fourth wall, and all the cool characters who break it.

Last weeks premiere episode ofShe-Hulk employed a particular narrative device that the official library of the MCU hasnt seen yet. Jennifer Walters, much like her comic book character before her, has smashed down the fourth wall. Youve seen it before in some of your favorite classic and new media. But what is the fourth wall? Where does the term come from? And which other beloved characters have done it?

The fourth wall is an imaginary storytelling device that sees a character looking and speaking directly to the audience. In most stories, the actors in the scene interact with one another unaware of the audience watching them. Plenty of these stories give audiences myriad other ways to become engrossed in a story, but whats known as breaking the fourth wall brings them directly in by allowing a character to acknowledge the viewer.

Normally, the golden rule with acting or art is that the subject should never make eye contact with the camera. But when a character breaks the fourth wall, they deliberately take an aside. Sometimes it happens without the notice of other characters in the scene. Fourth wall breaks can be used by a storys lead to elaborate on their own frame of mind. It can even be in contrast with their actual behavior. Or they could be used to punctuate the comedy of a situation. When done well, the storytelling possibilities are endless.

Ferris Bueller is a classic instance of a lead character breaking the fourth wall, courtesy of Paramount Pictures

A greater number of well-known fourth wall breaks occur in comedies. From Groucho Marx to Monty Python to Mel Brooks to Bugs Bunny, its likely your childhood was influenced by fourth wall breaks. Some days I still look in the mirror and say to myself, Its good to be the king.

And speaking directly to the audience isnt just for classics, either. Recently the Amazon Prime showFleabag received critical acclaim for its leads scathingly honest and delightfully raunchy commentary on her own intimate life. And in the vein of comic book movies, Deadpool is the poster child for breaking the fourth wall.

As far as comic books go, She-Hulk was the first major comic book character to break the fourth wall. Jon Byrnes She-Hulk was sassyand self-aware, tearing through pages and roasting her own creative team. It was one of the things that established Jennifer as a character wholly separate from the Hulk. And it was also side-splittingly funny.

Years later, Deadpool would join Shulkie in speaking directly to the audience. Harley Quinn has also been known to break the fourth wall in comics. InBirds of Prey, Harley breaks the fourth wall quite a bit. Its all for the better of the story. The tale of her personal growth and, well, emancipation, is better because its told in Harleys own words.

Now, Deadpool is supposed to reappear in the MCU and She-Hulk has her own show. We can certainly expect to see a lot more instances of favorite characters looking directly at us in order to tell a story and catch some laughs.

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Danni is a staff writer and editor whose expertise lies in comic books, superhero movies, science fiction/fantasy, horror, and cheesy dad jokes. They spent 8 glorious years working at Austin Books & Comics, and created content for almost 15 years. They've written for the Daily Dot and made YouTube content with the Weirdlings. Danni currently does all the things for BoLS, Screen Fanatic, and TheStreet.

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Everything You Need to Know About Breaking the Fourth Wall - BoLS

Snuggling down into fresh bedding is one of lifes simple pleasures, so it can be disappointing when you get into bed only to find rips, snags or discolouration on your sheets. While bed linens arent designed to last forever, British designer Linda Barker explained that adjusting the way you wash them can make a huge difference to both how clean they are, and how long your favourite bed sets last. Heres your expert guide to caring for cotton and silk bedding.

Speaking exclusively toExpress.co.uk, esteemed designer, Linda Barker, who has extended her exclusive homeware collection with home furnishings retailer Terrys,said: In my mind, the look of the bed is the most important aesthetic part of a bedroom's decor.

A beautifully made bed is easy to achieve and is always worth the attention you lavish on it.

While quality bed linen may look expensive and luxurious on your bed, caring for the delicate fabric is really quite simple.

In fact, Linda warned against using complicated washing cycles and even urged people to ditch the supposedly germ-busting hot water cycles altogether.

READ MORE:Golden rule for removing toilet limescale with just 2 ingredients

She explained that cooler temperatures on the washing machine will prolong the life of your bedlinen and protect it from any unnecessary colour loss.

Linda said: Hot water is always damaging to bedlinen as it is breaks up the cotton (or silk) fibres and makes them brittle.

Its what the lint is in your washing machine - (the more lint, the more damage).

I always use an eco wash with only a warm water temperature as this will be much kinder to your linen and the environment.

Linda urged people to reduce the number of chemicals in each wash cycle in order to prevent damage and improve the freshness of their clean laundry.

She said: Often our washing is to get rid of skin and sweat rather than a build up of dirt so dont be too heavy handed with the chemicals which can be too damaging.

I use eco-friendly, plant-based washing liquid detergents and I never use fabric conditioners.

Linda added that once a year, it is worth washing your bed linens without any commercial detergents at all, and instead, use a cup of borax or baking soda to benefit both the fabric the washing machine.

Never use heat for drying

Keeping it simple is crucial when it comes to drying your bedding too according to Linda, who swears by drying sheets exclusively outdoors - even in the winter.

She said: Ill avoid rainy days of course but even in the winter I can usually get things dry. Thankfully taking care of the environment is the best approach for matching the care of our laundry so everything is good here.

How often should you wash bed sheets?

With these hot nights Id recommend that bed linen gets washed a little more often than if the nights were cooler.

Washing bedlinen once a week is a good habit to get into regardless of the season, if this seems too much washing then at least the pillows and the sheet should deserve this attention.

Your duvet cover can hold back a little longer, I suggest every two weeks.

More:

Laundry hacks: Expert says to ditch 4 things when washing bed sheets - always damaging - Express

The cost of energy is going up at an alarming rate in the UK, though the cost of solar panels has decreased by as much as 82 percent in the past decade, according to The Eco Experts. While the fall in prices is making it easier than ever to install these energy-generating panels in British homes, few people know the right way to maintain them for maximum energy generation. Cleaning is just one crucial task that keeps solar panels working to their full potential, but whats the safest and most efficient way to do it?

Solar photovoltaic systems (PV systems) are renewable energy technology that transforms the energy from the sun into electricity using photovoltaics (solar panels).

When these panels get dirty, they become more than just an eye sore and can even reduce efficiency by as much as 15 percent, according to the experts at Deege Solar.

The company said: As bird droppings, dust, pollution, and tree sap start to cover your panels, sunlight can no longer reach the solar cells.

Essentially, dirty panels have the same impact on a solar PV system as shading does.

By making sure your solar panels are clean, your solar generation will always be at its maximum.

READ MORE:Golden rule for removing toilet limescale with just 2 ingredients

The two key signs that your solar panels need cleaning will show in the performance of your PV system, or simply by looking at them.

A monitoring system will show irregularities in the energy generation, while surface debris is very easy to spot with a quick glance.

Roof-mounted solar panels should always be cleaned by a professional as they are hard to access safely without causing damage.However, if your solar panels are ground mounted or easily accessible, there are a few ways to clean them yourself.

Applying high pressure water or abrasive substances onto solar panels may appear to be a quick and easy fix, but it is likely to cause more harm than good.

Using anything that will scratch the panels or damage the silicon seams could also invalidate your warranty, so it is always advisable to keep it simple while cleaning.

According to the experts at Deege Solar, the best tools to use for cleaning solar panels include a water-fed pole with a soft brush, combined with a squeegee.

They said: You can water your solar panels using a hose on a low-pressure setting, scrub off the dirt with a soft brush and then squeegee the surface dry.

The technique isnt the only thing you need to master for cleaning solar panels.

In fact, timing is also crucial if you want gleaming results.

The team at Deege Solar said: Cleaning your solar panels on a hot day will result in leaving smudges all over your panels.

This is because the sun will evaporate the water too quickly.

Instead, it is best to get it done either early in the morning, or late in the evening.

An overcast day is also useful for achieving a seamless finish while cleaning your solar panels.

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How to clean solar panels: Best method to keep energy generation at its maximum - Express