In an ever-evolving global landscape, executives find themselves more and more overseeing the work of a distributed workforce. Whether your employees are spread domestically across the U.S. or even more diversely across the globe, there are things you can do to improve the team and culture.

McKinsey’s 2019 State of Fashion report identified “radical transparency” as a top trend in its industry, as consumers increasingly demand more information about supply chains. The trend is hardly limited to fashion, however. From Whole Foods’s GMO-transparency initiative to Buffer’s open-salary calculator, companies in every sector are learning to be open about their business practices.

As many die-hard baseball fans know all too well, you can’t win the pennant in April -- but you can lose it. The same sentiment rings true for businesses at the start of each year. While a great first quarter doesn’t necessarily guarantee a banner year, a terrible first quarter will absolutely ensure a year that falls short of expectations. That’s why it’s imperative to make your employees feel energized and motivated -- almost as if they are being shot out of a cannon -- as the new year begins.

When people disrespect you or do not treat you well, it is easy to take their behavior personally, to blame yourself and think you have anything to do with someone else's behavior. Taking things personally is emotionally draining, and an unnecessary, constant reevaluation of your self-esteem. There's a difference between being reflective and constantly taking slights personally, one is productive and lends itself to self improvement, the other is the opposite. Not taking things personally gives you more control over how you respond, your emotions and your energy level. Here are a few ways to stop taking things personally: