Our words carry enormous weight. More than we sometimes think. They often impact people for decades, providing the courage to press on or the reason to give up.

As a leader, you are going to draw fire. People will criticize you. But the greatest leaders are not easily offended. Instead, they remember these three simple truths.

Why is it that some people get more grump as they get older and others become more joyful. Perhaps it’s a matter of how we choose to view what happens to us.

The way we deal with offenses will determine the course of our spiritual journey. Here is my premise: “If you are going to survive—and fulfill your God-given calling—you must learn to handle criticism and overlook offenses.” In this speech I provide four truths about offenses.

Recently, I wrote about how leaders must learn to handle criticism and overlook offenses. I think this is the number one way that leaders can get derailed and rendered ineffective.

Perhaps you’ve noticed: customer service has deteriorated noticeably since the recession began. Fewer waiters in restaurants. Slower room service in hotels. Longer wait times for support. This is hardly surprising. With significant layoffs in almost every industry, fewer people are available to provide the level of service you have come to expect. Here are four strategies for responding to poor customer service.

The use of e-mail in corporate culture is pervasive. I rarely get letters any more. Even phone calls are uncommon. But I get scores of e-mail messages every day. Yet, I am continually surprised at how people often misuse this medium. Therefore, I would like to humbly offer up 18 suggestions for better e-mail communication and etiquette: