“Everyone gets a trophy!” The single-biggest corrupting force of the Millennial generation is supposedly our parents’ efforts to boost our self-esteem by making everyone a winner. And sure, handing out a tie-first place ribbon to everyone does devalue the training and discipline that defines a winner, but I think the tide has turned on this strategy somewhat. We are beginning to understand more widely that we need to teach kids to be good losers, because everyone already knows how to win. In fact, a field of psychology has cropped up around righting the self-esteem bender we all went on in the ’90s and ’00s.

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Workers just want to feel appreciated.

That’s the No. 1 factor impacting employees’ satisfaction with their employers, according to data released Tuesday by compensation data and software provider PayScale. It tops good communication, career development, pay and the company’s future outlook to take the top spot.

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Our brains and workplace culture have evolved to make criticism easier than constructive feedback, but we can take steps to change.

Tim Cole, now founder and CEO of The Compass Alliance, used to hear criticism like this regularly in a previous work environment. Tasked with taking over a department he admits had a “septic culture,” Cole stepped into a quagmire of low morale. There was legitimate debate on shutting the operation down,” he explains, “despite the contribution to profitability.”

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In light of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, women and men from nearly industry are speaking up and sharing their stories of sexual harassment. As we’ve reported, the legal industry is certainly not immune.

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