Violet is chasing Charlie Brown in a “Peanuts” cartoon yelling, “It’s no use running! I’ll get you! I’ll knock your block off!”

Charlie then turns around and says, “Wait a minute! Hold everything! We can’t carry on like this! We have no right to act this way ... The world is filled with problems ... People hurting other people ... People not understanding other people ... Now, if we, as children, can’t solve what are relatively minor problems, how can we ever expect to ..."

In the next frame Violet punches Charlie Brown and explains to her friend, “I had to hit him quick ... He was beginning to make sense!”

Unlike most of us, Violet clearly is not afraid of confrontation. I suspect that most people would prefer to avoid confrontation. It is more in our nature to get out of the way.

NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who saw his share of confrontation on the field, said, “I don’t like confrontation.” He’s on Team Charlie Brown.

But NFL coaching great Bill Parcells disagrees, saying, “I think confrontation is healthy, because it clears the air very quickly.” Score one for Team Violet.

Confrontations can be difficult, but they are a very essential aspect of relationships. The most essential aspect of confrontation is honest communication, clarity and confession.

When confrontation is handled properly, it establishes clear lines of communication. It should never be about punishing or humiliating people. You want to express yourself without blaming others.

Duke University basketball Hall-of-Famer Mike Krzyzewski said, “Confrontation simply means meeting the truth head-on.”

It starts with overcoming your fear of confrontation. Most of us think of confrontation in negative terms -- people who are assertive, aggressive, hostile and so on. We’re focused on the outcome instead of the issues. One of the best ways to overcome your fear of confrontation is to prepare for it. What do you want to say? Think about what you want to accomplish from the conversation. What is your goal? Do you want to make a specific point?

If you enter any confrontation in attack mode, chances are you’re not going to get a satisfactory result.

Glenn Van Ekeren in his book “Little Leadership Lessons ... From an Old Guy” outlines some simple yet profound considerations he has found useful that I would like to expound on.

Be factual. Do you have the complete story, including the other side? If not, ask and then listen. Avoid rumors and perceptions.

Be fair. Confrontation is not a ticket for personal attack. It should always be about the issues. Accept responsibility if you were in the wrong. Don’t make it into a competition. Look for solutions together. Keep in control of your emotions.

Be firm and honest. Too often, people hide their feelings and bite their tongue because they don’t want to offend anyone. It’s the wrong approach. Tell it as you see it -- with tact and compassion. People will appreciate your honesty.

Be respectful and polite. Be approachable, pleasant and nonargumentative. Let people know you appreciate and care about them. Be calm. Don’t lose your cool. I repeat, don’t make it personal.

If all else fails and the other person isn’t willing to have a constructive conversation, it’s OK to simply walk away and revisit things at a later time, when both parties have had time to mull things over.

Of course, there are occasions when immediate action is required, as illustrated by this story. This fanciful legend is told as the transcript of a radio transmission between two different naval operators.

OPERATOR 1: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the south, to avoid a collision.

OPERATOR 2: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the north to avoid a collision.

O1: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision.

02: WE ARE A LARGE NAVAL VESSEL ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, I SAY AGAIN, THAT IS 15 DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTERMEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

O1: We are a lighthouse. Your call.

Mackay’s Moral: You can’t change what you refuse to confront.

I recently came across an old nursery rhyme that lists the six best doctors -- sunlight, rest, exercise, diet, self-confidence and friends. I’d like to examine each one and why they are special.

Sunlight -- A beautiful sunny day boosts everyone’s spirits. Vitamin D from sunshine doesn’t hurt, either. Sunlight is one of the reasons why I’m a snowbird from Minnesota who winters in Arizona.

Rest -- As I get older, the power of rest becomes more important. In fact, rest is important at any age. We lead such busy lives, and I’ve certainly been a culprit of trying to cram as many things into my life as possible. I always joked that I want this epitaph on my tombstone: “He couldn’t sleep fast enough.” I’ve always been afraid that I might miss something. Forget it. Get your rest.

Exercise -- All kinds of studies show that working out is good, but I don’t need a study to tell me about exercise. I’ve been exercising all my life. It just makes me feel better, gives me energy to work more productively and, I hope, live longer. My philosophy is: Exercise doesn’t take time; it makes time.

Back in the 1960s, I attended Stanford University for three months for its Graduate School of Business Executive Program. Many people in the program were addicted to running, and they asked me to join them. I agreed, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve been a runner ever since and have run 10 marathons. Now I play a lot of golf. And I walk the courses whenever possible.

Diet -- Eating a healthy diet is all about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health and boosting your mood. Good nutrition, physical activity and healthy body weight are essential parts of a person’s overall health and well-being.

Self-confidence -- Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives, yet many people don’t believe in themselves as they should, and they find it difficult to become successful. Confidence enables you to perform to the best of your abilities, without the fear of failure holding you back. It starts with believing in yourself.

Confidence doesn’t come naturally to most people. Even the most successful people have struggled with it in their careers. The good news is that you can develop confidence, just like any muscle or character trait, if you’re willing to work hard.

Friends -- I can’t imagine what my life would have been like if I hadn’t had such loyal and true friends. I am fortunate to number among my friends several classmates from first grade, as well as people I just met. My friends have saved my bacon over and over again. A few have actually saved my life.

Friendship is like a bank account: You cannot continue to draw on it without making deposits. That’s why I say the best vitamin for making friends is B1. We have wonderful opportunities to make friends wherever we go. I jump at those opportunities! I love meeting new people because I get a different view of the world.

A fascinating study from Harvard University tracked the physical and emotional health of 700 people. They followed these people and tested them (e.g., blood samples, brain scans) for 75 years. The primary conclusion: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier.

That reminds me of a quote commonly attributed to John Lennon: “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

Mackay’s Moral: Taking care of yourself is the best way to take care of others.

Remote work has emerged as a widespread practice in the workplace. It’s safe to say that the traditional workplace is forever changed due to the COVID pandemic.

Between 2019 and 2021, the number of people primarily working from home tripled, from roughly 9 million people) to 27.6 million people, according to new 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) released by the U.S. Census Bureau. More than 36 million Americans are expected to work remotely by 2025.

Nearly half of the workers in the District of Columbia now work from home. Another geographic area with a high percentage of remote workers is San Francisco and Oakland.

A report from Owl labs in 2021 found that 55% of respondents say they work more hours remotely than at the physical office. And some companies are reporting that remote workers are more productive and happier. Flexibility for family schedules, eliminating stressful and time-consuming commutes, freedom to work from any location and reducing expenses for work-related clothing and meals are among the reasons that workers mention for working away from the traditional office setting.

Technology has made remote work an ideal solution for so many people who otherwise may not be able to participate in the workforce.

Whether you’re freelancing or telecommuting from a full-time job, you really can be just as productive as a cubicle dweller, if not more so. Just remember this advice for succeeding on the home front:

-- Start your day off right. You may not have to work a rigid 9-to-5 schedule when working at home, but you must take your job seriously at all times. “Report” to your desk, wherever it is, at an appropriate time, ready to work. Some experts recommend showering and dressing as if you’re going to the office to get into the right frame of mind.

-- Understand what your organization needs. Working from home means you won’t get as much direct feedback and instruction from your boss throughout the day. Get clear expectations from your manager so you’ll be working on the right tasks and adhering to the right schedule. Set short-term and long-range goals that align with your organization’s objectives.

-- Establish firm boundaries. Family members and friends should know when you’re working and realize that you can’t be interrupted for trivial reasons. Keep your door closed (if you have one) and let voicemail pick up the phone. Emergencies aside, don’t get distracted by irrelevant chitchat.

-- Stay connected with people. Don’t let them forget you back at the office. Check in frequently with emails and phone calls to let people know you’re on top of things. Visit the office when you can and maintain your friendships with co-workers. You want to be thought of as a full member of the team, wherever you are.

-- Make sure your internet and phone connections are reliable and adequate for the demands of the job. Make plans for alternate locations if necessary for power outages and internet issues. And if you are planning to work from a really remote location, such as a mountain retreat or a tropical island, check in advance for connectivity issues.

-- Take breaks as needed. Don’t work yourself to exhaustion trying to prove you’re just as productive at home as you would be at work. Although you shouldn’t start a home renovation project in the middle of writing a report, there’s nothing wrong with spending a few minutes emptying the dishwasher or putting laundry away to clear your mind and relax a little.

-- Evaluate your progress regularly. Keep track of your workload and your goals so you can review how much you’re getting done and whether you need to make any adjustments. As your own supervisor, you’ll need to keep an eye on what you’re accomplishing so you don’t fall behind.

Let me share a little secret that salespeople have known for generations: Working remotely is hardly a new phenomenon. In this profession, a lot of work gets done on the golf course, at a ball game or over a good meal. As a lifelong salesman, I appreciate the flexibility. But I am grateful for those back at the factory who show up every day to manufacture the products that we sell!

Mackay’s Moral: Getting down to business doesn’t need to mean getting to the business.