Karamo Brown says he almost didn't get cast in "Queer Eye" but persisted in getting an interview with a casting agent and turned his "fear-based" thoughts into "love-based" ones to land the job. "Anytime you tell yourself that this job is not going to work ... you turn that into 'I will have it because I've shown myself love, and I'm a good person,' " he says.

Successful leaders guide their own choices and seek advancement opportunities instead of waiting for praise or career guidance from a supervisor, Diana Peterson-More writes. "I have long thought that if we all just focused on one career -- our own -- we could do so with precision, accept responsibility for how it unfolds, and be intentional about our actions," she writes.

The most effective leaders use their strengths to create a vision, model successful behavior, challenge others to act and seek new ways to accomplish goals, writes Dan Rockwell. Every leader should acknowledge their weaknesses and work to shore them up, he writes.

Act on issues that cross organizational boundaries to set yourself apart as a leader, preparing to collaborate while managing the hurdles that may arise, writes Art Petty. "There are risks, but in my experience, the biggest threat comes from failing to try and make a difference," he writes.

A 2degrees study finds that 59% of people have friendly feelings toward those who use emoji in their communication, but 17% have gotten in trouble when the symbols were misinterpreted. Scott Taylor, chief consumer officer at 2degrees, notes language is dynamic and emoji are a way technology enhances communication.

Use pop culture references, quotes from celebrities, popular song lyrics and funny news stories in internal communications to foster connections between diverse employees, writes Steven Handmaker. "By intertwining pop culture and your workforce, you're finding an alternative way to speak with employees in a language they all understand," he writes.

More business leaders are taking "workcations" where they spend time far away from their offices with other leaders to build professional networks and help each other tackle problems and think in new ways about their business. "Studies show that people who are more networked innovate more regularly, because they have access to all these different skills and knowledge possibilities," says University of Minnesota professor Wilma Koutstaal.

A Finnish company says it has made a new protein "out of thin air" that tastes just like wheat flour and could be used in new food products. The substance is made from carbon dioxide, water and renewable electricity and is more climate-friendly than products made from animals or plants, the company says.

The House has voted 231-199 in favor of increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by October 2025. The measure is unlikely to succeed in the Senate, as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he will not take up the legislation.

Why it matters: The heat wave spreading across the US extends from the Plains to the Northeast and South. It's a disappointment and inconvenience for would-be participants in the now-canceled New York City Triathlon. More important, it's downright dangerous. Excessive heat can be more hazardous at night, as a European study found, because efforts to deal with the high temps all day have a cumulative effect. People in cities also have to contend with the urban island effect. Unfortunately, it looks like our weekend is going to be a "while you were sweating" kind of situation. --Paula