Why Great Entrepreneurs Thank the People Who Make Them Feel Terrible
What’s best for your startup might not always be enjoyable
“You spoke too quickly,” said one of the students in my class. “It was really hard to understand what you were trying to tell us.”
The student wasn’t talking to me. Instead, I was having students in my entrepreneurship class practice their startup pitches for each other, and she was critiquing one of her classmates.
I realize the feedback itself — “you’re speaking too quickly” — isn’t particularly complex or nuanced. However, it surprised me because it was unusually direct. Usually, when students give feedback to other students, they’re overly polite and positive. In contrast, this student had identified a problem and clearly articulated that problem to the person who needed to hear it.
Simple, right?
Only it’s not simple. In fact, clear, concise, actionable feedback is one of the rarest resources in entrepreneurship. It never feels good. In fact, it usually feels shitty. But, whenever people give it to you — if people ever give it to you — thank them. They just did you a huge favor.
