Summer fests, rooftop events, lunches with lawyers—my belly has gotten out of hand! But it did not really bother me until someone else pointed it out. It was a rather blunt observation from a friend who was not trying to be mean. And boy did it have an impact. I’m back on the bike, and my favorite chips and dips are off-limits for awhile. I am fortunate to have people in my life who are willing to get real with me.

Who do you have in your professional life who can get real with you? Bosses come in many varieties, and many fail to get constructive criticism right. Bad bosses often deliver negative feedback in a confrontational way that fails to help, because, well … to heck with that guy. Really bad bosses keep negative feedback to themselves, because they can’t handle uncomfortable conversation. More and more, bosses focus only on positive reinforcement, which in many respects is quite understandable.