The nails of a dog which hasn’t played on the road for a couple of weeks become overly sharp. They aren’t alone – we all develop rough edges when we disengage with a harsh source of reality. That reality check comes to us in the form of feedback. 

One may assume that we all love feedback – because we want to grow; but we also have another competing priority – to be loved for who we are – and that makes us hate feedback. 

Further, people avoid giving harsh feedback to others because it makes them uncomfortable.

Ironically, we are more likely to receive less feedback as we become deep experts or assume positions of high authority. We become the emperor who has no clothes. 

Experts, founders, CEOs and team leaders – listen to your users, cofounders, coaches and peers. If anything they said hasn’t wrenched your gut recently, its likely that your nails need some filing.