Wow! That's one ugly baby.

Everybody has something they don't want to hear about themselves. As a consultant, you are sometimes forced to call attention to short-comings of your clients or potential clients. This pertains to the old advice of not "calling someone's baby ugly". Only a select few can really accept criticism for what it is... suggestions for change.

I'll admit, these suggestions can seem more like acusations at times. Acusations have a tendency to have the reaction of having people put up their gaurd. It is even more common for people to put up their gaurd to any suggestion no matter how blunt or sugar-coated. This usually embodies itself in suggestions for change being rationalized away. The conversation goes something like this:

• Mr/Miss/Mrs/Dr Doe, you have a problem.
• It's not me. It's not my fault. I've been trying to do better

Why is it we can't just accept what people say? The funny part is that we don't accept these things no matter how many times we hear them. I heard a funny quote from a movie that I have to agree with. "The first time someone calls you a horse, you punch him on the nose. The second time someone calls you a horse, you call him a jerk. The third time someone calls you a horse, well, then perhaps it's time to go shopping for a saddle." (Lucky Number Slevin) Learn to accept what people see that you do not. It's the same reason a smart person will have people that are different from them nearby. You have blindspots and the biggest is your ego!

Me... I'm sitting here not only calling my baby ugly, but your's too. Some people pay for this to happen, some ask for the advise and others do not ask, but still get it. Have the courage to accept the answer. I'm not saying you have to say "thank you". Learn to accept the fact that you are not perfect, you may never be perfect, but you can work toward being perfect. Have the brass to get back up and give it another go, if things don't work out the first time. Don't be afraid to have a mirror put to your face.