Something people often misunderstand: giving brutally honest feedback isn’t about being harsh or acting like an asshole.
Giving brutally honest feedback is about actually spending your time and mental energy – even for a bit – for a specific person.
It means using the product they’re building, thinking deeply about the project they’re working on, or grappling with their challenges as if they were your own.
Then, you speak your mind. If something feels off or you believe they’re headed in the wrong direction, you tell them.
And you’ll soon notice this is reciprocal. Even further, as you get older, you’ll realize the people who give you brutally honest feedback (which you absolutely need) are usually the ones that you’ve given brutally honest feedback to.
Feedback goes both ways, but someone has to go first, and that someone can be you.