I absolutely agree: The hardest thing in academia is to get honest feedback. Partly because telling academics that they are not going to succeed is like kicking

I absolutely agree: The hardest thing in academia is to get honest feedback. Partly because telling academics that they are not going to succeed is like kicking puppies, but more because of the conflicts of interest: To succeed as a prof you need to attract good students, and a prof with a reputation for judging students harshly might have trouble recruiting. Academic adviser is one hell of a job: You must advocate passionately for your students, and you must also correct them, and you must motivate them, but you should give them honest advice...