I'm not going to defend his actions, and I won't claim I would have done any better, but I can empathize with the feeling. When you are called out, even when y

I'm not going to defend his actions, and I won't claim I would have done any better, but I can empathize with the feeling. When you are called out, even when you are clearly in the wrong, your first reaction is defensiveness. I know, I've been there. It's tough addressing one's own issues, but it's the right thing to do, and do it in the most emotionless manner possible. You are right it comes with the job; but I think the first time it happens at a scale one is not used to is a very hard inflection point that can make or break how one grows (or doesn't!) from that point forward. "Fail fast" shouldn't be a mantra simply for startups.