“If you are afraid of confrontation, you are not going to do very well.”

—Bill Parcells, Hall of Fame football coach

Think of any mentor you've had in your entire life. Whether it was a parent, teacher, coach, or manager, they probably had a special way of getting under your skin. They coached hard, not mean-spirited, but demanding in a way that convinced you to raise your personal standards. Tough coaching gets a bad rap today, but Ian Mathews and Frank Cava make a case for a style that got the most out of us:

Also, in this episode:

· "You can't be tough on Millennials" and other nonsense myths

· You have to earn the right to be tough

· The problem with emulating famous coaches

· There is a time to be tough and a time to back off

· Managers who mask their insecurities with "toughness"

· What it means to be "pleased, but not satisfied"

· You can be tough and still be likable

· Criticize in private, protect in public

· You can be tough on any generation

· Passive-aggressive is not the same as tough; it's the opposite

· How to praise a star in public