I totally agree. Advisers should be more like Asian parents. "Western" parents (much like "Western" advisers) start with the premisse that their children's self-esteem is fragile and therefore constantly try to reassure their children about how good they are. While Asian parents start with the premisse that their children's self-esteem will build up with improving performance hence are consistently critical and pushing their kids to improve. here's a link to different parenting styles - http://proto-knowledge.blogspot.com/2011/01/asian-vs-western.... I think advisers might learn a thing or two about "parenting" startups from it