My boss once told me I was 'too direct.' I found a way to turn that critique into my strength in the workplace.

• Early in my career, a boss told me I was "too direct" and my coworkers couldn't handle me.
• I didn't want to hide my greatest strength as an assertive person.
• I eventually learned when to be direct and when to balance it out with politeness. 

Early on in my human resources career, my boss made a comment that stuck with me: "You're really direct, and many people aren't going to know how to handle you."