When a friend tells you the hard thing, the easy move is to get mad. The smart move is to ask for more.

Somebody telling you an uncomfortable truth has weighed losing you against saying nothing, and picked you. Anger is the cheap response because it stops the discomfort immediately, and it also teaches them never to do it again. Then you are surrounded by people who agree with everything. That is not loyalty, it is just quiet.

Next time it happens, ask a follow-up question before you say anything else. What else have you noticed, or when did you see that. You do not have to accept the verdict, and asking for more is what keeps that person willing to speak up again.