A question that we’ve gotten from a number of readers is: I tried to give X constructive feedback, but then X got all defensive. How can I get through to X? When a person begins a conversation by saying or even just thinking, “I’ve got some constructive feedback for you,” the other person’s defenses go up right away. There are three problems with the way that’s phrased. The first is the construction of the sentence--basically, “I’m gonna tell you a…
There’s no manual for how to lead your team through a pandemic like COVID-19. Most people in the workforce today have never lived through a global crisis of this magnitude, so it can be difficult to know what you’re getting right and what you’re getting wrong. While there’s a lot we don’t know, there are a few things we know for sure: Everyone will remember how their boss responded during this crisis, and getting your team to challenge you can…
We have been compelled by recent, tragic events — including the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, as well as the disproportionate toll of COVID-19 on Black, Indigenous and People of Color — to take a hard look at ourselves and ask, how has Radical Candor contributed to systemic racism and what specific steps will we take to be part of the solution? For a company committed to helping everyone kick ass at work without losing their…
Like many white people, I have been thinking about how I can best actively be engaged in the Black Lives Matter movement and dismantle systemic racism in the U.S. One thing I think white people can do to become more antiracist in this moment (and going forward) is to be candid with ourselves and others about the racist things we have said and done in the past. The purpose of telling these stories is educational, not to shame ourselves or…
Torch, a leading coaching, mentoring and learning development platform for enterprise-level executives, employees and HR leaders, and Radical Candor, an executive education company co-founded by Kim Scott, author of the bestselling book Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, together announce the launch of a new month-long course called "The Radically Candid Coach." Participants of the course will attend virtual presentations from Scott and randomly selected participants out of the first 100 to register will have a chance to receive…
What’s feedback got to do with it? If it’s running a successful business or building strong relationships, effective feedback is everything. This is why Improvising Radical Candor, a co-production of Radical Candor and Second City Works, has created a laugh-and-learn workplace comedy series called The Feedback Loop to teach professionals a simple framework for successfully navigating feedback conversations. (Get the self-paced e-course for $59) Starring award-winning actor David Alan Grier, this binge-worthy series teaches employees the proven feedback framework outlined…
Every once in a while, if you’re lucky, you get to work on something that is so fun you can’t believe it’s work. For me, collaborating with my team and the folks at Second City Works to create a workplace comedy series, The Feedback Loop, was one of those experiences. Not only was it fun for me, it will make feedback conversations fun for everyone. Since Radical Candor was published, my team and I have been working hard to figure out the best…
The story below is from a time in my career 20 years ago, long before we were in the grips of the current global Covid-19 pandemic. I’m sharing it now because I thought it might help managers who are struggling with the emotional labor of being the boss. I described this story in the section of Radical Candor about why caring personally about each employee is central to your job as a leader. That is more true now than ever…
Let’s face it, giving and receiving meaningful feedback is hard. But learning how to do it by applying the principles of Radical Candor — Care Personally and Challenge Directly — doesn’t have to be a bore or a chore. Welcome to The Feedback Loop, a laugh-and-learn comedic adventure following two fearless leaders stuck in a cycle of communication chaos (think Groundhog Day meets The Office). After unsuccessfully trying to escape their office building, the pair realize the only way to…
We call managers who have low, almost non-existent involvement in their team’s work absentee managers. Those with extremely (maybe excruciatingly) close involvement are micromanagers. And in between those are the thought partners, the ones who empower, enable and encourage their teams to do the best work of their lives. How can you determine where you fall on this spectrum so you can learn how to move in the right direction instead of being a micromanager or an absentee manager? To help you figure out when you’re…