Radical Candor: Communication at Work

Don't Criticize Your Employees In Public 6 | 7

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You've heard us say often that it's important to praise your employees in public (if they're comfortable with it) but to always give criticism in priv...

What Does Managing Out Mean? 6 | 6

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For a podcast about communication at work, we sometimes use corporate jargon that doesn't always make sense—even to us. We disagree about corporate ...

Trust and Inspire With Stephen M.R. Covey 6 | 5

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Learn how the shift from command and control to a culture focused on collaboration. Stephen M.R. Covey joins us for our first Radically Candid Convers...

Loud Laborers: All Talk, No Action 6 | 4

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Loud laborers talk big about their projects at work while accomplishing very little. Join us to explore the characteristics of these self-proclaimed w...

Elevating Introverts at Work 6 | 3

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hey there you introvert in an extrovert culture — we see you! Extroverts are often overrepresented on management teams and many leaders are unsure h...

Managers are Burned Out, too 6 | 2

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Managers are burned out AF. A boss’s job is to guide a team to achieve results. However, in the current landscape of constant disruptions, this job ...

Storytelling at Work 6 | 1

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a good story and why do leaders need to know? Kim and Amy discuss storytelling at work, how our brains are wired for stories and why Kim fo...

Surviving Holiday Communication With Your Family 5 | 30

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Holiday communication with your family can be rife with stress. But you can survive it by practicing Radical Candor with your nearest and dearest. thi...

A 'Hot Potato' Management Dilemma 5 | 29

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The team explores a year-end management dilemma — how to fairly evaluate a hot potato employee who's been bounced from team to team and manager to m...

Identify the Elephant 5 | 28

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learn how to identify the elephant in the room when a direct report's performance isn't meeting expectations. Kim and Jason roleplay how to be kind an...

Toxic Positivity at Work 5 | 27

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Can a “nice” workplace culture be as toxic as an abusive one? This past summer, our content intern Katie Bartlett (hi Katie!) wrote a piece about ...

Managerial Musings With Dick Costolo 5 | 26

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Management expert and former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo joins Kim for Managerial Musings. Kim and Dick answer listener questions, read between the lines...

Is Being a Manager Right for Me? 5 | 25

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Should you become a manager? For folks who thrive on building a team and guiding others to achieve results, becoming a manager may be a dream come tru...

Making Masterclass — Radically Candid Conversations 5 | 24

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The group talks about the making of MasterClass, strategies for managing cross-functional teams and how to get everyone home in time for dinner. Kim, ...

We Have Some Feedback About Feedforward 5 | 23

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Feedback vs. feedforward — both of these words are well-intentioned euphemisms that tend toward either Ruinous Empathy or Manipulative Insincerity. ...

Leading With Compassion 5 | 22

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In times of trauma, it’s all about care personally. This is not the moment to challenge directly. Or to make policy pronouncements, especially if th...

Ally Love is In the House for Radically Candid Conversations 5 | 21

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Peloton and TODAY show contributor Ally LoveI is here! If you're the boss, it all starts with you. For better or worse, a boss establishes the tone an...

What is Mobbing at Work? 5 | Bonus

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

October is National Bullying Prevention Month! On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, we're dropping a bonus episode from Kim's Just Work podc...

What's Up With Performance Improvement Plans? 5 | 20

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amy and Kim talk about performance improvement plans (PIPs). When used correctly, performance improvement plans can be valuable if there is a commitme...

Giving Feedback About Nervous Laughter — Funny (Not Funny) 5 | 19

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amy and Jason answer a listener's question about how to give feedback about nervous laughter. As you may have noticed, we like to laugh on this podcas...

Amy Edmondson On the Science of Failing Well — Radically Candid Conversations 5 | 18

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kim and Amy welcome Amy C. Edmondson, the Novartis professor of leadership and management at the Harvard Business School and author of several books, ...

Coming Out at Work 5 | 17

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Amy and Brandi discuss coming out at work and Amy and Brandi share their stories. In response to an unprecedented spike in discriminatory legisla...

Appreciation (That's What The Money's For!) 5 | 16

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Amy and Jason discuss Praise, Recognition, Appreciation and Gratitude. Kim also takes on the role of Don Draper to act out a scene from Mad Men's...

Creating Consequences for Bullies 5 | Bonus

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bullying at work is real. We're dropping a bonus episode from Kim's Just Work podcast featuring a conversation about bullying at work, in Hollywood an...

The Feedback Sandwich (Kiss Me, Kick Me, Kiss Me) 5 | 15

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Amy and Jason discuss feedback sandwiches. These are not the tasty sandwiches beloved by Joey Tribbiani on Friends. While these sandwiches look d...

Don't Be Suspicious ... Get Curious 5 | 14

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you trust your employees? Kim and Jason reach into the Radical Candor digital mailbag to answer a question about what to do when an employee starts...

Feedback vs. Nitpicking (If It's Yellow Let it Mellow) 5 | 13

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Jason and Amy discuss the difference between feedback and nitpicking. Kim says, "There is one rule of thumb that applies to criticism in general ...

The #1 Skill Leaders Need to Succeed — Radically Candid Conversations with Muriel Wilkins 5 | 12

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What's the most important leadership skill? Kim and Amy welcome C-suite advisor and executive coach Muriel Wilkins to the first Radically Candid Conve...

Stuck In a Ruinous Empathy Rut 5 | 11

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The team delves into a mash-up of Ruinous Empathy and Manipulative Insincerity. Ruinous Empathy—being “nice” but ultimately unhelpful and unkind...

How to Make Work Less Like Junior High (A Tale of 2 Jasons) 5 | 10

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Clean escalation dictates managers not allow people to talk about one another to them behind each other’s backs and not engage in office gossip. Kim...

The 'Oops, Just Kidding' Job Offer 5 | 9

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Jason and Amy discuss another upsetting trend in the workplace — the “oops, just kidding!” job offer. The team emphasizes the importance of...

The Fundamental Attribution Error 5 | 8

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Jason and Amy discuss how the fundamental attribution error makes us more likely to use personality attributes to explain someone else’s behavi...

Fears for Tears 5 | 7

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re the boss, you’re kind of an emotional shock absorber for your team. You’ve got to be able to deal with other people’s emotions. When...

'Radical Candor' Rescued From an Abandoned Apartment 5 | 6

22 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Jason and Amy dig into the virtual career advice mailbag and answer questions from Radical Candor listeners and readers. What happens when people...

Quiet Hiring—Opportunity or Dumpster Fire? 5 | 5

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Quiet Hiring, Turnover Contagion and Layoff Survivor Guilt can lead to a culture of fear. Kim, Jason, Amy and Brandi discuss how when people are worki...

The Emotional Toll of Being Laid Off 5 | 4

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you experienced a layoff? Jason hosts this episode of the Radical Candor podcast and interviews Amy, Kim and Brandi about layoffs. The team discu...

Absentee Management vs. Quiet Firing — What’s the Difference? 5 | 3

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Jason and Amy discuss absentee management and quiet firing. While these two things can feel the same to the person experiencing them, the thing t...

Are You 'Helping' or Micromanaging? 5 | 2

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A classic example of a micromanaging helicopter boss is Bill from the 1999 movie Office Space, the bad boss who spawned thousands of memes. He roams a...

What's Your Radical Candor Story? 5 | 1

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to season 5 of the Radical Candor podcast! On this episode, we have a montage of Radical Candor, Manipulative Insincerity and Obnoxious Aggres...

Radical Candor Wipeouts Reimagined 4 | 17

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ready for some roleplaying? On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy address how to respond to some specific scenarios with R...

What Do Managers of Managers Do? (The Crank Call From Kim) 4 | 16

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Does anyone actually want to be a manager of managers? And if so, what do these people actually do? On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast Kim,...

What Do Managers (of Small Teams) Do Anyways? 4 | 15

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What do bosses do anyways? On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, we're starting a new series to answer that question! Is it a manager’s job...

Quiet Quitting Speaks Loudly About Bad Bosses 4 | 14

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Jason and Amy discuss the clear message quiet quitting is loudly sending to bad bosses and managers of managers. We know that relationships don’...

Create a Culture of Learning Where it's Safe to Fail—Get Sh*t Done Step 7 ~ 4 | 13

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Once your idea has been implemented, you probably think you're done with this whole Get Sh*t Done Wheel thing — but there’s one more step, Learn. ...

Implement Your Brilliant Idea—Get Sh*t Done Step 6 ~ 4 | 12

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Once everyone is on board with your great idea, it’s time for action, which brings us to step 6 of the Get Shit Done Wheel. On this episode of the R...

Persuade Uncle Scrammy—Get Sh*t Done Step 5 ~ 4 | 11

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Once a decision is made, you’ve got to get people on board, which brings us to step 5 of the Get Sh*t Done Wheel — Persuade. While getting others ...

Push Decisions Into the Facts—Get Shit Done Step 4 ~ 4 | 10

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Jason and Amy discuss how to make a decision after you've listened, clarified and debated your idea. Step 4 of the Get Shit Done Wheel, decide, i...

How to Be a Thought Partner Instead of a Micro or Absentee Manager 4 | 9

30 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amy and Jason discuss managers who have low, almost non-existent involvement in their team’s work, aka absentee managers; those with extremely (mayb...

Debate (Don't Squish) Ideas—Get Shit Done Step 3 ~ 4 | 8

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We discuss the steps to follow for a successful debating process. If you skip the debate phase, you’ll make worse decisions, you’ll be unable to p...

Kim Scott & Russ Laraway—Radically Candid Conversations 4 | 7

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We're welcoming back to the podcast Russ Laraway, author of the book When They Win, You Win: Being a Great Manager is Simpler Than You Think, coming o...

Leverage Staff Meetings to Help Clarify Ideas—Get Sh*t Done Step 2 (Part 2) ~ 4 | 6

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for part two of how to clarify your thinking for yourself and others as part of the Get Sh*t Done Wheel (listen to part one). On this episod...

Clarify Your Thinking—Get Sh*t Done Step 2 ~ 4 | 5

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Once you have created a culture of listening, the next step in the Radical Candor Get Sh*t Done Wheel is to push yourself and your direct reports to u...

Create a Culture of Listening—Get Stuff Done Step 1 ~ 4 | 4

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Communication and career tips abound in this series! Our next several episodes of the Radical Candor podcast are going to be shorter explorations of t...

Skill and Will—Steep Growth Trajectory & Poor Performance 4 | 3

16 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Jason and Amy discuss one of the most perplexing management dilemmas you might experience: when a person who ought to be taking on more and more ...

How to Get Sh*t Done Like a Boss 4 | 2

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we continue into 2022, or more accurately what feels like the third year of 2020, the mere idea of trying to get stuff done at work likely feels ov...

The "Um" Story 4 | Mini

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Radical Candor happens at the intersection Care Personally and Challenge Directly. On this mini-episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim tells the "...

Rock Star vs. Superstar Mode 4 | 1

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Building a team is hard. But as we’re seeing now during the Great Resignation, failure to spend time building and investing in a team can have disas...

The Bob Story, a Tale of Ruinous Empathy 4 | Mini

10 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ruinous Empathy is what happens when you want to spare someone’s short-term feelings, so you don’t tell them something they need to know. You Care...

How to Choose A Radically Candid Boss 3 | 12

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you're in the market for a new job and you are lucky enough to have multiple offers, or you’re in a position where you can afford to wait for the...

How to Get Feedback 3 | Mini

29 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There is an order of operations to practicing the principles of Radical Candor. The first thing to do is to ask for criticism, especially if you’re ...

Retain Your Team During the Great Resignation 3 | 11

15 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve likely heard about the Great Resignation — perhaps you’re even one of the millions of people who’ve bid their jobs farewell over the pa...

How to Give Feedback 4 | Mini

01 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are a few things we suggest for folks looking to give Radically Candid Feedback, our HIP and CORE framework. Kim breaks it down on our latest mi...

How to Encourage Feedback Between Others 3 | 10

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a lot easier to lead by example than it is to change other people’s behavior. If you want to encourage feedback between the people on your te...

Eliminate the Phrase 'Don't Take It Personally' from Your Vocabulary 3 | Mini

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When giving feedback, you should expect emotion. Even when you don’t personalize, it’s personal. That’s why you should eliminate the phrase, “...

How to Practice Radical Candor With Your Boss 3 | 9

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We get a lot of questions about how folks can practice Radical Candor with their bosses as many people are reluctant to give feedback to their manager...

The Problem With Passion 3 | 8

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Amy and Jason discuss what Kim refers to in Radical Candor as “the problem with passion.” You’ve ...

Development Versus Management—The Measurement Problem 3 | 7

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most everyone has had a boss who failed at performance development⁠—helping people on their team grow and move forward in their careers. The way y...

It's Not Mean, It's Clear 3 | Mini

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

According to research from Gallup, less than 15% of managers feel confident that the feedback they provide to employees is effective and only 26% of e...

Practicing Radical Candor In Remote Workplaces 3 | 6

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With more teams working remotely over the past year than ever before, we've received a few questions from folks about how to practice Radical Candor i...

What is Radical Candor? Radical Candor 6-Minute Crash Course 3 | Mini

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the Radical Candor podcast's first mini-episode. We'll be posting these bite-sized 5-10 minute mini Radical Candor podcast episodes between...

Let's Talk About Bullying In Remote Workplaces 3 | 5

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Workplace Bullying Institute describes workplace bullying as: “Repeated mistreatment of an employee by one or more employees; abusive conduct th...

Gauge the Feedback You're Giving & Getting 3 | 4

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever wonder how the feedback you give others is landing? How about your reaction to the feedback you're receiving? This giving-and-getting feed...

Bias, Prejudice & Bullying at Workplace 3 | 3

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, we're bringing back our Radically Candid Conversations series. Amy talks to Kim Scott about her new boo...

Context Matters — Share Your Radical Candor Stories 3 | 2

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Amy and Jason discuss why it's so important to share your stories with your team. Show some vuln...

Are You a Quiet or Loud Listener? Listening Lessons from Apple 3 | 1

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kim writes in Radical Candor that Apple CEO Tim Cook is a master of silence, a quiet listener. She describes Steve Jobs as a loud listener. What's the...

Navigating Emotional Reactions at Work 2 | 16

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you’re the one getting emotional or you’re giving someone feedback and they react with unexpected emotion, it’s important to recognize t...

What's In It for Me? Weighing Your Peer-to-Peer Feedback Options 2 | 15

16 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How can you get your employees more engaged at work if they're not invested in the company long term, and is it your obligation to be Radically Candid...

Manipulative Insincerity, Talking ABOUT People Instead of TO Them 2 | 14

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Manipulative Insincerity is what happens when you neither Care Personally nor Challenge Directly. It’s praise that is non-specific and insincere, or...

Intersection of Technology & Human Relations: Radically Candid Conversations 2 |13

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our podcast series, “Radically Candid Conversations,” features experts and guests who help us learn, reflect and put our insights into action. Thi...

Relationships, Not Power, Drive You Forward 2 | 12

27 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kim and Jason answer listener questions and share their experiences about being a boss who's younger than their direct reports and having their wings ...

Building for Everyone: Radically Candid Conversations 2 | 11

19 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our podcast series, “Radically Candid Conversations,” features experts and guests who will help us learn, reflect and put our insights into action...

You Can't Talk to Me That Way 2 | 10

06 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If someone has approached you and said, "In the spirit of Radical Candor ..." and then proceeded to act like a total jerk, you've experienced how some...

Meet Like A Boss — The 411 On 1:1s 2 | 9

30 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a boss, 1:1 meetings with your direct reports are a must-do. The purpose of a 1:1 meeting is to listen and clarify — to understand what di...

The Go-To Question 2 | 8

23 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Being the boss doesn’t mean you automatically get respect from people, but the authority does have an automatic impact on what people will say to yo...

Proactive Forbearance 2 | 7

16 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kim, Jason and Amy discuss how doing less can lead to more success. Kim recommends creating a proactive forbearance list where you list all of the thi...

Digging In to Toxic Stew 2 | 6

08 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Radical Candor readers regularly reach out to us for advice about how to Care Personally and Challenge Directly. On this episode, Amy and Jason shed s...

Using Radical Candor to Improve DEI Conversations 2 | 5

26 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our new podcast series, “Radically Candid Conversations,” features experts and guests who will help us learn, reflect, and put our insights into a...

Radically Candid Conversations: Anti-Racism 2 | 4

15 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our first discussion with Kim Scott and Dr. A. Breeze Harper, Ph.D., a diversity and inclusion strategist, antiracism scholar and facilitator, explore...

Unhappy Cats In a Pond: Challenging Directly During a Crisis 2 | 3

20 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In its most basic form, Radical Candor is a framework to facilitate communication that is kind, clear, specific and sincere. It’s about being able t...

Zoom Roulette & Other Ways to Check In With Remote Teams 2 | 2

06 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Even though we're physically distant at work, that doesn't mean we can't cultivate caring and candid relationships with peers, managers and direct rep...

Leading With Kindness & Clarity During a Crisis 2 | 1

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Radical Candor author and co-founder Kim Scott talks with Kelly Leonard, executive director of insights and applied improvisation at Second City Works...

Can I Give Feedback to Peers? Should I? | 23

06 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The purpose of feedback is to help people find more success, so it’s CRAZY to think it’s only the manager’s job to give feedback. It’s everyon...

It’s About Humans, Not Resources | 22

30 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever get so caught up in achieving results at work that you forget that the people around you are real people? Even the most empathetic of us c...

More Time Hiring = Less Time Firing | 21

23 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Building a great team is critical for bosses, but how do you bring on the right people? Interviewing and hiring is so hard to do — in this episode, ...

Help! My Boss is an Absentee Manager | 20

16 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Absentee managers may not be as frustrating as micromanagers, but they’re even more common and can have a negative impact on your career. Kim and Ru...

Being a Boss Isn’t for Everyone… Including Some Bosses | 19

09 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

How do you know if management is right for you? Maybe you’re thinking about becoming a boss, or you’re already a boss but aren’t sure you want t...

We Couldn't Decide on a Title for This Episode | 18

02 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Decisions are critical to keeping your team moving forward, but a lot of people struggle to make them. Kim and Russ share advice to help you make sure...

Promotion Schmomotion | 17

25 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone loves promotions, right? Well…not so fast. Kim and Russ talk about how promotions might be hurting you and your team and suggest some other...

Take Feedback Like a Boss | 16

18 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Feedback helps you grow, right? So why is it so hard to take? Kim and Russ share their tips and techniques for what to do after you get feedback. Lear...

What's Your Body Language Telling Me? | 15

11 Apr 2017

Contributed by Lukas

We keep saying that in person feedback is best...why is that? Body language! You can learn a lot from someone else's body language, and you can also u...