The Power of Radical Candor

Imagine the possibilities if your team members felt safe to speak more of their truth. Where more is spoken than unspoken. Where nothing is undiscussable.

In Kim Scott’s book, Radical Candor, her model of radical candor has two dimensions, when paired are so powerful; Care Personally and Challenge Directly.

In my experience coaching leadership teams, for many team members, care and challenge are oppositional dimensions rather than complimentary. Challenging others thinking and ideas is thought to hinder rather than enable a team to flourish.

For radical candor to be possible and powerful, we need to reframe our mindset to see the value from three dimensions to radical candor; challenge, conflict and criticise. We need to reframe our intentions to access the value from these dimensions:

• Only when we hold others with deep personal care, will challenge bring clarity and understanding. Uncaring challenge leaves others feeling pushed-over.

• Only when we hold others with deep personal care will conflict elicit differing perspectives. Uncaring conflict leaves others feeling shut-down.

• Only when we hold others with deep personal care will criticism enable learning. Uncaring criticism leaves others weakened in finding fault.

My hope is for leaders to access the power and possibilities in challenge, conflict, and criticism when paired with deep and genuine care.

Flourishing teams thrive on radical candor.