Radical Candor® is what happens when you show someone that you Care Personally while you Challenge Directly, without being aggressive or insincere. Radical Candor really just means saying what you think while also giving a damn about the person you’re saying it to. It’s praise that is specific and sincere and criticism that is kind and clear.
Practicing Radical Candor can move you from a command-and-control culture to one of collaboration. Developed by Kim Scott, Radical Candor is a communication framework for specific and sincere praise and kind and clear criticism.
The reason we use the word Radical is that the kind of compassionate candor we’re talking about is rare. It feels unnatural to practice. It flies in the face of the “if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it at all” maxim that most of us have heard since we learned to talk. Changing training that’s been instilled in us since we were eighteen months old is hard.
Radical Candor can sometimes be misinterpreted or evoke unintended associations. The term Radical Candor was chosen to emphasize the importance of being both direct and caring in communication. The word “radical” was intended to highlight the rarity and transformative nature of combining these two elements—Caring Personally and Challenging Directly.
Radical Candor is all about creating an environment of mutual respect and support where people can grow and thrive. It’s about caring personally for your colleagues while also challenging them directly — giving feedback that is kind, clear, specific, and sincere, even when it’s difficult.
The key is finding that sweet spot between being too soft (Ruinous Empathy) and too harsh (Obnoxious Aggression). Radical candor is about building strong, trusting relationships so you can have the tough conversations that lead to growth and success.
It may not always be easy, but the benefits of a culture of Radical Candor are immense. When you create an environment where people feel safe to be vulnerable and take risks, that’s when the real magic happens. So don’t be afraid to lean into Radical Candor — your team will thank you for it.
Learn more about Radical Candor
What’s Your Radical Candor Story? Candor Coaches Share The Feedback They’re Most Grateful For
How to Get and Give Feedback Using the Radical Candor Order of Operations