Explore every episode of the podcast Radical Candor: Communication at Work

Are you the cool boss that everyone loves, but no one respects? Join Kim and Jason as they address a pressing question from a production supervisor struggling with their team's lack of accountability. Learn the importance of sharing personal stories, soliciting feedback, and giving timely criticism, all while remembering that accountability is an act of kindness.  If you're struggling with setting boundaries and holding people accountable, we've got your back. Get all of the show notes at ⁠RadicalCandor.com/podcast⁠. Episode Links: ⁠Transcript⁠ Why Being a “Cool Boss” Backfires — And What to Do Instead ⁠Stuck In a Ruinous Empathy Rut 5 | 11 Navigating Workplace Tensions: Stuck Between Ruinous Empathy and Obnoxious Aggression Managing Resistance: How to Reset Expectations With Challenging Direct Reports Connect: ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ Bluesky Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Kim and Jason introduce a listener’s question from a self-described “too nice” boss. (00:01:23) The Difference Between Nice and Kind The distinction between being "nice" and being "kind" in leadership. (00:03:13) Holding People Accountable How accountability is a core leadership skill, not an act of cruelty. (00:06:33) The Cost of Avoiding Accountability Why Leadership requires addressing difficult behaviors early. (00:11:39) Two Kinds of Respect: Earned vs. Given The two definitions of respect and how managers can earn it. (00:14:45) Emotional Labor of Leadership How management is giving more than you get—by design. (00:19:16) Confusing Strictness with Respect Challenging the misconception that punishment creates respect. (00:23:45) Holding Yourself Accountable Using vulnerability to open a dialogue and reset expectations. (00:25:44) Share Your Radical Candor Story Sharing personal stories to introduce a cultural reset. (00:28:27) Create a Shared Culture and Vocabulary Advice on resetting workplace culture and team alignment. (00:32:26) Radical Candor Tips Actionable steps for building a culture of Radical Candor. (00:33:24) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From malfunctioning WiFi to epic commutes and offices mysteriously out of toilet paper, the “return to office” era is serving up workplace absurdity on a silver platter. Jason and Amy blow past the corporate spin and get Radically Candid about the “back to the office” push: why it’s often more about control than collaboration, how companies overlook basic human needs, and the ways these policies can quietly erode trust, productivity, and psychological safety. From generational gripes to the myth that face time means innovation, they call out the real reasons so many leaders want butts in seats—and why those reasons rarely hold up. Who’s actually benefiting from all this office hoopla? Because at Radical Candor, we believe real leadership means listening, adapting, and making work suck a whole lot less—even if it means challenging the status quo. Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast. Episode Links: Transcript Cockroaches And Working In A Closet: Inside Trump's Return-To-Office Order | Reuters No Toilet Paper And No Privacy: Returning To The Office, Federal Workers Walk Into Chaos | The New York Times Return To Office. Not Sure What To Do, A Bit Stressed. : R/Fednews What Happened At Your Org After They Implemented Their Return To Work Policy? : R/Jobs The Official List Of Every Company’s Back-To-Office Strategy | Hubble Federal Workers Ordered Back To Office Find Shortages Of Desks, Wi-Fi And Toilet Paper Does Returning To The Office Support Your Company’s Strategy? | HBR How To Get Return To Office Right | McKinsey RTO Mandate Trends In 2025: Why Forcing Employees Back To The Office Hurts Business | Hub Staff New Research Suggests Remote Jobs Are Best For Company’s Bottom Line | Forbes The Strength Of Weak Ties | Stanford Report Connect: Website Instagram TikTok LinkedIn YouTube Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction Jason and Amy introduce the episode’s topic on return to office trends. (00:01:28) The Radical Candor Remote Philosophy Why the company is remote-first and the downsides of in-person work. (00:06:41) Office Productivity & Innovation Whether productivity and innovation improve when in office.  (00:10:27) Navigating Unwanted Change Advice for employees facing unwanted return-to-office changes. (00:16:13) Should You Stay or Should You Go? Evaluating if you should start job hunting or try to adapt to the new reality. (00:19:17) Burnout, Hybrid, and Hidden Costs Research on burnout and the importance of workplace social connections. (00:24:19) The Cost of Constant Interruptions Challenges with distractions and productivity in office environments. (00:30:22) Generational and Gender Gaps Differences in RTO satisfaction in different demographics. (00:32:07) Having Effective RTO Conversations Advocating for your needs and establishing new office processes. (00:35:29) Radical Candor Tips Tips for employees and managers navigating return-to-office mandates. (00:39:48) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Avoiding tough conversations? Lean in, speak up, and make them count. Ever find yourself avoiding a tough conversation at work because, well…it’s just easier? We get it. But what if leaning into discomfort could actually make things better—for you, your team, and your company? In this episode, Kim and Amy sit down with Amandeep (Aman) Kochar, CEO of Baker & Taylor, to talk about how he uses Radical Candor to break down barriers, build trust, and create a culture where feedback fuels growth instead of fear. Aman gets real about his own struggles—navigating leadership as an underrepresented executive, learning to lead with vulnerability, and shifting from pushing change to making space for it. From leading a 200-year-old company through transformation to rethinking power dynamics in leadership, he lays out why transparency matters, how to handle resistance without backing down, and why the best leaders don’t just give feedback—they ask for it. The bottom line? Real change starts with real conversations. Ready to ditch the fear and lead with candor? Let’s go. Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast. Episode Links: Transcript Amandeep Kochar - Baker & Taylor | LinkedIn Baker & Taylor | About Our Leadership Jeet and Fudge Two Years After Buying Baker & Taylor, Aman Kochar Considers Its Mission Connect: Website Instagram TikTok LinkedIn YouTube Chapters: (00:00:00) IntroductionKim and Amy welcome guest Amandeep (Aman) Kochar, CEO of Baker & Taylor.(00:00:58) The Meaning of a NameAman shares how his name reflects identity and leadership.(00:07:23) Leading a 200-Year-Old CompanyThe challenges of driving change in a legacy organization.(00:11:34) From Change Agent to Change EnablerGaining trust, embracing vulnerability, and leading with impact.(00:18:27) Overcoming ResistanceTackling workplace culture shifts and rebuilding trust.(00:24:18) Creating Open CommunicationImplementing town halls and fostering transparency.(00:30:00) Empowering EmployeesStrategies for shifting decision-making power to frontline employees.(00:34:28) Rethinking FeedbackTurning feedback into a tool for growth, not fear.(00:44:16) Repairing RelationshipsOvercoming negative perceptions and fostering collaboration.(00:47:15) Leadership & Self-ReflectionUnlearning cultural conditioning and using self awareness to grow.(00:52:51) Filtering FeedbackSeparating identity from work-related feedback to focus on growth.(00:53:58) Radical Candor TipsLessons on trust, feedback, and fostering change.(01:01:19) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 working out of fear, they start to avoid taking risks. They learn less, they grow less, they innovate less, and they become less than they could be.The way you treat people when times are tough determines whether you’ll get their best effort, a perfunctory effort, or an effort to sabotage you. When you treat people like cogs in a machine, you’ll get no more than you demand, and you create an incentive to break the machine.See the show notes >>Radical Candor Podcast Checklist If you suddenly find yourself experiencing Quiet Hiring, talk to your manager about how you can leverage your new responsibilities toward your professional development goals. It’s also appropriate to ask how you’ll be compensated for doing additional work. When you do have information that affects your team, commit to delivering it as soon as possible in a way that’s kind and clear. Allow the people who are left behind to ask questions and provide answers if you have them. If you don’t know the answer, it’s OK to admit that you don’t know, but be clear that you will deliver relevant news as soon as you have it. If you’re a manager, have intentional Career Conversations with each person on your team. Let them know that you’re doing this in good faith and not to use it against them. Based on these conversations try to redistribute the work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you experienced a layoff? Jason hosts this episode of the Radical Candor podcast and interviews Amy, Kim and Brandi about layoffs. The team discusses layoffs from a few different perspectives — the most important one is the impact on people who are being laid off. The emotional and financial toll of being laid off is real. Amy says, "Looking back on it, it was a huge transformational time that set my life up in a way that I really wanted. But it felt like absolute sh*t in the process."See the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 that makes them different is the intention behind the behavior. Quiet firing happens when managers allow employees to have toxic experiences at work as a way to get them to quit. On the other hand, a more pervasive problem is well-intentioned bosses who practice absentee management. They’re that ghost boss who is rarely seen or heard from by their direct reports. What can you do if you work in this kind of environment? Listen to the episode to learn more.Radical Candor Podcast Checklist Don’t hire people and never talk to them again. Being a hands-off manager is different than being an absentee manager. All managers should be having regular 1:1 meetings with their direct reports, actively soliciting feedback and having regular Career Conversations. Don’t be a jerk. Quiet firing is gaslighting at its worst and junior high behavior at its best. It’s is no way to build a business or a solid team and will most certainly come back to bite you (seriously, people, watch Office Space!) If you need to let someone go for whatever reason, you can do so with Radical Candor. If you are struggling with an absentee manager, a good way to engage them is by requesting a 1:1 meeting with your boss and sharing a challenge you are having and asking for their input, and letting them know when you will additional support from them. And setting some time on the calendar with them as a follow-up! Before you throw your bike helmet against the wall and "rage quit," don't forget to "rage apply" for that job you really want. Questions? Email us at podcast@radicalcandor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 around the cubicle farm monitoring everyone’s activity and stops by to scold workers for minor mistakes like forgetting to put the cover sheet on their TPS reports.On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy discuss how to tell if the "helpful" guidance you're giving your team is actually veering off into micromanaging. If you want to be a kick-ass boss instead of having team members who want to kick your ass, this episode is a must-listen!Read the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to season 5 of the Radical Candor podcast! On this episode, we have a montage of Radical Candor, Manipulative Insincerity and Obnoxious Aggression stories from our coaches and core team. Chances are you can relate to one or more of these stories. If you have a story to share, send it to us at podcast@radicalcandor.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Radically Candid feedback that’s kind, clear, specific and sincere. If you truly want to get different results, you’re going to have to change your behavior. We know it’s hard, so we’re going to talk you through it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, Jason and Amy discuss strategies for being an effective manager of managers. If you're managing people who manage other people, then you're managing managers. Whereas if you're managing individual contributors, you're managing a team. The most significant difference when you become a manager of managers is that now you have to become a thought partner, not just on the functional expertise and the business that they're running or the product that they're building, but you also have to be a thought partner to them on how they're managing their team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 to go to meetings? Send emails? Tell people what to do? Are they supposed to work alongside their teams and carry part of the workload, or dream up strategies and expect other people to implement them? At the end of the day, a boss’s job is to guide a team to achieve results. However, depending on the size of your team, that process could look very different. Today we’re going to talk about managers of small teams and we’re going to define “small” as a team of 10 people or less. Listen to learn three key things every manager of small teams needs to know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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’t scale, but culture does. This means that while you can’t have a close relationship with every person who reports to the people who report to you, practicing Radical Candor with the people you manage can impact how they interact with the people they manage and so on. On the other hand, if toxic stew is flowing from the top and being passed down from executives to managers of managers to individual contributors it should come as no surprise that people in this type of environment are disengaged at work. So, how do you fix it? Listen to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. On this episode of the Radical Candor Podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy talk about how creating a culture of learning can make it safe for people to fail, help mitigate future mistakes and ensure everyone knows how to repeat success. Sounds simple, right? Not so fast. There are two things that can get in the way of learning. Listen to find out what they are! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Undermining, defiant and disengaged direct report—coach them or cut them loose? Dealing with a direct report who questions everything, isolates their team, and actively undermines leadership? YIKES. That’s not just frustrating—it’s a full-blown leadership headache. When radical candor turns into outright defiance, how do you respond without losing your mind (or your team’s trust)? In this episode, Kim and Amy tackle the tricky reality of managing someone who refuses to engage, blames leadership for team turnover, and resists every attempt at coaching. From figuring out whether this is a communication breakdown or a serious performance issue, to deciding if a PIP is the right move, they walk through strategies to reset expectations, shut down toxicity, and lead with confidence. Because at the end of the day, if you’ve ever thought, I literally don’t know what to do with this person, keeping a toxic presence around does more damage than having a tough talk. Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast. Episode Links: Transcript Creating Consequences For Bullying At Work | Radical Candor Podcast 5 | Bonus Performance Improvement Plans | Radical Candor Podcast 5 | 20 How To Gauge Your Feedback | Radical Candor 4 Things To Do When Firing Someone | Radical Candor What Does Managing Out Mean? | Radical Candor Podcast 6 | 6 The Go-To Question | Radical Candor Podcast 2 | 8 Listen, Challenge, Commit | Radical Candor Podcast 6 | 17 How To Care Personally When You Don't Care | Radical Candor Podcast 6 | 48 Connect: Website Instagram TikTok LinkedIn YouTube Chapters: (00:00:00) IntroductionKim and Amy introduce a manager’s challenge: a disengaged, undermining direct report.(00:04:46) Generational Gap or Performance Problem?Whether this is a workplace culture clash or a deeper issue.(00:06:28) Red Flags: Undermining & ResistanceSigns of bad-faith questioning, team isolation, and leadership defiance.(00:14:18) The Tough Feedback ConversationRole-playing a direct, no-nonsense conversation to reset expectations.(00:23:49) Handling Pushback & DefianceWhen a direct report resists leadership—what’s your next move?(00:26:38) PIP or Part Ways?How to decide if coaching, a PIP, or letting them go is the right call.(00:34:03) Emotions in LeadershipHandling a direct report who dismisses the emotional impact of their behavior.(00:38:06) Accountability Without MicromanagingCreating clear expectations and consequences without constant oversight.(00:42:53) Next Steps: Coach, Challenge, or Cut Ties?How to assess whether a direct report can grow—or if it’s time to move on.(00:53:22) Radical Candor TipsBalancing Caring Personally with Challenging Directly to lead effectively.(00:55:43) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Radical Candor Podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy discuss the good, the bad and the ugly as it relates to the implementation of that decision you’ve just persuaded everyone to get behind. Listen to learn how to toggle between leading and implementing personally. You can't abandon the first for the second. You have to integrate the two. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 to accept your idea might feel like a foregone conclusion, persuasion isn’t easy, and it’s important to get it right. What’s more, persuasion at this stage of the GSD Wheel can feel unnecessary and make the decider resentful of people on the team who aren’t fully in agreement. Kim, Jason and Amy discuss why expecting others to implement a decision without being persuaded that it’s the right thing to do is a recipe for terrible results and why it's vital to persuade people (like your friend's Uncle Scrammy) that you've done your homework. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, is all about pushing the decisions into the facts. The Radical Candor Podcast team outlines 4 steps to follow when making decisions once you have shoved all ego — especially your own — out of the way. They also talk about the pitfalls of unconscious bias, the perils of skipping steps 1-3 and how to avoid garbage can decision-making. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy and Jason discuss managers who have low, almost non-existent involvement in their team’s work, aka absentee managers; those with extremely (maybe excruciatingly) close involvement, aka micromanagers; and thought partners — the ones who empower, enable and encourage their teams to do the best work of their lives. While a lot of us have tendencies to act in absentee or micromanager mode, it’s hard for us to want to look at ourselves that way. Listen to this episode if you want to understand how to be a true thought partner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 persuade everyone who needs to implement, and you’ll ultimately slow down or grind to a halt. Kim, Jason, Amy and producer Brandi discuss a time when a debate went awry and what they should have done instead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 out on June 7, 2022. You can pre-order it now! You likely know Russ best as the OG co-host with Kim of season one of the Radical Candor Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy discuss how to use staff meetings and think time as ways to clarify your ideas.Radical Candor Podcast Episode At a GlanceAn effective staff meeting has three goals: it reviews how things have gone the previous week, allows people to share important updates, and forces the team to clarify the most important decisions and debates for the coming week.That’s it. It shouldn’t be the place to have debates or make decisions. Your job is to establish a consistent agenda, insist that people stick to it, and corral people who go on for too long or who go off on tangents.Here’s the agenda that Kim has found to be most effective:Learn: review key metrics (20 minutes)Listen: put updates in a shared document (15 minutes)Clarify: identify key decisions & debates (30 minutes) In Radical Candor, Kim writes: “In addition to all your regularly planned meetings, people want to talk to you about this or that; urgent matters will arise that you must deal with. When are you supposed to find time to clarify your own thinking, or to help the people who work for you clarify theirs?”“My advice is that you schedule in some ‘Think Time’ [on your calendar], and hold that think time sacred. Let people know that they cannot ever schedule over it. Get really, seriously angry if they try. Encourage everyone on your team to do the same.”Radical Candor Podcast Checklist Avoid the fundamental attribution error by focusing on specifics, not attributes. Instead of saying (or thinking) “What an idiot,” be very clear about what went wrong. Try the CORE model — Context, Observation, Result, nExt stEps. Focus on helping the person fix the problem by providing specifics they can act on, rather than criticizing personality traits that they can’t alter. A well-run meeting can save you time by alerting you to problems, sharing updates efficiently, and getting you all on the same page about what the week’s shared priorities are. Remember, timeboxing is your friend. Take 20 minutes to learn, 15 minutes to listen and 30 minutes to clarify. Schedule Think Time away from your desk. Think Time is a mix of focused thinking and mind-wandering that allows for the kind of problem-solving, creativity and innovative mindset needed to tackle those difficult problems. Try taking a walk and removing distractions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 understand and convey thoughts and ideas more clearly. Trying to solve a problem that hasn’t been clearly defined is not likely to result in a good solution; debating a half-baked idea is likely to discourage it. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy discuss the two most important things to do when clarifying an idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Communication and career tips abound in this series! Our next several episodes of the Radical Candor podcast are going to be shorter explorations of the nuts-and-bolts details about each step of the Get Shit Done Wheel. First up is listening. Kim, Jason and Amy discuss how to create a culture of listening because if you can get your team members to listen to one another, they’ll fix things that you as the boss didn’t even know were broken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 responsibility and performing better every day is instead doing the opposite. This person is doing excellent work on a steep growth trajectory — maybe they even want to be your boss someday — and you’ve put in charge of the most important work or assigned them to solve your most difficult problems because they’re just that good. So why are they flailing instead of flying? We’ve seen this happen for five different reasons. Plus, organizations we're supporting for humanitarian relief in Ukraine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vague feedback is a fail—neurodivergent minds need clear, direct guidance to thrive. Is vague feedback just bad management, or are we failing neurodivergent employees by not giving them what they actually need? Kim sits down with the legendary Dr. Temple Grandin to challenge common misconceptions about feedback and explore why clarity is key—especially for those who think and process the world differently. They break down the myth that all employees should “just know” how to adjust their behavior and highlight how direct, actionable guidance can be a game-changer. From a welding mishap that turned into a major learning moment to the unexpected impact of a blunt deodorant comment (yes, really), Temple shares firsthand experiences that prove why specific, actionable feedback is a game-changer and how neurodivergent thinkers bring immense value when given the right support. Spoiler: generic platitudes and abstract advice won’t cut it. The bottom line? Guesswork isn’t leadership. Be clear, be kind, and stop making people read between the lines. Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast. Episode Links: Transcript Temple Grandin Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds | TED Talk 7 Leadership Communication Skills For Managing A Remote Team | Radical Candor Connect: Website Instagram TikTok LinkedIn YouTube Chapters: (00:00:00) IntroductionAmy and Kim introduce Dr. Temple Gradin, an autism activist, author, and expert on animal welfare and behavior.(00:02:04) Giving Feedback to Neurodivergent EmployeesTemple shares a story on how clear, direct feedback works best.(00:08:32) The Concept of Project LoyaltyPrioritizing team needs and focusing on the bigger picture to get work done.(00:13:51) How Visual Thinkers Process InformationTemple explains her way of thinking through mental imagery and memories.(00:19:10) Three Types of ThinkersThe different cognitive styles and why diverse teams need all types.(00:23:20) The Importance of Hands-On LearningWhy real-world exposure matters for education.(00:30:57) Managing Autistic EmployeesThe importance of setting clear goals and specific expectations.(00:35:13) Transforming the Livestock IndustryGaining credibility and transforming animal welfare through writing and advocacy.(00:38:57) Workplace Accommodations for Autistic EmployeesStrategies for supporting autistic employees in the workplace.(00:42:18) Improving Animal Welfare StandardsTemple’s five key metrics for humane treatment in the meat industry.(00:49:34) Why Verbal and Visual Thinkers Must CollaborateThe importance of collaboration between different cognitive styles.(00:51:10) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 overwhelming. We've got you. On this episode of the Radical Candor Podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy talk about the Get Sh*t Done Wheel, a step-by-step process that can help make getting things accomplished much easier. The GSD Wheel has 7 steps: Listen, Clarify, Debate, Decide, Persuade, Execute and Learn. When run effectively, the GSD Wheel will enable your team to achieve more collectively than anyone could ever dream of achieving individually. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Radical Candor happens at the intersection Care Personally and Challenge Directly. On this mini-episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim tells the "Um Story," which outlines exactly what we mean when we say Care Personally and Challenge Directly. Kim explains why the feedback she received from her boss was so effective and led to even more success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 disastrous consequences. In order to be successful, this means developing people on both steep and gradual growth trajectories, or as we like to say at Radical Candor, people in both rockstar mode and superstar mode. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy discuss how to balance growth and stability by developing people who are in both superstar and rock star modes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Personally, but fail to Challenge Directly. It’s praise that isn’t specific enough to help the person understand what was good, or criticism that is sugar-coated and unclear. Or simply silence. Ruinous Empathy may feel nice or safe, but is ultimately unhelpful and even damaging. This is a feedback fail. In this Radical Candor podcast mini-episode, Kim talks about the biggest feedback fail of her career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 right opportunity, you don’t have to pay the asshole tax. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy talk about how to suss out whether your potential new boss is going to help you move toward the direction of your dreams or get in your way. Listen now to learn how to find a Radically Candid boss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 the boss. But how can you do this in a way that's not awkward? On the latest mini-episode of the Radical Candor Podcast, Kim explains how to solicit feedback with a simple four-step process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 past few months. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy talk about how bad bosses, lack of transparency and poor communication are leading to a mass exodus of mid-level workers. How can you retain your team? Listen to find out how a series of small adjustments can help! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 mini-episode of the Radical Candor podcast. Here’s a way to think about how to be more kind and clear with criticism and more specific and sincere with praise. Radical Candor is HIP: Humble, Helpful, Immediate, In person (or on video), Private criticism / Public praise and Not about Personality. Radically Candid praise and criticism both include caring and a challenge. In order to make sure your praise tells the other person what was good and shows them what to do more of and your criticism shows them what to do less of, use the CORE method. C — Context (Cite the specific situation), O — Observation (Describe what was said or done), R — Result (What is the most meaningful consequence to you and to them?) E — nExt stEps (What are the expected next steps?). Read the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 team or at your organization, you’re going to have to create an environment where people feel safe and encouraged to give real feedback. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy talk about how to encourage feedback between others so you can keep this whole Radical Candor thing going after you've read the book, listened to a keynote or taken a workshop. Read the show notes >>Show the Radical Candor store >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When giving feedback, you should expect emotion. Even when you don’t personalize, it’s personal. That’s why you should eliminate the phrase, “Don’t take it personally” from your vocabulary. In this Radical Candor podcast mini-episode, Kim explains why It’s futile to say in response to emotion, “Don’t take it personally!” Part of your job as a boss (and as a human being) is to deal with emotional responses, not to dismiss them or pretend they’re not there or avoid them. View the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why most career conversations fail—and how to make them actually matter. Are career conversations a game-changer, or just another corporate mirage? In part two of this two-part episode, Kim, Amy, and Russ Laraway cut through the fluff and expose why most career talks fail before they even start. Managers love to preach growth, but when it comes to actually helping their people build meaningful careers, too many fall flat. Russ brings the fire with his “gravity assist slingshot” method—forget the outdated career ladder, it’s time to propel people toward their real ambitions. Why do leaders dodge these conversations? Why does “career development” feel like an HR buzzword instead of a real priority? And what happens when you actually invest in your team’s future? No sugarcoating here—if you’re ready to stop playing it safe and start leading with impact, this episode is your wake-up call. Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast. Episode Links: Transcript When They Win, You Win Russ Laraway On How To Be A Great Manager  | Radical Candor Podcast 4 | 7 How To Win At Managing - 3 Core Principles Stop Overcomplicating It: The Simple Guidebook To Upping Your Management Game “When They Win, You Win”: Russ Laraway Unpacks His New Guide For The Modern Manager Eagles' Sirianni Is A Players' Coach, No Matter What You Think Of Him | ESPN Connect: Website Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Facebook YouTube Chapters: (00:00:00) IntroductionKim and Amy welcome back Russ Laraway to discuss career conversations.(00:00:52) The Gravity Assist SlingshotRuss’s framework for career growth and thinking beyond promotions.(00:04:51) Why Managers Should Invest in CareersHow helping employees grow improves retention and engagement.(00:09:35) The Three Career ConversationsA step-by-step guide to drive meaningful career development.(00:14:20) Life Story ConversationHow past career pivots reveal deep-rooted motivations.(00:20:52) Avoiding Pitfalls and GotchasWhere leaders go wrong in the career development framework.(00:25:25) Framing Career ConversationsFraming the life story conversation to build trust and respect boundaries.(00:30:51) Finding True Career VisionAn outline of helping employees set bold, authentic goals.(00:34:26) Supporting Unconventional GoalsHow managers can turn unconventional career goals into actionable steps.(00:43:43) Career Action PlanTurning career aspirations into progress with a clear, strategic approach.(00:46:27) Radical Candor TipsWhere managers should start in Russ’s career conversations framework.(00:48:14) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 managers. It's true that it can be really daunting, and a little risky, to practice Radical Candor with your boss, but it’s such an important skill. If you can share feedback with your boss, you’ll have a much stronger working relationship, enjoy your work more, and be able to do better work together. So, how do you do it? On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast Kim, Jason and Amy discuss clearing the cruft and the art of upwards feedback. View the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 likely heard some form of the phrase, “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” But, should your job and your passion be the same thing? What’s more, is it a manager’s responsibility to ensure each person who reports to them is passionate about their position? Listen to find out! Read the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 you think about developing the skills of the people in your organization and how you think about performance management must be aligned. It is a manager’s job to both help each person on their team develop and grow in their career, and also to transparently assessing the performance of each person, commonly called performance management. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Amy and Jason talk about why you can’t have effective performance reviews if you’re not also practicing performance development. Read the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 employees say the feedback they receive from their managers is helpful. Sound familiar? If you're forgetting the helpful part of Radical Candor, your feedback is probably falling flat. On the second mini-episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim explains why Radical Candor is helpful and talks about the helpful feedback she got from a complete stranger that gave her words to live by: It's not mean, it's clear. Read the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 in remote workplaces. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Jason and Amy talk about how to give feedback to remote employees, what works for the remote Radical Candor team and why it's important to allow your workers time to grieve and heal from the trauma of the past 18 months. Read the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 regular episodes. These quick hits will feature Kim Scott, Radical Candor author and co-founder, giving actionable tips that allow you to put specific parts of Radical Candor into action immediately. In this first mini-episode, Kim breaks down the principles of Radical Candor in six minutes. Radical Candor is Caring Personally while Challenging Directly. At its core, Radical Candor is guidance and feedback that’s both kind and clear, specific and sincere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Workplace Bullying Institute describes workplace bullying as: “Repeated mistreatment of an employee by one or more employees; abusive conduct that is: threatening, humiliating, or intimidating, work sabotage, or verbal abuse.” In its 2021 survey, the WBI noted that 43% of remote employees reported being bullied at work with 50% of that bullying taking place in meetings. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Amy and Jason talk about combatting bullying in remote work environments. See the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 feedback stuff can be tricky. On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Amy and Jason talk about how to gauge feedback. In other words, how does the feedback that you give land for the other person? One of the things that we'd like to say is that Radical Candor is measured, not at the speaker's mouth, but at the listener's ear. And, this applies to the feedback you give as well as the feedback you get. Read the show notes >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 book Just Work: Get Sh*t Done, Fast & Fair , and her new company Just Work that she's launching with Trier Bryant. Kim and Trier break down how to recognize, address and eliminate bias, prejudice and bullying in the workplace to create more just working environments. Buy the book, learn about the company and listen to the podcast to learn why just work environments aren't just the right thing to do, they're also good for business. Read the show notes, order the book and download the transcript >> Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 vulnerability. Your personal stories will explain, better than any management theory, what you really mean and show why you really mean it. That’s why Kim tells all those personal stories in Radical Candor. Your stories will mean a lot more to your team than other people’s stories do because they mean something to you. So, what makes a good story, and what's appropriate to share? Amy and Jason break it down. See the transcript and show notes: https://www.radicalcandor.com/podcast/share-your-radical-candor-stories/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russ Laraway breaks down why your leadership isn’t working—and how to fix it. Stuck in a cycle of vague goals, half-hearted feedback, and meaningless career talks? Let’s call it what it is—bad leadership. In part one of this two part episode, Kim, Amy, and Russ Laraway rip into the mistakes that are killing your team’s engagement and results. Russ brings the heat with his “Big Three” leadership essentials—direction, coaching, and career—and doesn’t hold back on why so many managers fail to deliver. Why are leaders so scared to prioritize? Why do career conversations feel like an empty HR theater? And why does feedback either go ignored or turn into a dreaded confrontation? If you’re ready to ditch the excuses, face the hard truths, and lead with real purpose and impact, this episode is your wake-up call. It’s time to step up, get clear, and transform the way you lead—before it’s too late. Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast. Episode Links: Transcript When They Win, You Win Russ Laraway On How To Be A Great Manager  | Radical Candor Podcast 4 | 7 How To Win At Managing - 3 Core Principles Stop Overcomplicating It: The Simple Guidebook To Upping Your Management Game “When They Win, You Win”: Russ Laraway Unpacks His New Guide For The Modern Manager Eagles' Sirianni Is A Players' Coach, No Matter What You Think Of Him | ESPN Connect: Website Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Facebook YouTube Chapters: (00:00:00) IntroductionKim and Amy introduce Russ Laraway and the "Big Three" of leadership.(00:03:00) What Are the Big Three?Russ explains the framework of direction, coaching, and career.(00:07:24) The Flintstones HouseKim and Russ share stories about the unique office space of Candor Inc.(00:10:31) Defining Direction in LeadershipThe importance of clarity in expectations and ruthless prioritization.(00:15:11) Long-Term Leadership ToolsHow managers can collaboratively define purpose and vision.(00:17:24) Crafting Team Goals and PrioritiesSetting measurable goals and the role of weekly prioritization.(00:26:12) Purpose and Vision StatementsExamples of vision statements and their impact on team alignment.(00:31:43) Coaching for EngagementCoaching elements that drive employee engagement.(00:33:29) The Book and Specific PraiseUsing praise to motivate teams and reinforce standards.(00:38:59) Soliciting Feedback from TeamsThe importance of creating a culture where feedback flows both ways.(00:43:53) Leadership and Power DynamicsStrategies to balance authority and empower team collaboration.(00:45:25) Radical Candor TipsPractical tips for applying direction, coaching, and career insights.(00:47:29) Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 difference between quiet and loud listening? On the first episode of the Radical Candor podcast season 3, Kim, Jason and Amy debate the merits of both loud and quiet listening Kim experienced firsthand while working with Steve Jobs and Tim Cook at Apple. Is quiet listening creepy? Is loud listening aggressive? Listen to the Radical Candor podcast to find out! Read the show notes for actionable Radical Candor tips and more information about quiet and loud listening: https://www.radicalcandor.com/podcast/quiet-or-loud-listener Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you’re the one getting emotional or you’re giving someone feedback and they react with unexpected emotion, it’s important to recognize that while you can’t control or manage other people’s emotions, you can manage your emotional reactions at work. On the final episode of season 2 of the Radical Candor podcast, Kim, Amy and Jason talk about how to navigate emotional reactions at work. The worst thing you can do is ignore emotional reactions. Emotions like anger, sadness and fear are part of the human condition, and people shouldn’t have to leave their humanity at home when they come to work.We’re offering Radical Candor podcast listeners 10% off our self-paced e-course and workplace comedy series, The Feedback Loop, starring Kim Scott and David Alan Grier. Go to radicalcandor.com/services and enter the promo code FEEDBACK at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 with a peer at work who you know is lying? On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, Amy and Jason answer listener questions, discuss their stints working in food service (their experiences involve mayonnaise and organized crime) and muse whether or not people can be more like Clay Christensen. See the show notes: www.radicalcandor.com/podcast/peer-to-peer-feedback/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices