Radical Candor: Your Team Craves It
Jun 08, 2025
If you’ve ever looked at a team member and thought, “They’ve got potential… but they’re not there yet,” you’re not alone. At the core of who I am as a leader is the fact that in my DNA, I’m a teacher who is focused on growth. Mine and everyone around me. I just can’t let team members that I see potential in live in the land of AVERAGE. You see, average is the enemy of excellence and people don’t pay for average. The challenge is our teams see average all around them and often want to “live there too.” It’s easier than the pursuit of excellence but it’s nowhere near as rewarding as striving for greatness.
Every leader has a few people who are doing okay. They show up, they deliver—but something’s missing. You know they could be great. The question is: how do you help them get there?
The answer isn’t to micromanage. And it’s not about pushing harder. It’s about coaching—intentionally, consistently, and with purpose.
That’s why Radical Candor by Kim Scott resonates so much with me. It’s not just about giving feedback—it’s about how you do it. Spoiler alert: most of us have been doing it wrong.
Here’s the simple truth Scott unpacks: Great leaders challenge directly while caring personally.
Let’s break that down—and more importantly, let’s talk about how you can start using Radical Candor today.
The Two-Part Formula That Changes Everything
Scott’s model is brilliantly simple:
- Care Personally – Show your team you see them as people, not just performers.
- Challenge Directly – Don’t dance around the truth. Say what needs to be said—clearly and respectfully.
It’s not a soft approach. It’s an honest one, grounded in respect and trust.
Without care, your challenge becomes cruel.
Without challenge, your care becomes unhelpful coddling.
With both, you create Radical Candor.
The Four Quadrants of Feedback (and Where Leaders Go Wrong)
Scott maps feedback into four styles:
- Radical Candor – “You’ve got spinach in your teeth. I care enough to tell you.”
- Ruinous Empathy – “I’ll just let them keep failing rather than make it awkward.”
- Obnoxious Aggression – “Here’s your feedback—deal with it.”
Manipulative Insincerity – “Everything’s fine.” (Then they hear otherwise behind closed doors.)
If you’ve ever been too nice to say the hard thing—or too blunt to bother softening the blow—you’ve visited those other three quadrants. We all have.
Leadership action: Think about your last three pieces of feedback. Which quadrant did they fall in? What would Radical Candor have looked like?
How to Practice Radical Candor (Without Freaking Anyone Out)
Radical Candor doesn’t mean turning into a feedback machine. It means building trust so that honesty isn’t scary—it’s expected.
Here’s how to start:
Build relationships first
People don’t care what you know until they know you care. Yep, I learned that from my mentor New York Times bestselling author John Maxwell. Ask about their goals. Listen without an agenda. Show up consistently.
Start with praise—but make it real
Scott says, “Praise helps people see what to do more of. Criticism helps them see what to do better.” Use both. Be specific. No fluff.
Give criticism like you’d want to receive it
Direct. Fast. Face-to-face. Focused on the behavior, not the person. That’s where many leaders go wrong. I work really hard to remind everyone I’m having a coaching session with that I believe in them and believe they can make the adjustments we’re discussing in their performance. I’ll remind them it will likely take longer than they think, but with effort and consistency they’ll get there. I end every session with “I BELIEVE IN YOU and your potential.” That confirms that you’re not there yet but you can be, if you put in the effort.
Try this:
“Hey, I noticed something in yesterday’s meeting that I think we can improve together. Want to talk about it?”
You’re not attacking—they’re invited into growth.
Make Feedback a Two-Way Street
One of the boldest moves in Radical Candor? Ask your team for feedback. Regularly.
Why? Because modeling vulnerability builds trust. And trust unlocks growth.
Try this:
Ask in 1on 1s:
“What’s one thing I could do differently to support you better?”
And then—this is key—don’t get defensive. Just say thank you.
Make It a Culture, Not Just a Conversation
Radical Candor isn’t a one-time thing. It’s a culture shift. It takes intention and practice. When it clicks, you get teams that are more honest, more collaborative, and more committed to doing great work together.
Because here’s the secret: People want to improve. They just want to know that you’re in their corner while they do it.
Kindness Isn’t Keeping Quiet
Telling someone the truth—kindly, clearly, and without judgment—isn’t mean. It’s generous.
Radical Candor is what happens when compassion meets courage. If you want to help your team grow, thrive, and trust you more? That’s exactly what they need.
I'm going to wrap things up with two questions. Who on your team needs a little Radical Candor right now? And who do you need to ask for some?