RADICALCANDOR
Inspired by Google's Kim Scott
Welcome to the
Bullshit-Free Zone
...where people
love their work &
working together
Radical Candor,
Simply
A way to help
each other
improve by...
1. Overcoming fear
2. Relying on trust
3. Cutting the bullshit
WHAT IS RADICAL CANDOR?
A system of guidance:
giving it, receiving it, and
encouraging it.
Avoiding the phrase,
“why didn’t anyone
ever tell me?!?!”
CARE PERSONALLY
CHALLENGE DIRECTLY
In other words…
GIVING A SHIT
WILLINGNESS TO PISS PEOPLE OFF
RADICAL
CANDOR
• Requires not just caring,
but showing you care
• Demonstrates you value
someone professionally
• Being equally clear
about what’s going
wrong, and what’s going
right.
• Being humble, helpful,
immediate, and in-
person
GIVING A SHIT
WILLINGNESS TO PISS PEOPLE OFF
RADICAL
CANDOR
OBNOXIOUS
AGGRESSION
• Challenging directly
without caring personally
• Being the workplace jerk
• Actually better than not
giving any feedback at all
GIVING A SHIT
WILLINGNESS TO PISS PEOPLE OFF
RADICAL
CANDOR
MANIPULATIVE
INSINCERITY
• Not challenging, and not
caring
• Comparable to middle
school behavior
• Basically, the absolute
worst
GIVING A SHIT
WILLINGNESS TO PISS PEOPLE OFF
OBNOXIOUS
AGGRESSION
RADICAL
CANDOR
MANIPULATIVE
INSINCERITY
RUINOUS
EMPATHY
• Just wanting to be nice
• Too scared to confront
• Most managers actually
exist here
GIVING A SHIT
WILLINGNESS TO PISS PEOPLE OFF
OBNOXIOUS
AGGRESSION
How do we
utilize Radical
Candor?
We stab in
the front.
Giving Radical Candor:
Be humble, not aggressive
Giving Radical Candor:
Be constructive
Giving Radical Candor:
Give guidance immediately
Giving Radical Candor:
Be a human being
VALUING RADICAL CANDOR
Every day is a Retro.
Bad Good Better Best
RADICAL CANDOR
PRESENTATION!
SPOTTY INTERNET
Retrospectives work best when we openly work together all the time.
Valuing Radical
Candor
1. Put your own oxygen mask
on first.
C U R I O S I T Y
Valuing Radical
Candor
2. Make it easier to speak
truth to power.
A U D A C I T Y
Valuing Radical
Candor
3. Make backstabbing impossible
E M PAT H Y
Valuing Radical
Candor
4. Take impromptu guidance
R E S P O N S I V E N E S S
Valuing Radical
Candor
5. Give impromptu guidance
D I S R U P T I O N
TIPS FOR RADICAL CANDOR
Tip 1:
When possible, praise in
public, pummel in private.
Tip 2:
Give them an opportunity to defend
their position. It might be a matter of
opinions. Make it a conversation,
not a critique.
Tip 3:
Take a drink for a natural pause.
Don’t quickly rush to react.
Tip 4:
Give guidance, not criticism.
Tip 5:
Don’t make it personal.
and remember…
Sometimes
the truth can hurt.
Sometimes
the truth can hurt.
Bruised egos are better than the
alternative —
• Stalled projects
• Low performers and mediocrity
• Resentment that festers
Remember, we’re not here to
crush, defeat, or topple.
We’re here to build.
Building the way forward.
THANKYOU

Radical Candor: No BS, helping your team create better work.