Radical Candor

The figure of the despicable boss is—alas—not always a myth. Even if they are rarer nowadays, there are still some managers out there who are autocratic, haughty or inclined to humiliate their employees. Fortunately, most managers won’t recognize themselves in this conception of hierarchical relations, and seek to cultivate a more humane approach to management.

But beware of the opposite extreme, which the author terms “ruinous empathy.” For fear of damaging the relationship with their employees, some managers are reluctant to set demanding objectives or give frank feedback. However, over time, this has a negative effect on team performance and employee development. Striking the right balance between benevolence and performance isn’t easy. To find just the right mix, Kim Scott encourages managers to cultivate what she calls “radical candor,” that is, a mix of empathy and frankness that enables them to say things—including difficult ones—while respecting the other person. To develop this approach, she delivers practical advice supported by real-life examples. In the first part of the book, she describes the type of relationships that help managers establish a climate of mutual respect and frankness with their employees—including in difficult contexts, such as when they must fire someone. In the second part, she proposes techniques to help managers feel better about their everyday responsibilities: how to build trust from day to day, as well as how to encourage, guide and criticize the work of subordinates constructively.

A book imbued with finesse and sincerity.