How to Introduce Radical Candor to Your Team: Start Small for Big Impact

When building a more radically candid culture, starting small is the way to go. Trying to change the culture of an entire company all at once is like trying to boil the ocean—it will take all your energy and is impossible. Instead, focus on creating "pockets of excellence " where small groups can experiment and demonstrate success.

Why Start Small?

1. You can't make people change; people have to decide to change
2. Small groups (3-5 people) can hold each other accountable more effectively
3. It's easier to collect and share success stories quickly
4. Small wins create momentum and pull for broader change

Three Ways to Start

1. Commit to feedback exchanges: Form a small group (3-5 people) and commit to soliciting feedback from one another weekly for a month. Keep it short and intense rather than long and drawn out.
2. Practice public praise: Use the CORE framework (Context, Observation, Result, nExt steps) to give specific, meaningful praise. Focus particularly on results and next steps, as this motivates others.
3. Share feedback success stories: Tell your team about a time when receiving feedback significantly helped your career. This demonstrates vulnerability and shows that you not only value feedback but are excited to receive more.

Communication Strategy

When introducing Radical Candor more broadly:

1. Start with the rationale—often tied to employee survey results or identified needs
2. Ask for volunteers rather than mandating participation
3. Let early adopters tell their own stories of success
4. Make participants the heroes of the change
5. Consider small incentives to reward risk-taking (e.g., team lunch)
6. Avoid top-down mandates that can create resistance

Handling Executive Skepticism

Distinguish between two types of executive reactions:

1. Healthy skepticism about value and resources
2. Fundamental disagreement with the concept

For skeptical executives:

• Focus on showing results from early experiments
• Demonstrate low cost and high impact
• Address specific concerns about implementation (Learn more )

Tips for Change Agents

If you're driving this change:

1. Think like a marketer—sell the story of what's working
2. Be open to feedback about the change itself
3. Look for opportunities to expand to other teams
4. Create a "pockets of excellence" program to share quick tips
5. Make it attractive for others to volunteer and participate

Remember: Cultural change often happens because people demand it through their behavior. By creating successful examples and sharing the benefits, you can build momentum for broader adoption of Radical Candor practices.

Tune in to the Radical Candor? Podcast to learn to love your job and kick a** at work without losing your humanity by practicing the principles of Radical Candor. Host and Lead Radical Candor Coach Amy Sandler leads discussions with Radical Candor Author and Co-founder Kim Scott and CEO and Co-founder Jason Rosoff about what it means to be Radically Candid, why it’s simple but not easy to Care Personally and Challenge Directly on the daily, and why it’s worth it. Want to bring Radical Candor to your team? Drew Muir or Dan Greene can help! Have a topic you want us to discuss? Email it to [email protected] .