Radical Candor: Harmonizing Direct Communication with Positive Intent

One of our culture codes at Ascend is to be direct with positive intent. Direct communication paired with kindness has fundamentally reshaped how we engage with each other and clients over the past few years. Our team leans on a concept introduced by Kim Scott in her book "Radical Candor" to serve as the example we follow and value in our daily interactions and communications.

Radical Candor in a Nutshell

Radical Candor is a leadership philosophy focused on creating an environment where team members can give and receive constructive feedback without fear of being judged or rejected. Being direct with positive intent revolves around two essential qualities:

1. Caring personally?means encouraging authenticity in the work environment to empower people to show up as their whole selves, not just as employees. Caring personally results in a genuine interest in their lives and showing empathy when someone is going through a tough time. A team member with personal struggles doesn't leave that at home; they bring it to their desk one way or another. If not allowed to get it out, it stays buried and results in actions and behaviors that are manifested or perceived as poor performance instead of getting at the root of the issue. We value creating an environment where our team truly cares about each other and can work through problems with kindness.
2. Challenging directly?means there is no fear of giving team members truthful, honest feedback, even if it is critical. When done in a way that is respectful and kind, not hurtful, being direct with communication builds trust; the person on the receiving end, because positive intent and caring personally takes the lead, knows that the feedback is coming from a place of that is intended to help them grow as an individual and professional. The opposite of challenging directly is withholding; ultimately, this will impede growth because opportunities to improve are left unsaid or unidentified.

These culminate in the below quadrant. The shortcomings become apparent when going out of harmony in any direction.

Radical Candor, or any direct communication framework, is foundational for building a team with genuine relationships. It creates an environment where people feel safe to speak up, share their ideas, and give feedback. When team members feel comfortable providing feedback to one another, they can identify and address problems quickly, leading to better decision-making, improved performance, and, most importantly, an environment built on trust. With trust, sustaining an effective business strategy becomes more achievable.

Implementation of Radical Candor

When embraced holistically, Radical Candor occurs at all company levels, laterally amongst cross-functional teams, and upward or downward from a reporting standpoint. For example, our team instilled this practice during one of our quarterly culture team days, where we all gathered for team building and discussed strategies for improving our culture. In addition, we consistently reinforce in our day-to-day that direct conversations in all directions are encouraged and necessary; our team has continued to progress at integrating this framework as an inherent part of our work environment and culture.

As a consulting company, we apply direct communication principles with our external clients and partners. Our team believes in working with clients that reflect our values as a company, creating opportunities to work through inevitable challenges quickly when pairing direct communications with positive intent.

We've highlighted some of the fundamental steps below that tie into caring personally and challenging directly are:

1. Lead with empathy and positive intent:?Listen to your team members openly and show empathy when they share their ideas or concerns; make it apparent that you genuinely come from a place of positive intent when delivering constructive feedback.

2. Speak honestly:?Be honest and direct when giving feedback. Don't sugarcoat your message, but don't be harsh or judgmental.

3. Harmonize praise and criticism:?Provide consistent positive feedback for good work and offer constructive criticism when necessary; the dichotomy or weight of the two depends on the dynamic of the situation and personal characteristics of the team member receiving the communication; it's not one size fits all.

4. Encourage feedback:?Empower your team members to give you feedback; ask for it. Create a culture of open communication where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas.

5. Receive feedback with positive intent:?When receiving feedback, it's equally important to listen openly and with positive intent. Refrain from getting defensive or dismissive, even if the feedback is difficult to hear. Instead, try to understand the perspective of the person giving the feedback and use it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Whichever framework you follow, cultivating an environment where honesty and openness are expected and encouraged for internal and external communication will build trust and increase productivity. Our team has by no means mastered this. It's a work in progress and requires constant practice - having direct conversations is hard but worth the courage to pursue.

Every team is different based on diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences; identify what aspects of direct communication resonate with your people and start a conversation. By caring personally and challenging others directly, you can create a safe and supportive environment where team members can give and receive feedback without fear.

What strategies does your team use to encourage direct conversations?

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