We want Radical Candor to become the default mode of communication. This is Utkarsh’s Network Capital Premium Masterclass video
Concept
Investor Nassim Nicholas Taleb predicted the 2008 financial crisis and alluded to the Coronavirus outbreak way back in 2007, in his bestseller The Black Swan. Not known for his restraint, sensitivity or political correctness, he tweeted in the middle of the Coronavirus crisis, “Those who panicked early don't have to panic today.” Taleb owes his professional success to spotting unlikely trends and sharing uncomfortable truths. I often wonder if he is an effective communicator because he is abrasive or despite it?
Simply telling uncomfortable the truth isn’t enough. We need to ensure that the underlying message reaches the intended audience effectively. CEO coach Kim Scott has developed a four-pronged behavioral awareness framework to effectively guide important conversations. It is worth keeping in mind that these are behaviors (not personality types) that all of us fall into from time to time.
First, radical candor. It is a management philosophy when a person cares for your growth and simultaneously presents a direct challenge. Scott learned it first-hand from Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg who used to be her manager at Google. After a largely successful presentation, Sandberg asked Scott to walk with her. She shared that Scott needed a speaking coach to avoid awkward pauses.
To Scott it seemed like a trivial point. She listened but it was clear she wasn’t going to act on the feedback. Finally, Sheryl said, ‘‘You know, Kim, I can tell I'm not really getting through to you. I'm going to have to be clearer here. When you say um every third word, it makes you sound stupid.”
According to Scott, Sandberg’s radical candor was the kindest thing she could have done for her professional growth. There are four defining aspects of radical candor - it is humble, helpful, immediate and in-person: private if it’s criticism and in public if it’s praise.
In a high trust environment, radical candor works like charm. However, radical candor requires training. You first have to establish that you care for the person you are offering feedback to. Only after that can you expect to offer sharp critique and still manage to have a healthy relationship.
Second, obnoxious aggression. It is what happens when we challenge someone directly, but don’t establish that we care about them. This is most commonly observed when someone with leverage and credibility publicly shames or mocks others to get the outcome he wants. While the aggressor might feel powerful in the short-term, it is a guaranteed way to not get the outcome he wants in a longer timeframe.
In today’s connected world, the way we treat people is public knowledge. We might have some leverage today, but nothing is permanent. People never forget the way we make them feel. As an obnoxious aggressor, one should keep in mind that we are making ourselves unemployable in the long-term.
Third, manipulative sincerity, the hallmark of toxic cultures. This is often an after effect of obnoxious aggression and leads to a situation when we neither care nor challenge. Insincere praise, flattery and back stabbing are commonly observed traits of manipulative sincerity.
Lastly, ruinous empathy. It is what happens when we want to spare someone’s feelings in the short-term and end up not telling them something they absolutely need to know. We care but fail to challenge. Ruinous Empathy may feel safe, but is ultimately damaging. Empathy is a great asset but it can paralyze us if we prioritize relational comfort over what is good for the other person. Scott shares that 85 percent of management mistakes are a direct result of ruinous empathy.
After years of studying and analyzing Taleb’s writings, I have come to the conclusion that he straddles the fine line between radical candor and obnoxious aggression. Perhaps he can get away it given his age and experience. But for us millennials, adopting radical candor as default communication style is the most rational option. We should consider it.