RADICAL CANDOR
WHY SHOULD I LISTEN TO KIM?
CEO COACH AT DROPBOX & TWITTER
FORMER GOOGLE TEAM LEADER
OF ADSENSE, YOUTUBE AND
DOUBLECLICK DEPARTMENTS
FACULTY MEMBER AT APPLE UNIVERSIT Y
“A boss’s ability to achieve results has a lot
more to do with listening and seeking to un-
derstand than it does with telling people what
to do; more to do with debating than direct-
ing; more to do with pushing people to decide
than with being the decider; more to do with
persuading than with giving orders; more to
do with learning than with knowing.”
- Kim Scott
No matter how supportive the environment, bosses of-
ten feel alone. They feel ashamed that they ’re not doing a
good job, sure that ever yone else is doing better, and thus
unable or afraid to seek help. This book will set your mind
at ease, because you are not alone and a better approach
may be less difficult that you fear. Your humanit y is an as-
set to your effectiveness, not a liability. Radical Candor is
a handbook to creating an environment where people will
love their work and one another. No nap pods necessary.
You can draw a straight line from lack of guidance to a
dysfunctional team that gets poor results. Radical Candor
is also directly relevant to people struggling with issues of
diversit y and leadership. Learning how to push ourselves
and others past this discomfort, to relate to our shared
humanity, can make a huge difference.
HOW TO BE A GREAT BOSS WITHOUT
LOSING YOUR HUMANITY
BY KIM SCOTT
1. A boss needs to give criticism in a way that does not call
into question her confidence in her employee’s abilities but
leaves little room for interpretation or misunderstanding.
2. Human decency is something every person owes each
other, regardless of position.
3. One of the most common mistakes bosses make is to
ignore the people who are doing the best work. Ignoring
somebody is a terrible way to build a relationship. Instead,
you want to be a partner---that is, you must take the time
to help the people doing the best work make their good
work even better.
30-SECOND SUMMARY
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
CARE PERSONALLY | PG. 10
KNOW THIS - The key to being a good boss is about giving a
damn, sharing more than just your work self, and encour-
aging everyone who reports to you to do the same.
WHAT TO DO - Be your whole self and care about each of
the people who work for you as a human being. It’s not just
business; it is deeply personal.
BIG IDEA #1
CHALLENGE DIRECTLY | PG. 13
KNOW THIS - Challenging others and encouraging them to
challenge you helps build trusting relationships.
WHAT TO DO - You must tell people when their work isn’t
good enough - and when it is; when they are not going
to get that new role they wanted, or when you’re going to
hire a new boss “over” them; when the results don’t justify
further investment in what they’re working on.
BIG IDEA #2
