Radical Candor: Communication at Work

While the podcast team is taking a Radical Sabbatical, Kim is interviewing authors whose books have had a big impact on her over the past two years.

Kim welcomes Jay Conger to the show and they discuss Jay’s new book, The Persuasive Leader: Proven Strategies for Moving People and Ideas. They delve into the intricacies of persuasion, exploring its historical roots, the skepticism surrounding it, and the distinction between manipulation and genuine persuasion. They discuss Aristotle's framework for effective persuasion, emphasizing the importance of understanding the audience and the role of listening in the persuasion process. Through case studies, they illustrate the challenges and strategies involved in becoming a persuasive leader. Later, they explore aspects of leadership and persuasion, particularly in the context of healthcare. They discuss the importance of building trust, establishing credibility, and the art of borrowing credibility from others. The conversation covers how to frame arguments effectively, the role of emotion in persuasion, and the order of credibility, logic, and emotion in influencing others. Through storytelling and practical examples, they provide insights into how leaders can navigate challenges and inspire action without being manipulative.

Guest Background: Jay Conger holds the Henry R. Kravis Chaired Professor of Leadership Studies at Claremont McKenna College. As an executive educator, coach, and program designer, he has worked with over five hundred organizations in his twenty-five year career. An outstanding teacher, the Financial Times and other business periodicals ranked him as one of the world’s top management educators. He works with individuals and organizations to create unique learning environments that accelerate and celebrate the potential of leaders.

Over the years of leading and studying leadership, he discovered a set of remarkable patterns that characterize how truly effective leaders learn, act, and communicate. He explored the pathways to developing these capabilities and came to realize that a wider variety of approaches - or learning interventions - were necessary. Through his work with thousands of leaders and hundreds of organizations, he learned the importance of customization and honed his skills at it. Today, he designs learning experiences that not only build deep self-awareness and inspire action but also incorporate the cultural and strategic demands of organizations.

CHAPTERS

(00:42) Introduction to Persuasion and Skepticism

(03:29) The Ancient Roots of Persuasion

(06:33) Understanding Manipulation vs. Real Persuasion

(09:27) Aristotle's Framework for Persuasion

(12:25) The Importance of Audience Understanding

(15:26) The Curse of Knowledge in Persuasion

(18:05) Effective Listening in Persuasion

(21:06) Case Studies in Persuasion

(21:28) Building Trust in Healthcare Leadership

(24:14) Establishing Credibility as an Outsider

(25:16) The Art of Borrowing Credibility

(27:20) Framing Arguments for Persuasion

(31:43) Harnessing Emotion in Persuasion

(38:37) The Order of Persuasion: Credibility, Logic, Emotion

Connect with the Radical Candor team:

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Keywords

persuasion, manipulation, Aristotle, leadership, communication, audience understanding, ethical persuasion, effective listening, credibility, negotiation leadership, persuasion, credibility, healthcare, trust, emotion, communication, change management, storytelling, influence

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While the podcast team takes a Radical Sabbatical, Kim interviews authors of books that have had a big impact on her over the past two years.

We live in a world where the list of off-limits topics keeps growing. Age, failure, succession, failure, death, work-family conflict, money, fear, layoffs, governance, race, religion, and politics: these subjects often feel too hot to touch. So we avoid them and stick to small talk. But avoidance comes at an enormous cost. When we can't address the realities shaping our lives and careers, trust and relationships suffer, making it impossible to achieve results together. There IS a better way!

In this episode, Kim Scott speaks with Christina Wing about her latest book, Unspeakable: The Taboo Topics We Avoid and How to Talk About Them.

They start their conversation by talking about explained how and why Christina decided to take the risk to confront an abusive boss, and why staying silent would have been more risky in the end. Her Radical Candor paid off for both of them. He hadn't realized how his behavior was affecting others, and ultimately his career. When she explained the consequences, he changed his behavior.

Christina and Kim explore the costs of avoiding uncomfortable conversations, and some tactics for how and why to embrace the discomfort. Christina shares a story about a family business where people were arguing about where to invest–but nobody knew how much was available to invest. Next, Christina explains how she’s learned to be more open about race, religion, and politics.

Guest Background: Christina Wing is a Senior Lecturer in the Technology and Operations Management Unit at Harvard Business School. Her research focuses on families in business, and she is the creator of Demystifying the Family Enterprise, a course that explores family dynamics, operating companies, family offices, and legacy opportunities. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she was named a Top 25 Family Enterprise Academic by Family Capital.

CHAPTERS

(00:40) Introduction to Radical Sabbatical and Christina Wing

(01:30) Facing Bullying in the Workplace

(03:58) Confronting a Difficult Boss

(06:54) The Transformation of a Bully

(09:21) The Importance of Direct Communication

(10:41) Ruinous Empathy vs. Radical Candor

(13:14) The Consequences of Avoiding Difficult Conversations

(13:14) The Role of Respect in Communication

(13:14) The Need for Open Conversations

(14:11) Curiosity and Understanding in Conversations

(17:20) Navigating Difficult Moments vs. Difficult Conversations

(19:07) The Art of Role-Playing in Conversations

(21:21) Understanding Different Perspectives

(23:40) Navigating Difficult Conversations

(27:43) The Importance of Timing in Discussions

(29:49) The Impact of Technology on Communication

(33:50) Addressing Money Matters in Family Dynamics

(38:25) The Power of Money and Its Societal Impact

(41:00) The Necessity of Open Dialogue

Connect with the Radical Candor team:

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Keywords

Christina Wing, Unspeakable, workplace bullying, direct communication, radical candor, empathy, difficult conversations, respect, curiosity role-playing, perspectives, timing, technology, money matters, family dynamics, societal impact, open dialogue, emotional intelligence
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While the podcast team is taking a Radical Sabbatical, Kim is interviewing authors of the books that have had a big impact on her in the past two years.

In this episode, Kim Scott speaks with Dr. Kecia Thomas, an organizational psychologist renowned for her research on workplace dynamics. Kim discusses Dr. Thomas’ research on the 'Pet to Threat' framework, which explores the experiences of women, particularly women of color, in organizational settings. They discuss the transition from being seen as a 'pet' to a 'threat' in the workplace, the impact of gender and leadership dynamics, and the resistance to diversity within organizations. Dr. Thomas emphasizes the importance of recognizing covert forms of discrimination and the need for organizations to embrace discomfort to foster inclusivity. They also explore the complexities of race, advertising, microaggressions, and the challenges faced by marginalized groups in leadership roles. They discuss the impact of colorblind messaging in organizations, the emotional labor involved in diversity work, and the intersectionality of class and race in higher education. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing these issues to create more inclusive environments.

Both Kim and Dr. Thomas agree that embracing discomfort is crucial for organizations to evolve. They discuss how rejecting these feelings only exacerbates issues within workplace cultures. Instead, recognizing and addressing this discomfort can create pathways for growth and improvement.

Guest Background: Dr. Kecia Thomas is an industrial-organizational psychologist, diversity scientist, keynote speaker, board advisor, and leadership coach. She helps leaders align culture, trust, belonging, and performance to build healthier, higher-performing organizations. Dr. Thomas is the lead psychologist behind Pet to Threat™, a groundbreaking framework examining how high-potential marginalized employees can experience celebration and exploitation, followed by promotion and alienation, at work. Her expertise has been sought by major corporations, national institutions, universities, school districts, and healthcare organizations.

CHAPTERS

(00:21) Introduction to Pet to Threat Framework

(03:16) Experiences of Women in Leadership

(06:10) Understanding the Pet to Threat Transition

(09:01) The Impact of Gender and Leadership

(11:45) Diversity Resistance in Organizations

(14:39) The Role of Organizational Culture

(17:12) The Importance of Naming Experiences

(19:26) The Covert Forms of Resistance

(22:27) The Consequences of Exclusion

(24:56) Good Intentions Gone Awry

(27:22) The Impact of Advertising on Racial Perceptions

(29:31) Microaggressions and Their Consequences

(32:54) Colorblindness in Organizational Messaging

(36:57) Navigating Unintended Offenses in Communication

(39:33) The Emotional Labor of Diversity Work

(40:51) Leadership Challenges for Marginalized Groups

(48:43) Class Bias in Higher Education

(52:13) Intersectionality and Social Distance

Connect with the Radical Candor team:

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Keywords

Pet to Threat, organizational psychology, diversity, inclusion, women in leadership, gender bias, workplace culture, resistance, covert discrimination, leadership dynamics advertising, racial perceptions, microaggressions, colorblindness, diversity, emotional labor, leadership, class bias, intersectionality

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While the podcast team is taking a Radical Sabbatical, Kim is interviewing authors of the books that have had a big impact on her in the past two years.

Today, employees working in organizations both large and small are faced with incredible pressure to integrate AI into their workflows both to save costs and to do more. But many of those same employees express fears, “am I just training robots to put me out of a job?!” While it can be tempting for leaders in the C-suites to use AI to “finally get the upper hand on these whiny/needy/entitled employees!”, they risk damaging their core mission, specifically providing value to their customers. In fairness, those same leaders in the C-suite are rightly under pressure to integrate these new tools or risk getting wiped out by more nimble competition. So, what’s the best way to go about this?

In this episode, Kim Scott speaks with Tiffani Bova about her latest book The Experience Mindset.

In this conversation, they explore the critical relationship between employee experience and customer experience, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection, effective feedback mechanisms, and the necessity of training employees. The discussion also highlights the disconnect between executives and employees regarding training and feedback, illustrated through real-world examples like the 'Undercover Boss' show. Ultimately, the conversation underscores the need for organizations to prioritize employee engagement and actionable feedback to foster a positive workplace culture and drive business success. They discuss specifics such as the importance of addressing workplace irritations, the need for effective management training, and the significance of streamlining processes to enhance productivity. Tiffani especially stresses the critical role of office culture in fostering open communication and the necessity of training managers to improve employee satisfaction.

The discussion also highlights the impact of automation and technology in optimizing processes and the importance of aligning incentives to encourage growth and innovation. They explore the intersection of technology and human experience, particularly focusing on the role of AI in the workplace. They discuss the importance of understanding the human element in technology adoption, the balance between tech and human interaction, and the critical role of company culture in driving business success. The conversation highlights real-world examples of AI implementation, the challenges of technology overload, and the necessity of fostering a cohesive culture that aligns with organizational values.

Guest Background: As both a practitioner and academic Tiffani Bova offers a unique perspective and has helped lead the tech industry through several evolutions over her nearly 30-year career as Salesforce’s former Growth and Innovation Evangelist, and previously as a Research Fellow at Gartner and a sales, marketing and customer service executive for start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. She is the author of two Wall Street Journal bestsellers: GrowthIQ and The Experience Mindset.

At The Futurum Group, she runs the research and strategy organization, while working closely with the entire leadership team to develop and scale its data and intelligence platform and insights for its clients. She also leads the team’s efforts within the technology and telecom channels, demonstrating the power and performance of connected go-to-market strategies and alliances.

While at Gartner, her forward-looking insights and guidance helped some of the largest technology companies in the world including Microsoft, Cisco, Salesforce, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Oracle, SAP, AT&T, Dell, Amazon-AWS, expand their market share and grow their revenues. She was a trusted advisor to multiple senior executives who were responsible for shifting from on-premise to as-a-service business models resulting in new billion-dollar divisions.

In the late 90’s and early 2000s she was a pioneer of cloud computing, she previously led direct and indirect sales, marketing and customer service for two of the largest web-based start-ups in the US and spearheaded a newly formed division of a Fortune 500 company to $300 million in revenue over two and a half years.

Tiffani has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Fast Company, Bloomberg, MSNBC-TV, Yahoo Finance, INC and Forbes. She is also the host of the podcast What’s Next! with Tiffani Bova. More info here: https://www.tiffanibova.com/

[links for YouTube description]

(Bio) https://www.tiffanibova.com/biography/

(book: The Experience Mindset) https://www.tiffanibova.com/the-experience-mindset/

(how to contact) https://www.tiffanibova.com

CHAPTERS

(00:44) Introduction to the Experience Mindset

(02:19) Self-Reflection and Critical Feedback

(04:56) The Importance of Employee Experience

(05:39) Understanding Employee Feedback

(07:23) The Undercover Boss Example

(11:25) The Value of Training Employees

(15:29) Disconnect Between Executives and Employees

(17:30) Real-World Application of Employee Feedback

(20:05) Identifying and Fixing Workplace Irritations

(24:31) The Importance of Management Training

(27:58) Understanding Processes and Their Impact

(36:36) Streamlining Processes for Productivity

(41:51) Understanding the Human Element in Technology

(44:33) AI: Triumphs and Disasters in Implementation

(47:32) The Balance of Technology and Human Experience

(50:17) Creating a Cohesive Company Culture

(55:20) The Impact of Culture on Business Success

Connect with the Radical Candor team:

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠

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While the podcast team is taking a Radical Sabbatical, Kim is interviewing authors whose books have had a big impact on her over the past two years.

In this episode, Kim Scott speaks with Ron Friedman, PhD. Ron has written extensively about the sciences of building high-performing teams. Ron’s latest book is Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams. They discuss the importance of the creative process, the role of restoration in productivity, and the key strengths that distinguish super teams from average teams. The conversation delves into effective meeting strategies, communication norms, and the significance of laughter in fostering team cohesion. Ultimately, they emphasize the need for customized approaches to team dynamics and the value of building supportive relationships within teams. They also explore the dynamics of effective teamwork, the importance of maintaining focus in a distracted world, and the role of hobbies in enhancing productivity. They discuss the attributes of great teammates, the significance of productive disagreement, and the necessity of effective feedback for continuous improvement. The dialogue emphasizes that super teams thrive on collaboration, shared goals, and a culture of open communication.

Guest Background: Ron Friedman, PhD, is an award-winning psychologist who helps leaders build high-performing teams. He is the bestselling author of The Best Place to Work and Decoding Greatness, and the founder of Superteams, Inc., where he delivers keynotes, workshops, and executive advisory to senior leaders around the world. An expert on human motivation, Friedman has served on the faculties of the University of Rochester, Nazareth College, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He contributes regularly to Harvard Business Review, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, Financial Times, Bloomberg, NPR, CBS, FOX, NBC, Fast Company, The Washington Post, Forbes, and Inc. To learn more about his work, visit SuperteamsInc.com.

CHAPTERS

(00:41) Introduction to Super Teams

(01:45) The Creative Process and Incubation

(04:12) Restoration and Productivity

(06:27) Research Behind Super Teams

(07:50) Key Strengths of Super Teams

(09:00) Meetings: The Double-Edged Sword

(11:24) Effective Meeting Strategies

(12:51) Customizing Team Dynamics

(15:06) Communication Norms and Email Management

(18:05) The Role of Laughter in Teams

(20:57) Building Relationships Through Support

(23:00) Navigating Humor and Inclusivity

(26:52) Time Affluence and Productivity Strategies

(30:08) Staying Focused in a Distracted World

(32:51) The Power of Hobbies and Side Hustles

(36:10) Attributes of Great Teammates

(39:10) Building Effective Teams

(41:40) The Importance of Productive Disagreement

(45:02) Mastering Feedback for Improvement

Connect with the Radical Candor team:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Keywords

Super Teams, productivity, creative process, meetings, team dynamics, communication, laughter, leadership, time management, workplace culture focus, hobbies, teamwork, feedback, productivity, super teams, attributes, disagreement, communication, leadership
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