Humility is crucial in delivering feedback as it implies openness to different perspectives, avoiding an authoritarian approach. Radical Candor emphasizes descriptive language to depersonalize feedback, making it less confrontational and more focused on behavior and impact. Feedback, even if uncomfortable, is a valuable gift that helps correct misperceptions. Specific and descriptive examples are essential to understanding the problem clearly. Difficult feedback, such as addressing body odor, must be given with empathy and a focus on behavior change for improvement.
Honesty may be the best policy, but that doesn’t make giving honest feedback any easier. That’s why Kim Scott, a veteran of Google and Apple, wrote “Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity.” It’s a life-saving guide for anyone who’s ever had to dole out difficult but important feedback. Which means all of us.