Radical Insights on Performance Conversations

In our Navigating Performance Conversations panel, we discussed the good, the bad and the sometimes ugly side of performance conversations. Since then, I’ve read several articles, played the discussion back on repeat and listened to a podcast on the subject. It’s safe to say I’ve gone down a radical rabbit hole.

A major recurring theme has been the concepts of Radical Transparency and Radical Candor. Both hold significant weight in the realm of organizational communication and leadership.

If these terms are new and you’ve been living under this rock with me, hi neighbor, allow me to explain.

Radical Transparency: A Culture of Open Critique and Honest Feedback

The concept of Radical Transparency is practically synonymous with Ray Dalio and Bridgewater. Adam Grant offers an in-depth exploration in this WorkLife Podcast, but here’s the gist:

• Create a culture where every criticism and opinion is out in the open
• Leadership shouldn’t care more about image than they do about results
• Build a challenging network of completely honest individuals

Here’s an example of Radical Transparency in action:

A manager at a financial institution attends a meeting with ~250 other managers. Mid-discussion, a chart appears on the screen outlining the worst-performing managers. Guess who got first place in a race no professional wants to be part of? Ouch. This public revelation, though initially painful, provided him with invaluable insight and motivation for introspection and improvement.

‍Radical Candor: Balancing Care with Direct Challenge

‍Radical Candor, on the other hand, is a management philosophy introduced by Kim Scott. It emphasizes the balance of Caring Personally while Challenging Directly. The key differentiator here is the element of caring personally. This communication framework encourages genuine praise and constructive criticism delivered with kindness and clarity.

Scott warns managers to be cautious of swinging the pendulum too far right or left, because:

• Over-caring can seem artificial aka ruinous empathy
• Blunt and direct can seem cold and void of humanity, aka obnoxious aggression
• Caring too much about yourself can lead to people pleasing to avoid a tough convo aka manipulative insincerity

If we were to apply Radical Candor to the earlier example, it would look very different. Instead of a public call-out in front of peers and colleagues, the conversation would happen privately and include room for dialogue.

‍Embracing Feedback and Improvement in Any Role

‍Regardless of your role, organizational culture, or the 'radical' approach adopted, there is light at the end of this rabbit hole.

The best way to foster self-improvement is to demonstrate a willingness to improve. This means being open to feedback, asking questions when necessary, and taking proactive steps towards betterment.So whether it's through the lens of Radical Transparency or Radical Candor, the essence lies in creating a culture where feedback is not just a tool for evaluation but a cornerstone for growth and development.