Radical Candor 

What it is

A two-by-two framework to describe the two critical elements of good feedback in workplace conversations: care deeply and communicate directly. 

When to use

In any situation where people are avoiding difficult conversations or leaning into them in unhelpful ways. 

When not to use

When it’s not really needed—i.e., in (rare) workplace situations where everyone is already operating based on caring deeply and communicating directly. (If you find one, let us know if they’re hiring!)

Tradecraft tips

Although deceptively simple, it’s easy to spend a productive hour with a group unpacking the meaning and implications of all four quadrants of the matrix for their workplace. Many workplaces suffer from too much “Ruinous Empathy” (i.e., failing to communicate directly out of fear of hurting other’s feelings—known as “Deloitte nice” or “P&G nice” or “Your organization here nice”). Others—especially in Silicon Valley—twist the meaning of Radical Candor as a license to be a jerk (a.k.a. “Obnoxious Aggression”). 

Source

Kim Scott, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity (2019). Also, the Radical Candor podcast is a fantastic source of regular management insight.