We all work in technology, and we all get excited about how technological innovations are shaping the future in real time. But we also understand that technology doesn’t replace human connections. In fact, when done right, technology amplifies our ability to reach each other. That’s the overarching theme of ChannelCon 2025, and our dynamic keynote presentations embody that very idea.
Meet Kim Scott: ChannelCon 2025 Keynote Speaker
Kim Scott is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss without Losing your Humanity, which launched a global management revolution. Previously, Kim led AdSense, YouTube and Doubleclick Online Sales and Operations at Google, and then joined Apple to develop and teach a leadership seminar. She has been a CEO coach at Dropbox, Qualtrics, Twitter and several other tech companies.
Scott will be speaking at ChannelCon on Thursday, July 31 about how we, as technology professionals, can prioritize human-centered growth through a thriving workplace culture. We asked her why candor is so important to the health of your business, here's what she had to say.
Why is cultivating a culture of candor important for organizations?
Radical candor will help you build teams on which everyone does the best work of their lives and builds the best relationships of their careers. It will help your team achieve better results, improve efficiency, and be more innovative while having more fun working together.
A culture of candor builds trust within teams. When team members feel safe expressing their thoughts, ideas and concerns without fear of reprisal, it enhances mutual respect and understanding. This trust is foundational for collaboration and innovation, as employees are more likely to share creative solutions and engage in productive problem-solving.
Candor accelerates personal and professional growth. By providing and receiving honest feedback, individuals gain insights into their strengths and areas for improvement. This ongoing feedback loop encourages continuous learning and development, helping employees to reach their full potential.
A candid culture enhances accountability. When feedback is specific, kind, and clear, it sets clear expectations and standards for performance. Employees understand what is required of them and are motivated to meet or exceed those expectations, leading to improved productivity and achievement.
Candor helps in resolving conflicts effectively. By addressing issues head-on with compassion and clarity, teams can prevent small problems from escalating into larger ones. This proactive approach to conflict resolution maintains a positive work environment and strengthens team dynamics.
Cultivating a culture of candor supports psychological safety, which is essential for fostering innovation and adaptability. Employees feel empowered to take risks and share their ideas, knowing that their contributions are valued and respected.
Overall, a culture of candor is not just beneficial but essential for thriving in today's dynamic work environments. It transforms workplaces into spaces where individuals and teams can grow, innovate, and succeed together.
Everybody handles feedback differently; how can leaders provide honest feedback without making it personal?
Providing honest feedback without making it personal is a key aspect of Radical Candor. Here are some strategies that leaders can use to achieve this:
- Focus on the work, not the person: When giving feedback, it's crucial to address the specifics of the work rather than the individual's personality.
- Use the CORE feedback model: The CORE model is a useful framework for providing feedback that is clear and constructive:
- C – Context: Cite the specific situation where the behavior occurred.
- O – Observation: Describe what was said or done.
- R – Result: Explain the most meaningful consequence to you and them.
- E – Expected Next Steps: Outline the expected next steps.
- Avoid personalizing feedback: It's important to steer clear of making feedback about someone's character. Instead, focus on behaviors that can be changed.
- Acknowledge emotions: Recognize that feedback can evoke emotional responses, and that's okay.
- Be humble and open to dialogue: Approach feedback as a conversation rather than a monologue.
Let’s talk about trust within teams. This seems like a process that can take a while to see the benefits. How do leaders make this a priority?
The seeds of trust are sown in Radical Candor. Take a simple example: Spinach in the teeth. Obviously, it’s easier to tell someone you know well and have built trust with that they have spinach in their teeth. But even if you are having lunch with someone for the very first time, you know that it’s the right thing to do to tell them. If you don’t, you’re letting them go off to their next meeting with a slightly embarrassing hunk of spinach in their teeth. If they go to the bathroom and notice it, they’ll wonder why you didn’t tell them. That will erode trust just a bit. You’ll actually build trust faster by telling them about this small problem in time for them to fix it. Even if it is a bit awkward.
In fact, the “it’s not mean it’s clear” origin story of Radical Candor happened with a perfect stranger.
Watch: Kim Scott tells the Radical Candor Origin Story
How do organizations celebrate individuality without alienating others?
Almost nobody wants to work in a dystopic 1984 style “everyone’s marching in lock step” kind of environment. We expect that others will accept us for who we are, and we will accept others for who they are. And yet all too often we begin to “demand conformity” even though we intend to honor individuality.
Successful collaboration requires diversity of thought and experience. Part of the benefit of collaboration is that “many hands make a light load.” But the more important benefit is that it allows us to challenge each other because each of us has a different point of view, different life experiences. One person easily notices something that another person is oblivious to. But if that person is punished for speaking up, they will remain silent, and nobody gets the benefit of their observation. When we challenge one another, we improve one another’s work. That is why feedback at work is so vital to our individual and collective growth and success.
