Radical Candor
Each week, I will send out some handy tips and useful exercises for adults learning to navigate and use the English language. You are welcome to share this newsletter with friends and colleagues.
Radical Candor is a business leadership book written by former Apple and Google executive Kim Malone Scott. In the book, Scott defines the term radical candor as feedback that incorporates both praise and criticism. Radical Candor is about providing guidance, which involves a mix of praise and criticism, delivered to produce better results and help employees achieve their goals.
You can read more about Kim's approach at the website here: https://www.radicalcandor.com/
Vocabulary
Language Level - B2
We continue to add to our vocabulary words from the Oxford 3000.
A list of 3000 words someone should know if they are taking the CEFR (Common European Framework Reference) language tests.
- Psychology (n)
- Publication (n)
- Pupil (n)
- Purchase (n,v)
- Pure (adj)
- Pursue (v)
- Range (v)
- Rank (n, v)
- Rapid (adj)
- Rapidly (adv)
Study this set of vocabulary words with this Quizlet.
Grammar Tip
Language Level - B2
In professional settings, we often need to express opinions, emotions, and feedback with precision. Using modifiers with adjectives (e.g., very honest, absolutely clear) and adverbs (e.g., incredibly directly, fairly gently) helps us shape the tone of our communication.
Radical Candor is a communication style that encourages people to care personally while also challenging directly. It's about being both honest and kind when giving feedback.
For this exercise, we will focus on using these modifiers for giving feedback at work:
- For adjectives: very, quite, really, extremely, absolutely, fairly, a bit, somewhat, deeply
(e.g., extremely honest, a bit nervous, fairly helpful)
- For adverbs: incredibly, surprisingly, slightly, totally, completely, gently, kindly
(e.g., gently challenge, completely agree, slightly criticize)
Let's Practice!
Complete each sentence with an appropriate modifier to strengthen or soften the meaning.
- His feedback was __________ honest, but I appreciated it.
- She challenged me __________ directly, which helped me grow.
- The advice was __________ helpful—I used it immediately.
- You could be __________ clearer when you explain your expectations.
- It was __________ kind of her to take time to explain things again.
Read the sentence and underline the modifier and the word it modifies.
- She was incredibly kind when she gave me feedback.
- I found his email a bit rude.
- That was an extremely helpful suggestion.
- They were totally honest about the problem.
- We should give slightly more direct feedback.
Reading and Listening Tip
Language Level - B2
Watch Kim Scott deliver a Ted Talk about her Radical Candor approach and practice reading English with the CC turned on:
Weekly Challenge
Language Level - C1
Using the words below, create complex sentences that reflect Radical Candor principles.
Words:
- manager, challenge, fairly, direct, honest, absolutely, kind, suggestion
Example: My manager gave me a fairly direct suggestion that was absolutely kind and honest.
- colleague, criticize, gently, extremely, helpful
- client, unclear, a bit, surprised, feedback
- team leader, extremely, honest, message
- advice, completely, helpful, soft tone
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