Welcome to Part 2 of my Kindness Series! I want to highlight the importance of “Keeping Kind in Mind” when leading change. Today, we’ll look at Kim Scott’s Radical Candor, a model that shows why kindness matters so much during organizational change.

Scott defines great leadership by two axes: Caring Personally and Challenging Directly. My own experience taught me the high cost of avoiding this balance.

I once worked with an employee whose manager had trouble providing guidance. The effects of this were obvious:

• Breakdown of Trust: The employee didn’t feel her boss truly cared about her, which led to distrust. Without that human connection, real guidance was impossible.
• Lack of Clarity: Her boss didn’t give honest, helpful feedback in their one-on-one meetings. Without clear direction, the employee felt lost and stuck. This shows what Scott means by, “To be clear is to be kind.”
• The Solution: When I asked the employee what she really wanted from her leader, she said, “Honesty, clarity, kindness!” Radical Candor is summarized by these ideas. Honesty and clarity come from Challenging Directly. Kindness is at the heart of Caring Personally.

This experience shows that real kindness in leadership isn’t just about being ‘nice’ or avoiding tough talks. It’s about being committed to caring deeply and being clear. That’s how we get better results and build a culture of trust.

Kim Scott’s Ted Talk (~31 mins)

A summary of her book Radical Candor