By admin 
Privacy is a policy ingrained in corporate America. Issues individual employees have, performance reviews and difficult discussions tend to happen behind closed doors. Communication can be compartmentalized, leaving some team members in the know and others unsure of what’s happening within an organization.
A new workplace communication strategy is becoming more common and shifting the traditional way information is shared. Radical candor is a management policy in which 100% open and transparent communication is a company-wide policy—no matter how uncomfortable the conversation is.
Billionaire CEO Ray Dalio founded Bridgewater Associates. In his book Principles, he talks about bringing “radical transparency” into the firm to create a workplace culture where candor could reduce conflict and build trust, even when there are “thoughtful disagreements.”
Honest communication is an important leadership trait, but is there a point where communication can be too honest? Here’s what you need to know about radical candor in the workplace, some companies that practice it, and what experts say about its effects on workplace culture.
Radical candor policies explained
Kim Scott popularized the idea of radical candor in her 2017 New York Times bestselling book Radical Candor. In the workplace, office politics and inconsistent communication policies can create friction. Radical candor policies open communication to make it more transparent and reduce the feeling of secrets. The communication is direct—but not mean.
Dr. Jackie “JP” Phillips, founder of the Unheard Empire, Unheard Media LLC, has a radical candor policy in her company. She says it’s helped increase employee retention.
“I am a huge fan of radical candor, even before I knew what the phrase was. When I realized what radical candor did for me, I knew that it was a tool that I needed to use to keep my teams focused, excited… it just brought a different energy, a different level of engagement,” says Phillips.
She says there is a learning curve for new team members, but 90% of people fall into radical candor and are excited about it.
“[They are] honest conversations that are built on accountability… It has brought everyone closer. I think a lot of times in the workplace, especially if you’re working in teams and groups, there are a lot of assumptions. And so, instead of assuming, we just sit down and [talk]… So I think it’s brought us closer. It’s definitely revealed how we can care and protect one another and deliver great service to our customers,” says Phillips.
Garner Health, a 300-person health tech company, is using radical candor in employee reviews. They allow coworkers to write other employee’s performance reviews and the reviews are public for everyone in the company to see.
“Call it radical candor with high standards,” Valentina Gissin, chief people officer of the 300-person health tech company, told Fortune. “We want to create the conditions for people to do the best work of their lives and a big part of that is this notion of courageous communication.”
Open communication can increase employee retention
In partnership with The Harris Poll, Grammarly’s “State of Business Communication” report estimates that up to $1.2 trillion is lost annually among businesses due to ineffective communication. An organization’s communication policies have a direct impact on its bottom line.
Clear and open communication is a leadership trait that helps leaders lead. Radical candor could be an elevated version of communication as it’s direct and more open about what’s happening within an organization.
“It [radical candor policy] started as an extension of my own personal beliefs that I didn’t want to live with the idea that I was trying to remember what this person knew, what that person knew, that I was sort of tired of living with that kind of management in my life,” says Janice Carte, founder and CEO of Tiny Spoon Chef, Inc.
She sees honest conversations as a core value within her company, making radical candor the next natural evolution.
“There have been many positives. We’ve incorporated a radical level of financial transparency with our entry-level associates. So within the first quarter of their employment, we have a meeting with all of them talking about where the money comes in, what we charge for our personal chefs… where the money goes, and how we can better manage that and create trajectories for sustainable achievement… which is not something any of them have ever really experienced before. I think it sets a path for them to let them know that we’re a different kind of company, and we’re not afraid of having… difficult conversations” says Carte.
Radical candor goes hand-in-hand with an open-door policy
Carte says she’s established an open-door policy where associates can book time with her whenever they want to chat. As the company has scaled, associates have booked time to get their questions about promotions answered.
“I think it takes very little effort to actually clarify and realign, and in that way we can move on in a much healthier way… What I have seen is people stay for a longer period of time than they’ve ever stayed before in an organization… It’s led to associates who feel more supported. We’ve created an environment where people know that they can have challenging conversations and move forward… It’s been really healthy,” says Carte.
Decide if radical candor is right for your workplace long-term
Having a communication policy that’s this direct and open may not feel right for every employee—there may be some bumps if you add the policy. But long term, it can be a policy that ensures everyone within your organization is informed and clear.
“I could see it [radical candor] improving workplace culture because it’s about intention… “Communication is everything and radical candor is about giving people the hard truth where they can hear it and still feel respected in the workplace. It’s not that people necessarily need more feedback, they need more feedback that helps them grow and not shrinks them,” says Melanie K. Hall, a licensed clinical professional counselor, therapist and coach.
Deirdre Orr, an HR consultant and CEO of Deirdre Orr Consulting, says in the long run, she believe radical candor would affect the workplace positively.
“I think that is going to end up being… very good… for organizations, for leaders, especially because it also holds like their employees accountable. So it’s like, ‘Hey, we… gave you all the information. We told you everything, and the reason why we’re doing this is… to make sure that everyone is… on the same page and… understands what’s going on and what we [want to] make sure we have that buy-in…’, says Orr.
She continues: “And then at that point if someone isn’t in alignment with what’s going on.. they can decide what they want to do for their personal self… If an organization is leaning towards… making it… a policy… [be] honest and transparent, and [make] sure everybody understands what’s going on and leaving the room for people to feel comfortable to receive and give feedback. I think it’s gonna be amazing.”
Some radical candor policy considerations
Radical candor can be an elevated version of an open communication policy—it’s a policy that requires clarity and training. Your organization’s version of a radical candor policy can vary, but here are some factors to consider:
- What parts of company policy are included in radical candor (I.E., performance reviews, conflict resolution, company changes, etc.)
- Ensure proper training on how to have direct communication among employees.
- Train leaders on how they can help teams transition and implement radical candor in the workplace.
Photo by Drazen Zigic/iStock.com.