In 2022, I finally picked up Radical Candor by Kim Scott. 

I’d heard of this book throughout the years, and even for a time listened to their podcast. Like most people, I figured I knew what the book was about, knew that it would be helpful, but figured I could practice being radically candid without knowing the definition.

Then I picked up the book.

At first I was amazed by the thickness of the book and size of the font—it was smaller font than I’m used to (and I read a lot of books—68 in 2022 alone).

But then the content took over. And for the rest of the 2-3 weeks it took me to read this book, I was immersed in a world of liberating leadership and management. It surprised me. It wasn’t just how to care personally and challenge directly. It was, as the first part of the book is so aptly titled, “A New Management Philosophy.”

It’s an incredible book on management, leading people well and practical tips to help all levels of leaders be the leaders they were meant to be.

If you’re a leader with a position today, you must add it to your book stack. You’re cheating your team if you haven’t read it.

If you’re not a leader yet (in a management position), add this to your book stack. You’re cheating your future team if you haven’t read it.

If you don’t want to be a leader with a position at work, add this to your book stack. You’re cheating your manager if you haven’t read it.

Read it. Take the time, make the effort. You’ll be better for it.

Later on in the book, Kim Scott gets extremely vulnerable about how she is leading her team. She shares a personal example where she begins to realize there are two different types of growth trajectories for employees. She doesn’t believe in a stagnant growth plan, but a growth plan doesn’t always mean promotion.

Growing doesn’t always mean promotion.

And if you’re leading a team of people, some of them want to be promoted, but some of them want to be efficient in their roles.

Some of your people are superstars. Some of your people are rock stars.

If you’re a leader with a position today, you must add it to your book stack. You’re cheating your team if you haven’t read it.

The superstars are those people who are ambitious, and want to grow in their position at the company. They are hardwired with the desire to excel and be promoted. You need people like that in your company.

The rock stars, not heavy metal, are those who a growing and desire to be stable. Don’t put them in a position other than the one they are in, they don’t want to move, they want to be a stable “rock” helping support the foundation and growth of the company. 

Both are needed. 

“A leader at Apple had a good way to think about different ambition that people on her team had so that she could be thoughtful about what roles to put people in. To keep a team cohesive, you need both rock stars and superstars, she explained. Rock stars are solid as a rock. Think the Rock of Gibraltar, not Bruce Springsteen. The rock stars love their work. They have found their groove. They don’t want the next job if it will take them away from the craft. Not all artists want to own a gallery; in fact, most don’t. If you honor and reward the rock stars, they’ll become the people you most rely on. If you promote them onto roles they don’t want or aren’t suited for, however, you’ll lose them—or, even worse, wind up firing them. Superstars, on the other hand, need to be challenged and given new opportunities to grow constantly.” – Kim Scott

Who are you? What do you want to be? Are you a rock start? Are you in a stage in your life where you need to be efficient in your current role because the needs of your family, life, or passion? Do you need to be challenged and shoot to the top?

You can be both at different times of your life.

Leaders, your person on your team could be a superstar at the beginning, but their life needs could change and now they are a rock star.

Both are stars.

Radical Candor caused me to see the team better when I was reading this book. I took time to listen, ask good questions, and see the people on the team, not just the product we were looking to produce. Everyone had a different need. And it was my job to cultivate that for the growth and goals of our team. We had some big projects, and we needed everyone on the bus. But not everyone had the same role.

I know I’ll be picking this book up again, maybe in 2023, but definitely by the end of 2024 I’ll have read this book for the 2nd time. I have a lot to learn about challenging directly, so that my personal care doesn’t become ruinous empathy. (If that sounds like a reference to the book, it’s because it is.)

Learning helps everyone get better. 

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