By Gary Dawson
As we quickly approach EANE’s Leadership Summit, I wanted to share thoughts on creating a positive feedback loop based on the book Radical Candor by Kim Scott. Stephanie Sage from Radical Candor will be our opening keynote speaker and this is a framework every leader needs in their toolkit.
Most leaders believe they’re giving effective feedback. The reality? They’re landing in one of two traps. Either feedback gets softened so much it loses all meaning. Kim Scott calls this Ruinous Empathy. Or hard truths get delivered without human warmth, which she calls Obnoxious Aggression. Neither builds trust. Neither develops stronger teams. Neither drives results.
The sweet spot is Radical Candor, and it starts with two foundational principles that work together.
Care Personally.
This isn’t a soft concept. It’s a leadership imperative. Caring personally means knowing what drives your people, understanding what they’re working through, and investing in what they want from their careers. When someone feels genuinely seen by their leader, they’re far more receptive to honest feedback. You’ve earned the right to challenge them because they know you’re in their corner.
Challenge Directly.
Vague feedback is a disservice to your team. “Good job” tells someone nothing actionable. “Your presentation lost the room at slide four, here’s why and here’s how to fix it” gives them something real to work with. Direct doesn’t mean harsh. It means clear, specific, and timely, delivered with the same care you’ve already established.
When these two principles work in tandem, something powerful happens. Feedback stops being something people dread and starts being something they actively seek out. Leaders who model this approach create teams that mirror it. Candor flows in all directions, performance improves, and workplace culture strengthens from the inside out.
That’s the positive feedback loop. Not just better feedback. An environment where honest, caring communication becomes the standard.
Stephanie Sage will bring this framework to life at our Leadership Summit on April 9th with real-world application and actionable takeaways you can implement immediately. Come ready to reflect, engage, and lead differently.
We’ll see you there!
Click Here to Register for the Leadership Summit April 9th