Ready to love your job, crush your career goals, and become the kind of leader everyone actually wants to work with?
Welcome to the Radical Candor podcast, where you'll learn how to kick ass at work without losing your humanity. Host Amy Sandler and Radical Candor co-founders Kim Scott and Jason Rosoff to break down how you can Care Personally and Challenge Directly — the deceptively simple but powerful formula for building stronger teams, giving (and getting) better feedback, and leading with heart and clarity.
Each episode is packed with real talk, relatable stories, and actionable tips to help you do the best work of your life while building the best relationships of your career. Whether you’re a manager, a team player, or dreaming bigger for your future, this is the podcast that will change how you show up at work — and in life. P.S. Don’t forget to check out Kim Scott’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity! Want even more Radical Candor? Join the Radical Candor Community — free forever.
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Ready to love your job, crush your career goals, and become the kind of leader everyone actually wants to work with?
Welcome to the Radical Candor podcast, where you'll learn how to kick ass at work without losing your humanity. Host Amy Sandler and Radical Candor co-founders Kim Scott and Jason Rosoff to break down how you can Care Personally and Challenge Directly — the deceptively simple but powerful formula for building stronger teams, giving (and getting) better feedback, and leading with heart and clarity.
Each episode is packed with real talk, relatable stories, and actionable tips to help you do the best work of your life while building the best relationships of your career. Whether you’re a manager, a team player, or dreaming bigger for your future, this is the podcast that will change how you show up at work — and in life. P.S. Don’t forget to check out Kim Scott’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity! Want even more Radical Candor? Join the Radical Candor Community — free forever.
From Complaining to Collaboration: Shifting 1:1 Dynamics 7 | 29
Radical Candor: Communication at Work
36 minutes
1 month ago
From Complaining to Collaboration: Shifting 1:1 Dynamics 7 | 29
When your one-on-ones start sounding like therapy sessions with zero breakthroughs, it’s time to ask—what’s really going on here? Jason and Amy unpack a Reddit post from a manager caught in a swirl of venting, defiance, and total burnout from their team. They dive into what venting actually signals, why some people shoot down every idea (even the good ones), and how to rebuild trust when the whole vibe is off. Sometimes it’s not about “fixing” people—it’s about listening like you mean it and why “don’t bring me problems, bring me solutions” might be the most toxic advice you never meant to give. It’s a deep dive into messy middle management moments, complete with hard truths, small wins, and the uncomfortable art of getting unstuck—without just slapping on a smile and pretending everything’s fine.
Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast.
Episode Links:
Transcript
Effective 1:1s - Tips For One-on-One Meetings With Your Team | Radical Candor
7 Ways To Improve One-on-One Meetings | Radical Candor
Have More Effective 1:1 Meetings | Radical Candor Podcast 2 | 9
Resistant Direct Reports | Radical Candor Podcast 7 | 8
The Go-To Question | Radical Candor Podcast 2 | 8
Some direct reports have nothing to say during 1-on-1s | Reddit
Connect:
Website
Instagram
TikTok
LinkedIn
YouTube
Bluesky
Chapters:
(00:00:00) Introduction
Jason and Amy introduce a Reddit post about managing one-on-ones that turn into venting sessions.
(00:02:35) Complaining vs. Valid Frustration
How to treat repeated venting as a signal, not background noise.
(00:04:00) The Manager’s Middle Role
The challenges of managing from the middle of the org chart.
(00:05:12) Listening as a Strategic Tool
Why reflective listening helps clarify what really matters to your team.
(00:06:33) Soliciting Specific Feedback Effectively
Using targeted questions to gather feedback from frustrated reports.
(00:09:52)Tailoring Feedback Questions
Why not all feedback questions are equal: timing and specificity are key.
(00:10:37) Celebrating Small Wins
How to acknowledge constraints while celebrating progress.
(00:12:17) Shifting from Emotion to Action
Encouraging forward motion by focusing on what can be done now.
(00:14:19) Managing Venting Time
Balancing space to vent with the need to move forward.
(00:17:03) Venting Culture & Peer Influence
How one person’s negativity can shape the entire team dynamic.
(00:19:01) Manipulative Insincerity & Unmet Needs
Understanding venting as a shortcut to connection and belonging.
(00:20:35) “Don’t Bring Me Problems” – Helpful or Harmful?
Why banning complaints can backfire—and what to do instead.
(00:22:14) The Roleplay: Shooting Down Every Idea
A roleplay showing how to respond when every idea gets shot down.
(00:27:00) Solutions Without Overpromising
How to be honest about constraints without losing trust.
(00:28:54) Radical Candor Tips
Actionable tips to guide productive, empathetic one-on-ones.
(00:31:38) Conclusion
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Radical Candor: Communication at Work
Ready to love your job, crush your career goals, and become the kind of leader everyone actually wants to work with?
Welcome to the Radical Candor podcast, where you'll learn how to kick ass at work without losing your humanity. Host Amy Sandler and Radical Candor co-founders Kim Scott and Jason Rosoff to break down how you can Care Personally and Challenge Directly — the deceptively simple but powerful formula for building stronger teams, giving (and getting) better feedback, and leading with heart and clarity.
Each episode is packed with real talk, relatable stories, and actionable tips to help you do the best work of your life while building the best relationships of your career. Whether you’re a manager, a team player, or dreaming bigger for your future, this is the podcast that will change how you show up at work — and in life. P.S. Don’t forget to check out Kim Scott’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity! Want even more Radical Candor? Join the Radical Candor Community — free forever.
