Radical Candor: Communication at Work

While the podcast team is taking a Radical Sabbatical, Kim is interviewing authors of the books that have had a big impact on her in the past two years.  In this episode, Kim Scott speaks with Dr. Kecia Thomas, an organizational psychologist renowned for her research on workplace dynamics.  Kim discusses Dr. Thomas’ research on the 'Pet to Threat' framework, which explores the experiences of women, particularly women of color, in organizational settings. They discuss the transition from being seen as a 'pet' to a 'threat' in the workplace, the impact of gender and leadership dynamics, and the resistance to diversity within organizations. Dr. Thomas emphasizes the importance of recognizing covert forms of discrimination and the need for organizations to embrace discomfort to foster inclusivity. They also explore the complexities of race, advertising, microaggressions, and the challenges faced by marginalized groups in leadership roles. They discuss the impact of colorblind messaging in organizations, the emotional labor involved in diversity work, and the intersectionality of class and race in higher education. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing these issues to create more inclusive environments. Both Kim and Dr. Thomas agree that embracing discomfort is crucial for organizations to evolve. They discuss how rejecting these feelings only exacerbates issues within workplace cultures. Instead, recognizing and addressing this discomfort can create pathways for growth and improvement. Guest Background: Dr. Kecia Thomas is an industrial-organizational psychologist, diversity scientist, keynote speaker, board advisor, and leadership coach. She helps leaders align culture, trust, belonging, and performance to build healthier, higher-performing organizations. Dr. Thomas is the lead psychologist behind Pet to Threat™, a groundbreaking framework examining how high-potential marginalized employees can experience celebration and exploitation, followed by promotion and alienation, at work. Her expertise has been sought by major corporations, national institutions, universities, school districts, and healthcare organizations. CHAPTERS (00:21) Introduction to Pet to Threat Framework (03:16) Experiences of Women in Leadership (06:10) Understanding the Pet to Threat Transition (09:01) The Impact of Gender and Leadership (11:45) Diversity Resistance in Organizations (14:39) The Role of Organizational Culture (17:12) The Importance of Naming Experiences (19:26) The Covert Forms of Resistance (22:27) The Consequences of Exclusion (24:56) Good Intentions Gone Awry (27:22) The Impact of Advertising on Racial Perceptions (29:31) Microaggressions and Their Consequences (32:54) Colorblindness in Organizational Messaging (36:57) Navigating Unintended Offenses in Communication (39:33) The Emotional Labor of Diversity Work (40:51) Leadership Challenges for Marginalized Groups (48:43) Class Bias in Higher Education (52:13) Intersectionality and Social Distance Connect with the Radical Candor team: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ Keywords Pet to Threat, organizational psychology, diversity, inclusion, women in leadership, gender bias, workplace culture, resistance, covert discrimination, leadership dynamics advertising, racial perceptions, microaggressions, colorblindness, diversity, emotional labor, leadership, class bias, intersectionality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the podcast team is taking a Radical Sabbatical, Kim is interviewing authors whose books have had a big impact on her over the past two years.  In this episode, Kim Scott speaks with Ron Friedman, PhD.  Ron has written extensively about the sciences of building high-performing teams.  Ron’s latest book is Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams.  They discuss the importance of the creative process, the role of restoration in productivity, and the key strengths that distinguish super teams from average teams. The conversation delves into effective meeting strategies, communication norms, and the significance of laughter in fostering team cohesion. Ultimately, they emphasize the need for customized approaches to team dynamics and the value of building supportive relationships within teams.  They also explore the dynamics of effective teamwork, the importance of maintaining focus in a distracted world, and the role of hobbies in enhancing productivity. They discuss the attributes of great teammates, the significance of productive disagreement, and the necessity of effective feedback for continuous improvement. The dialogue emphasizes that super teams thrive on collaboration, shared goals, and a culture of open communication. Guest Background: Ron Friedman, PhD, is an award-winning psychologist who helps leaders build high-performing teams. He is the bestselling author of The Best Place to Work and Decoding Greatness, and the founder of Superteams, Inc., where he delivers keynotes, workshops, and executive advisory to senior leaders around the world. An expert on human motivation, Friedman has served on the faculties of the University of Rochester, Nazareth College, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He contributes regularly to Harvard Business Review, and his work has been featured in The New York Times, Financial Times, Bloomberg, NPR, CBS, FOX, NBC, Fast Company, The Washington Post, Forbes, and Inc. To learn more about his work, visit SuperteamsInc.com. CHAPTERS (00:41) Introduction to Super Teams (01:45) The Creative Process and Incubation (04:12) Restoration and Productivity (06:27) Research Behind Super Teams (07:50) Key Strengths of Super Teams (09:00) Meetings: The Double-Edged Sword (11:24) Effective Meeting Strategies (12:51) Customizing Team Dynamics (15:06) Communication Norms and Email Management (18:05) The Role of Laughter in Teams (20:57) Building Relationships Through Support (23:00) Navigating Humor and Inclusivity (26:52) Time Affluence and Productivity Strategies (30:08) Staying Focused in a Distracted World (32:51) The Power of Hobbies and Side Hustles (36:10) Attributes of Great Teammates (39:10) Building Effective Teams (41:40) The Importance of Productive Disagreement (45:02) Mastering Feedback for Improvement Connect with the Radical Candor team: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ Keywords Super Teams, productivity, creative process, meetings, team dynamics, communication, laughter, leadership, time management, workplace culture focus, hobbies, teamwork, feedback, productivity, super teams, attributes, disagreement, communication, leadership Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices