Radical Candor: Communication at Work
Radical Candor: Communication at Work
Kim Scott, Jason Rosoff & Amy Sandler
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What Founders Need to Know About Feedback and Culture 7 | 33
41 minutes Posted Aug 13, 2025 at 7:00 am.
) Introduction
) Why Early Hires Matter
) Building Good Systems
) Growing Without Losing Trust
) Preparing for Growth and Change
) Layering Without Losing Trust
) Expectation Setting as a Leadership Tool
) Co-Creating Goals in Startups
) What to Do When It’s Not Working
) The Value of Contrarians
) Communicating What Success Looks Like
) Aligning on Growth Strategy
) Building a Culture of Feedback
) Working With Visionary Founders
) Staying Connected as You Scale
) The Power of In-Person Moments
) Common Mistakes Founders Make
) Conclusion
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41:43
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Show notes
Startup founders have a lot on their plates—but one of the most important things they can’t afford to neglect is how they build and lead their early team. Kim talks with executive coach and author Julia Austin about one of the most overlooked—but most important—skills for founders: setting clear expectations and giving helpful feedback early and often. Drawing from Julia’s book After the Idea, they cover how early hires shape company culture, why feedback systems matter from day one, and how to align as a team to create realistic, shared goals. Founders, joiners, and anyone curious about startup life will find valuable advice on leading with clarity, empathy, and purpose—because building a business starts with building relationships.
Get all of the show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RadicalCandor.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Episode Links:⁠⁠⁠
Transcript
Julia Austin
After the Idea: What It Really Takes to Create and Scale a Startup
Connect:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Chapters:
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Kim Scott introduces guest Julia Austin, who shares the inspiration behind her book After the Idea.
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How the first 10–15 employees shape startup culture.
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The importance of healthy incentives and checks on power.
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The evolution of startups as they scale and the growing pains that follow.
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Managing team expectations as the company shifts and scales.
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Hiring early senior employees with transparency and respect.
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Why clearly defined roles and goals are the most underused tools.
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Tips on using 30/60/90-day plans and bottoms-up goal setting.
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Signs of misalignment and navigating tough conversations with care.
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Why different working styles and perspectives can be strengths.
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Setting clear goals to reduce ambiguity and guide decision-making.
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Why co-founders need to agree on the speed and path of scale.
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Small changes that create clarity, reduce fear, and invite real conversations.
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Addressing unrealistic expectations while honoring the big picture.
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How founders can stay approachable and in touch as the company grows.
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Why off-Zoom time and shared experiences matter for team trust.
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Avoiding common traps like bottlenecking, gossip loops, and unclear roles.
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