Articles by Kim Scott
Why Praising in Public and Criticizing in Private is Key to Giving Feedback Others Will Act OnPraising people publicly and criticizing privately is a good rule of thumb for giving feedback. • Public criticism tends to trigger defensiveness while public praise carries more weight and encourages others. • When praising publicly, provide specific details about what the person did, the impact, and context so the whole team learns. • Provide private criticism to be kind and clear without triggering defensive reactions that hinder learning. • The rule of thumb has exceptions based on individual preferences, opportunities for group learning, and the boss's role. • Following up public praise with private praise shows you care personally. • Great bosses encourage employees to criticize them publicly to model appreciation for criticism. • Public criticism of the boss allows them to address issues for the whole team at once. • Combining public and private praise can have a big emotional impact. • The key is showing you care personally and challenging directly, not just following the rule of thumb.
- My Management Lessons from Three Failed Startups, Google, Apple, Dropbox, and Twitter
This article contains a number of concepts that Kim dives deeper into in her book, Radical Candor. Here she provides a framework for giving feedback with 4 quadrants, with one quadrant in particular being the "best" form: tough love.