Download this video’s worksheet here.

This session in The Lysander Series explores how leaders can handle difficult conversations with clarity and care, using communication as a tool to strengthen culture and reduce psychosocial risk.

Building on our earlier discussion of conflict styles, this session focuses on what happens when tensions surface—how we speak, give feedback, and respond in the moment. At the centre is the Radical Candor model, developed by Kim Scott, which provides a simple but powerful framework for communication: Care Personally while Challenging Directly.

You’ll explore the four communication styles - Radical Candor, Ruinous Empathy, Obnoxious Aggression, and Manipulative Insincerity - and understand how each impacts trust, performance, and team dynamics. The session highlights why avoiding hard conversations can allow issues to escalate, while poorly delivered feedback can damage relationships and morale.

We connect these ideas directly to psychosocial health and WHS obligations, showing how honest, well-balanced communication helps prevent conflict from festering, supports psychological safety, and drives better outcomes.

You’ll leave with practical strategies to:

• Deliver clear, constructive feedback without eroding trust

• Recognise and shift unhelpful communication habits

• Build stronger, more open and accountable team dynamics

The session also includes simple techniques and language you can apply immediately, along with reflection prompts to help you embed Radical Candor in your day-to-day leadership practice.