In a recent workshop, we explored key behavioral changes that signal employee disengagement, focusing on actionable ways leaders can identify and address these shifts before they escalate. By understanding the roles of Radical Candor and Psychological Safety, leaders can distinguish between momentary behaviors and deeper issues affecting team morale and retention.
Insights on Radical Candor and Psychological Safety
Understanding disengagement requires analyzing the relationship between feedback, trust, and behavior. Two powerful frameworks—Radical Candor and Psychological Safety—help leaders recognize and address the subtle shifts that may indicate disengagement. Each offers unique perspectives on how to observe, interpret, and act on changes in behavior within the workplace.
Identifying Behavioral Changes with Radical Candor
Radical Candor emphasizes the balance between care and directness when giving feedback. Behavioral shifts in employees often signal how well this balance is maintained. Here are some common examples:
- Victim Mentality & Resistance
Behavioral shifts towards victimhood or resistance to new tasks can indicate underlying issues in communication and feedback, often signaling disengagement when employees feel unsupported.
- Negativity & Withdrawal
Negative remarks, decreased proactivity, and avoidance behaviors highlight a decline in motivation and may arise from perceptions of misalignment with the team’s direction.
- Missed Deadlines & Absenteeism
Changes like missed deadlines and frequent time off may suggest burnout or dissatisfaction, and early intervention can prevent further disengagement.
Traits of Engaged Employees
Engaged employees demonstrate behaviors like:
- Constructive criticism.
- Proactively helping teammates.
- Consistently seeking feedback.
These actions reflect their alignment and loyalty to the team.
Encouraging Psychological Safety for Retention
In his 4 Stages of Psychological Safety book, author Tim Clark established a Psychological Safety establishment and maturation path that was built on the following four steps:
- I feel Included
- I feel safe to Learn (ask for help, make mistakes, fail)
- I feel safe to Contribute (make an impact)
- I feel safe to Challenge (the status quo, innovate)
In the groundbreaking Project Aristotle work at Google, the ultimate secret sauce in creating their high performing (engaged and retained) teams was Psychological Safety. Impactful aspects of safety include:
- Clear Communication on Growth
Ambiguity in feedback or career guidance can result in behavioral withdrawal, while open communication helps maintain motivation and clarity.
- Fostering Trust & Autonomy
Allowing employees to share ideas freely and feel trusted leads to more engaged behavior, reducing the risk of disengagement.
- Inclusive Team Environment
By encouraging openness and allowing all voices to contribute, leaders create psychological safety that drives positive engagement.
Key Takeaways for Leaders
To nurture engagement, leaders should promote Radical Candor and Psychological Safety by:
- First demonstrate that you can take, internalize, and act on candid feedback yourself. Then continuously offer candid and compassionate feedback.
- Realize that safety is built feeling included first—so that is the foundation to focus on initially.
- Build relationships and connect personally before giving feedback to improve its reception and impact.
- Once people feel included, then in order, establish safety To Learn, To Contribute, and To Challenge.
By recognizing these early signals and fostering a supportive, communicative, and safe environment, leaders can enhance retention, strengthen team morale, and drive long-term engagement.
References
- Radical Candor—Being a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity, by Kim Scott (2019)
- The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety: Defining the Path to Inclusion and Innovation, Timothy R. Clark (2020)
