How to Navigate the Messy Middle Between Ruinous Empathy & Obnoxious Aggression 6 | 49

How the CORE method can help you thrive in the messy middle.

Caught in the middle of a boss who’s all care but no action and a team lead who’s full steam ahead with no brakes? That’s a workplace tightrope no one wants to walk. Your ability to Care Personally and Challenge Directly can seriously be affected when communication falls apart on both ends of the spectrum, and it’s not just frustrating—it’s debilitating. How do you stay productive and keep your sanity when you’re managing up and down with people who either dodge conflict entirely or bulldoze through it? In this episode, Jason and Amy tackle the messy middle, breaking down how to use the CORE method (Context, Observation, Result, Expected Next Steps) to navigate these tricky situations. It’s not about pointing fingers or playing favorites—it’s about finding a way to ditch the drama and focus on what really matters: working better together.

Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast.

Episode Links:

• Give Candid Feedback With the CORE Method | Radical Candor
• Feedback from Your Boss | Radical Candor
• Asking for Feedback | Radical Candor
• The Radical Candor Order of Operations | Radical Candor
• Make Work Less Like Jr. High: Radical Candor Podcast 5 | 10
• Managing Challenging Conversations At Work | Radical Candor
• Navigating Workplace Tensions: Stuck Between Ruinous Empathy and Obnoxious Aggression

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