Ready to love your job, crush your career goals, and become the kind of leader everyone actually wants to work with?
Welcome to the Radical Candor podcast, where you'll learn how to kick ass at work without losing your humanity. Host Amy Sandler and Radical Candor co-founders Kim Scott and Jason Rosoff to break down how you can Care Personally and Challenge Directly — the deceptively simple but powerful formula for building stronger teams, giving (and getting) better feedback, and leading with heart and clarity.
Each episode is packed with real talk, relatable stories, and actionable tips to help you do the best work of your life while building the best relationships of your career. Whether you’re a manager, a team player, or dreaming bigger for your future, this is the podcast that will change how you show up at work — and in life. P.S. Don’t forget to check out Kim Scott’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity! Want even more Radical Candor? Join the Radical Candor Community — free forever.
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Ready to love your job, crush your career goals, and become the kind of leader everyone actually wants to work with?
Welcome to the Radical Candor podcast, where you'll learn how to kick ass at work without losing your humanity. Host Amy Sandler and Radical Candor co-founders Kim Scott and Jason Rosoff to break down how you can Care Personally and Challenge Directly — the deceptively simple but powerful formula for building stronger teams, giving (and getting) better feedback, and leading with heart and clarity.
Each episode is packed with real talk, relatable stories, and actionable tips to help you do the best work of your life while building the best relationships of your career. Whether you’re a manager, a team player, or dreaming bigger for your future, this is the podcast that will change how you show up at work — and in life. P.S. Don’t forget to check out Kim Scott’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity! Want even more Radical Candor? Join the Radical Candor Community — free forever.
From Optimism to Reckoning: Reflections on Silicon Valley with Steven Levy 7|43
Radical Candor: Communication at Work
37 minutes
4 weeks ago
From Optimism to Reckoning: Reflections on Silicon Valley with Steven Levy 7|43
The early internet was built on big hopes—access, openness, connection, and the belief that technology could make the world fairer. In this episode of The Radical Candor Podcast, Kim & Jason are in conversation with Steven Levy. His recent article, “I thought I knew Silicon Valley. I was wrong.”, becomes the lens through which they revisit tech’s early promise and its reality today.
They take an honest look at the optimism that shaped Silicon Valley’s early culture and how those ideals unraveled. Kim & Steven candidly share their unique perspective of how it feels to recognize the gap between what they believed and what actually happened as two people who had a front row seat.
If you’re looking for a thoughtful, grounded, and honest conversation about how tech’s story was written—and rewritten—in real time, and what today’s leaders can learn from examining both intention and impact, this episode offers clarity and perspective you can apply right now.
Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast.
Episode Links:
"I Thought I Knew Silicon Valley, I was Wrong"
About Steven Levy
Steven Levy's Newsletter
Steven Levy's Books
"Virtual Love" by Kim Scott
"Enshittification" by Cory Doctorow
"The Age of Extraction" by Tim Wu
Connect:
Website
Instagram
TikTok
LinkedIn
YouTube
Bluesky
Chapters:
(00:00) Introduction
Kim, Jason, and Steven set the stage for a reflective look at Silicon Valley’s promise and reality.
(01:39) “I Thought I Knew Silicon Valley. I Was Wrong.”
Steven shares what led him to write the article and how his perspective shifted.
(03:38) From Idealism to Influence: When Tech’s Culture Shifted
Exploring the moment Silicon Valley’s playful, rebellious spirit hardened into something more powerful—and less accountable.
(06:30) Recalling the Internet We Hoped For
Revisiting the early optimism that shaped the web and the disillusionment that followed.
(12:27) The Claims of AI
Examining the bold promises tech leaders make about AI—and why skepticism matters.
(15:01) The Long Tail
Early optimism about the internet’s potential to democratize opportunity.
(16:56) Enshittification & The Age of Extraction
Cory Doctorow’s framework, antitrust debates, and how market consolidation reshaped the online ecosystem.
(20:05) Do a CEO’s Values Matter?
A look at how leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos have evolved—and what that means for their companies.
(24:37) What to Do When You Don’t Align With Your Company
Reflecting on how to stay true to your values when the culture around you shifts.
(29:36) Looking Back with Clearer Eyes
Kim reckons with past choices, blind spots, and what accountability looks like now.
(32:29) What Corrupted Silicon Valley
When too much money and power are concentrated in too few hands.
(33:56) Conclusion
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Radical Candor: Communication at Work
Ready to love your job, crush your career goals, and become the kind of leader everyone actually wants to work with?
Welcome to the Radical Candor podcast, where you'll learn how to kick ass at work without losing your humanity. Host Amy Sandler and Radical Candor co-founders Kim Scott and Jason Rosoff to break down how you can Care Personally and Challenge Directly — the deceptively simple but powerful formula for building stronger teams, giving (and getting) better feedback, and leading with heart and clarity.
Each episode is packed with real talk, relatable stories, and actionable tips to help you do the best work of your life while building the best relationships of your career. Whether you’re a manager, a team player, or dreaming bigger for your future, this is the podcast that will change how you show up at work — and in life. P.S. Don’t forget to check out Kim Scott’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity! Want even more Radical Candor? Join the Radical Candor Community — free forever.
