For many years, I struggled to find the right balance between helping people grow and holding them to high standards. I often felt stuck between being “nice” and being “direct”—and those two approaches felt mutually exclusive. After a particularly frustrating discussion, a peer recommended I read Radical Candor® by Kim Scott—and everything clicked. Radical Candor® quickly became one of the most influential books in shaping how I think about leadership, communication, and healthy workplace cultures.
Kim’s core message—care personally, challenge directly—helped me see that not only do these two things operate together, they’re necessarily connected. Here in Hawaii, where our local culture values harmony and respect for all, being direct can sometimes be seen as disrespectful. The concepts of Radical Candor® helped me understand that honest feedback, when rooted in genuine care, isn’t harsh —it’s actually one of the most powerful ways I can help people succeed. This idea shifted how I coached leaders, navigated tough conversations, and approached performance. It reinforced that healthy organizations are built on trust, openness, and the willingness to have real conversations even when they’re uncomfortable.
Years later, this mindset still shapes my work today. At HEC, we believe thriving workplaces are built when people feel both supported and challenged to do their best work—what we call “Winning Together” and being “Better Every Day.”
If you haven’t yet heard, we’re excited to share that Kim Scott will join us as our keynote speaker at our upcoming Annual Meeting on November 18. This is a rare opportunity for HawaiĘ»i leaders to engage directly with one of the most important voices in modern leadership, around a topic that is timelier and more relevant than ever.
We hope to see our members and community leaders there as we learn together, exchange ideas, and continue building workplaces where people and organizations can thrive.
Learn more and register for the HEC Annual Meeting here.