Radical Candor: Communication at Work · 2026-08-04 · 45 min · 8,272 words

Why some leaders are incorruptible, many get corrupted by power/money (with Rob Lalka)

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If we look at the last thirty years of tech and people who have good intentions trying to keep those good intentions pure. Not a really great track record in terms of what they were originally trying to do versus what happened. Now, to be clear, I'm a business professor. I believe capitalism is the greatest force for good. An uplift, an economic opportunity, and I believe in free and fair markets. I think it's both of them. And that's what I argue is that. It always has to be both. We We always talk about liberty and justice, freedom and fairness. They're always in tandem. It's never just one or the other, and when they conflict, we figure it out.

Hello, everybody. I'm Kim Scott. Welcome to the Radical Sabbath, where I'm talking to the authors of books that have meant a lot to me that I've read over the last couple of years. Thrilled to have you with us here today, Rob. In person, in flash, in the flesh. It's gonna be so much fun, kid, thank you. Rob Lalka is the author of Venture Alchemist and also a Professor at Tulane. Welcome.

Thank you. I love your book. I love your book so much, and I s starting with the title. So what does alchemy mean? So I kept thinking about how I mean, I teach venture capital.

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