Transparency is an important aspect of effective leadership. We all understand that it is essential to building the trust that is required for people to follow you. That said, would you believe that many of the leaders I have seen embrace transparency the most are the ones who actually practice it poorly? Yup, all those good intentions and commitment to transparency can actually have the opposite effect. Instead of building trust, you may be unwittingly tearing it down.
I have known many leaders in the last 20 years who are committed to the concept of being transparent however they struggle with how to do it correctly in a leadership setting. The biggest questions are usually “how much to share” and “when to share”. If you are like most leaders, you probably respond intuitively. Intuition is a powerful tool that should never be overlooked. However, relying on intuition without employing a method for decision-making puts unfair pressure on your intuitive ability. I like to think of intuition as the final check-point in a decision. First, you must have a way of analyzing the data, considering the options and evaluating actions and probable outcomes. Then, and only then, you can check in with your gut to be sure the decision that the data has guided you to, feels right.
So you might be asking “if I’m just telling people the truth, why do I have to think so hard about it?” The biggest mistake that leaders make is thinking that transparency is “just telling people the truth”. In actuality, when you are being transparent with your people, everything you say must be true, BUT everything that is true, needn’t be said. Let’s look at the three most common ways you can get tripped up with transparency and what you can do to make sure you get it right every time.
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Wrong people
When considering the people you are sharing information with, these are the questions to ask yourself:
Who has the power to shape the outcome in the situation?
Do the people you are sharing information with have the context to understand? Remember that if people don’t sit where you sit, they can not see what you see.
Inconsistency
Are you keeping a steady pace of information sharing or does it vary? When communication diminishes, so does trust. Be careful not to share information in spurts and then go quiet for a time. So called lack of communication is sometimes a simple matter of the variability of communication. Keep suspicion away by maintaining a steady state.
Too much information
Why is it necessary for you to share the information with the specific people you have decided on sharing with? What would be the risk if you don’t share?
Have you fully formulated your position around a situation or are you thinking out loud? If you are looking for input, be clear about the options you are considering, why you have chosen the specific stakeholders to help you make a decision and what you are asking them to provide to you in terms of perspective. Be careful not to leave people with a sense of uncertainty.
Your job as a leader when communicating with transparency is to keep suspicion away, rally perspective from those who have the context and expertise to contribute, and build trust with those you put your trust in. Let these be your guideposts to ensure your transparency serves its’ intended purpose.
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