Leading in the Age of Transparency

How comfortable are you being truly transparent?

It’s not a trick question. The issue of transparent leadership is all the rage now, particularly with the workforce no longer buying into the tired, and candidly, lame management speak that has been used for years.

Employees are bright, well-informed (sometimes), and know what they want out of their work experience. Oh, and they also don’t really care about the cliches managers have used for years about paying your dues or sucking it up and keeping your head down.

Did any of us ever truly believe that talk?

So, I’ll ask again…how comfortable are you sharing information with your employees about what is happening in your organization?

I’m reminded of one of my early leadership jobs. I reported to the VP of HR, and he attended health system wide leadership meetings, but modified the notes he shared with his team…and he expected me to do the same.

Um, no. 

I simply shared everything. Good news, bad news, financial information…everything. A funny thing happened. My credibility immediately grew. You see, my VP had been the leader of my team previously and they never received as much information as I was passing along.

I guess I was into this whole transparency thing back in the 90s before COVID and the world turning upside down and demanded it.

How much do you share with your team? 

Do they know you are honest with them?

If you’re holding back, or trying to be “smooth” I have news for you…you’re not. None of us are when we try to pull one over on our people.

Let’s all be better.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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