A Requirement for a Culture of Transparency

​In the past, transparency in business was almost taboo.
 
The thinking went that the more opaque an organization’s operations, whether to the public or to its own employees, the better the chances of success.
Of course, compared to 10 or 20 years ago, communication nowadays has changed beyond recognition:
✅ Breaking news spreads immediately – no waiting to read about today’s news tomorrow.
✅ Important life events are communicated over group texts.
✅ Details about our lives are shared internet-wide.
✅ Apps allow us to avoid uncomfortable conversations and go straight to splitting the cost of meals or rides.
In short, more transparent, real-time communication has become the norm in our personal lives.
Meaning it was only a question of time before it influenced communication at work.
Because people are still people, whether at home or at work.
𝘼𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩, 𝙩𝙬𝙤-𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙖 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.
Traditionally, most organizations have focused on a top-down, limited communication style.
With a tendency toward ignoring or filtering upwardly flowing information.
💠 𝗔𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆.
Which does not mean that leaders must begin sharing every single detail.
But, certainly, more than what most organizations may be used to communicating.
Of course, if transparency is invited by leaders, the resulting dialogue must be taken seriously and treated with respect.
So that employees feel safe sharing their ideas or concerns, knowing that there will be no negative repercussions.
The following are some practices to keep in mind:
📌 Communicate promptly, and inform employees about big news first, or immediately after any public announcement.
 
📌 Be upfront about things that can’t be publicly discussed, but which people will have questions about, to avoid employees filling the void with rumors.
 
📌 Address potentially controversial topics proactively, instead of waiting for a reaction.
 
📌 Provide a system for handling employee questions and concerns, both the day-to-day and the more serious, and answer questions promptly and honestly, including reasons why.
 
📌 Solicit feedback regularly on what’s working and not and respond appropriately.
 
📌 Create a variety of communication channels: Message the CEO; employee-only work discussions; employee-only non-work conversations.
 
When companies break down old walls and start engaging with employees, a new level of insight into the business is the result.
 
Translating to greater connections, grounded in mutual trust.
If, however, leaders continue to operate in the old way, they appear out of touch and lose credibility.
And engagement and innovation suffer.