Transparency; a vital skill especially through change
Recently, one of our neighbours suffered an attempted break-in. Naturally, they asked everyone in our road to check their doorbells and cameras for any footage, and the police arrived promptly to investigate. My daughter, a better curtain twitcher than Miss Mangle (from Neighbours) noticed the 2 police cars outside and asked, "There are 2 police cars outside, what’s going on?"
Buying myself some time I said I didn’t know, but it did make me think about transparency, and how I answer honestly without scaring the living daylights out of her.
I questioned myself—how transparent should I be? Should I tell her the full truth, or should I soften it to protect her peace of mind?
This experience built on regular conversations with my leadership clients about transparency and how they should handle it, the pros and cons. Here is a clue - it's not about sharing everything, but about sharing what matters honestly, in a way that helps others feel informed, valued, and secure.
This principle extends beyond parenting into our professional and personal lives. Whether managing teams through change or building relationships, transparency isn't about information dumping—it's about meaningful communication that builds trust and understanding.
Transparency is a key element of effective leadership, yet it often comes up in my coaching as one of the most challenging qualities to master. It requires striking a delicate balance with considerations such as honesty, integrity, privacy, confidence, sensitivity to the needs of others (without stepping into protective parent mode) and truth. When leading through change this becomes more acute, where uncertainty can quickly erode trust and morale if not managed well.
Why transparency matters in leadership
At its core, transparency is about openness—being truthful about challenges, decisions, and outcomes while remaining considerate of the context and audience. Leaders who practice transparency foster trust, engagement, and loyalty among their teams. They also consciously or not, connect it to their personal values. Employees are more likely to support a leader they believe is honest, even in difficult circumstances.
Transparency isn’t about sharing every minute detail or overwhelming people with information. Instead, it’s about:
Providing Clarity: Helping people understand the “why” behind decisions.
Acknowledging Challenges: Admitting when things are tough and being open about uncertainties.
Creating Connections: Encouraging questions and discussions to build shared understanding.
Above all else it is about sharing what truthful information you can that helps people feel informed, valued and included.
The role of transparency during business change
Change—whether it’s a merger, restructuring, or the implementation of new systems—can be an emotional rollercoaster for employees. In these moments, transparency becomes essential. Here’s 3 reasons why:
Reduces misinformation: In the absence of clear communication, rumours and speculation thrive. Transparency helps to quash misinformation before it spreads.
Builds trust: Employees are more likely to accept and adapt to change when they trust that leaders are being honest about the reasons, implications, and potential outcomes.
Builds and maintains connection with leadership: Uncertainty can cause people to disengage or fill the gaps in themselves. We can’t ever stop gossip, however when leaders are open about the process and involve employees in shaping the future, it boosts morale and commitment.
What can you do to lead with transparency
Set the tone early: Be upfront about the need for decisions or changes and communicate it as soon as possible. Share the vision, the goals, and the reasons driving the decision. For example: “We’re merging with another company to expand our market reach, which means there will be some shifts in how we operate.”
Acknowledge uncertainty: If there are unknowns, be honest about them. Transparency doesn’t mean having all the answers. A simple acknowledgment like “We’re still working through some details, but here’s what we know so far” can go a long way. It’s also not a one-way street, encourage conversations with your teams to ask questions, share concerns, and offer ideas.
Communicate, communicate, communicate: Regular updates—whether through town halls, emails, or one-on-one conversations—help keep people informed and engaged.
Appreciate the change curve is about people: Understand the Transition process that humans go through and build your TQ (Transitional Intelligence) capabilities.
Create feedback loops: Transparency isn’t a one-way street. Encourage employees to ask questions, share concerns, and offer ideas. Actively listen and respond—even if the answer is “I don’t know yet.”
Follow through: Transparency loses its power if promises aren’t kept. Ensure that what you communicate aligns with your actions and decisions.
Striking the Balance
Getting transparency right is tricky. Share too much, particularly the gloomy bits, and you risk overwhelming your team. Be too tight-lipped, and you'll soon find yourself managing teams with low morale, mistrust and rumours.
The key? It's about reading the room and truly understanding what your people need. And by that I don’t mean what you think they need – they are adults and should be treated as such.
Sometimes, like my situation with my daughter last week, you'll hit situations where complete honesty might do more harm than good. Take redundancy consultations - there's often sensitive information you simply can't share straightaway. In these moments, it's perfectly fine to say, "Look, I can't share everything just yet, but I promise you'll know as soon as I'm able to tell you.”
Final thoughts
There's no perfect formula for transparency - it's a skill you develop through practice, self-reflection, connecting to your values and sometimes learning the hard way. But when you get it right, it's brilliant for building trust and helping your team thrive through any changes.