What You See is What You Get
Transparent leaders build credibility, resulting in greater collaboration across all levels of the organization. This “what you see is what you get” approach to leadership often leads to more efficient decision-making by increasing the trust that develops between leaders and their teams.
Many organizations pay lip service to transparency while, at the same time, refusing to share vital information with their employees. There are often a host of reasons for why “we can’t share that”.
At Google, transparency is a core value. Google believes it is their responsibility to maximize transparency around the flow of information related to their tools and services. They believe that more information means more choice, more freedom and ultimately more power for the individual.
Quint Studer, author of Straight A Leadership: Alignment, Action and Accountability, observes that organizations with cultures of openness and freeflowing information fare better. According to Studer, transparent leaders help employees stay connected, reduce complacency, spark creative solutions and create organizational consistency leading to faster, more efficient execution.
When it comes to acting with transparency, there are nine specific behaviors that can increase the “what you see is what you get” perception of leaders.
1. Overwhelming Honesty
2. Seeking Feedback
3. Maintaining Composure
4. Letting Your Guard Down
5. Keeping Promises
6. Handling Mistakes Well
7. Delivering Bad News with Compassion
8. Avoiding Destructive Comments
9. Showing Others That You Care
Transparency starts with opening up lines of communication with an organization’s own employees and creating an environment that invites and encourages internal dialogue, and providing a welcoming and supportive workplace for employees.
How have you personally demonstrated one or more of the above behaviors in the last six months?
What types of information are you sharing with your team on a routine basis?
What types of information are you withholding from your team?
How will you and your colleagues achieve more transparency with your employees and your customers?