Transparency is vital to building trust within your organization.

Talking Points:

  • The culture of digital technology has created a higher level of attainable and expected transparency, particularly within the workplace.
  • Employees, now more than ever, want access to information within their organization and want to feel like they are a part of the decision making process rather than just being told the facts that the leadership wants to offer. 
  • Even when it’s bad news, it’s better for the organization overall to be clear and honest with the negative news. Telling the truth breeds loyalty and trust.  
  • Transparency is a two way street. Create opportunities for your employees to share their honest opinions about how they feel about how the organization is doing. 
Discussion Questions:
  1. Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. How has social media and the 24 hour news channels impacted transparency within the government and corporations? What are some of the positives and negatives related to this change?
  3. Does your current workplace have a high level of transparency between all levels of employees? Are there groups of workers who have more or less transparency within their departments? Explain.
  4. What are some ways bad news can get out of control when people attempt to hide it?
  5. How can transparency create a stronger amount of loyalty and cooperation among employees?
  6. What can you do to be more transparent in your sphere of influence?
  7. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?