2 Keys to Increasing Trust & Transparency
There are two key elements that consistently come up short on employee surveys.
They also happen to be the two most common things my clients tell me they are seeking when they’re on the job hunt.
And they are:
Trust & Transparency.
How do you improve Trust & Transparency?
And how do you find it in your job search?
Today I’ll tackle how to improve it, next week I’ll offer tips on how to find it.
There are two skills managers and leaders can leverage to improve trust and transparency:
Leading with vulnerability
Communicating with context
Let’s dive in!
Leading With Vulnerability
What it is:
Being human
Asking for input
Owning shortfalls
Sharing bits of you
Admitting when you don’t know
Fostering meaningful relationships & discussions
What it can sound like:
✨ "I'd love your brain on this to make sure I'm thinking about this the right way, could I bounce thoughts off you?"
✨ "I'm not as close to the details as you are, what's your recommendation?"
✨ "Last night was a doozy with my 2 year old, so hang with me while I verbally process this."
✨ "I know you're feeling cautious and worried, I've felt those same feelings as I've processed all these changes. And here's what I also know to be true and here's what gives me hope..."
Why are these phrases, especially from someone in a position of power, impactful?
Because they kick off an important signal.
To quote Daniel Coyle, author of The Culture Code:
“There’s a name for this moment. It’s called a vulnerability loop, and it works like this: Person #1 vulnerable, and admits a mistake or a shortcoming. This allows Person #2 to do the same, creating high-candor exchanges that drive performance and build trust.”
And as he illustrates in this short post, the 4 most powerful words a leader can use are: “I screwed that up.”
Let’s also acknowledge there’s a balance.
It’s one thing to put the ego aside and admit to a mistake. It’s a whole other thing to not have the competence or confidence required to do your job.
Competence with the ability to be human and admit gaps, or mistakes, is a pathway for a leader to increase trust with their people.
Call to action:
Identify a meeting or topic where you might be “faking it til you make it”
Can you practice one of these in an upcoming interaction?
“I’m still processing this, can you dive a bit deeper into X to help me get there?”
“This isn’t my area of expertise, and I’m curious the way you’re thinking about Y.”
“You’re deep into this process, what’s something I should be asking about?”
(If you're interested in 5 ways to build trust, here's a one pager to get you focused.)
Communicating With Context
I frequently hear tension in this dynamic: employees want more transparency, leaders feel they’re already transparent.
Here’s what the people are actually asking for:
Context.
Context can look like:
Sharing the tradeoffs that were considered
Sharing alternative solutions that were explored
Sharing known challenges with the chosen path
Sharing implications for the choices
When I talk with folks who have leaders who they deem as “transparent,” what they describe is a leader who fills them in on the larger picture. They help them understand the broader puzzle pieces.
I met with someone 3 days ago who said, “I know he can’t tell me everything. And frankly, I don’t want to hear it all. I do love that he synthesizes what happens in the leadership team meetings and he fills me in on directionally, what’s being considered and what’s on the table.”
She feels informed, and THAT’S what people are hungry for.
People aren’t asking for details and visibility into how every sausage is made.
Calls to action:
Get feedback from your people. It might sound like this:
“I want to ensure I’m being as transparent of a leader as possible. What are elements of the business or elements of recent decisions that you’re hungry to better understand the other puzzle pieces at play?”
When you’re sharing information, pause and reflect if you’re sharing the context that will help them feel informed.
Potential Pitfall
Both vulnerability and context can have a large pitfall.
And it’s this:
Oversharing.
Clues you could be stepping into oversharing territory:
It’s what you’d say to a friend
It’s a long, drawn out story/explanation
You wouldn’t want your CEO to hear you in this moment
What you’re saying would pair nicely with an adult beverage
Oversharing personally, which can be confused with being vulnerable, can make others feel uncomfortable and shift dynamics in an unintended way.
Oversharing details and giving the play by play of events/decisions can leave folks swirling, make things feel chaotic, and even result in folks tuning out because it can start to feel like noise.
FAQ
What if you don’t have the information to share more context?
Start by asking your leader for additional context. What other considerations were on the table? What tradeoffs is leadership thinking about right now?
Here’s what not to do: don’t tell your people, “I don’t know, they don’t tell me that,” or “that’s above my pay grade, they haven’t shared more info.”
What you can say: “that’s a good question, and I don’t have an answer at this moment. Can I do some digging and share more by Friday?”
That’s it for today! Comment below and let me know your thoughts or follow up questions!
