How to Lead with Transparency and Care

Nobody likes to be out of the loop. Here are four essential tips to communicate with others even when you have to keep some of it to yourself.

Leadership is not about being in charge.
It is about taking care of those in your charge.

~ Simon Sinek

Nobody likes to be out of the loop

➡️ Ever sat close to a conference room where leaders are all gathered to make a big decision you know nothing about?

➡️ Ever found yourself on a volunteer committee where the chair is holding onto information tightly and only sharing key information when pressed?

➡️ Ever had a kid on a sports team where changes were inevitable but you had no idea how they’d get made or when they’d happen?

Nobody likes to feel out of the loop.

We are a social, belonging-based species and we crave connection. We want to be in the know and we want to have a say in what’s coming.

As adults, we’re smart enough to know that we can’t possibly be included in all decisions, but nothing creates a chain reaction of speculation faster than when information is kept too tight lipped and just out of reach.

A Goldilocks approach to information sharing

When you lead others, you’ll be faced with making many important decisions.

And you’ll make those decisions with the benefit of information, positional power, context, and a comprehensive understanding of the situation.

Naturally, this also means that those impacted by your decisions won’t have that same level of information, context or input you do.

And while that’s generally to be expected — part of being a leader is having deeper insight into what’s happening at a 30,000 foot view — without proper care, it can quickly lead to side chatter, frustration, assumption-making and mixed messaging.

It’s critical for leaders to walk the fine balance between too much and too little — a goldilocks version of sharing just enough information that people feel seen, heard and valued all while not sharing so much that you compromise confidentiality or the integrity of what’s ahead.

Here are four essential tips to navigate high-level decision-making all while keeping transparency and care of your people at the forefront.

1️⃣ Communicate clearly

I always say that in the absence of information, people make assumptions (and often take it personally). Much of this is a defence mechanism to combat the feeling of not being in control of what’s coming, but it can quickly become problematic as people start speculating amongst each other.

As a leader, ask yourself:

Who’s impacted by this decision and what information do I need to share with them?

Pause and consider what you would want to know or understand if roles were reversed. You don’t have to share it all, but perhaps you can share more.

2️⃣ Acknowledge impact

If they’re affected (or will be affected) directly then consider what you can do to mitigate that impact and support them through it.

People are generally forgiving and patient up to a point. But when they start feeling like there’s no concern or recognition for the inevitable impact coming their way, then things can easily turn ugly.

Checking in with them even if you can’t share all the details demonstrates care and concern for their well-being.

As a leader, say:

“I know this decision will impact you directly and I care about how you feel. Is there anything you need from me or any questions you have right now, as we figure this out? I’ll do my best to share what I can.

3️⃣ Be mindful

It’s easy to take the power you yield for granted.

And it’s also easy to abuse it unintentionally, forgetting that those you have power over aren’t always able to vocalize their concerns without fear of consequence.

Ask yourself:

Where might my positional power be hurtful or harmful? What am I taking for granted? Whose voice is not being heard through this?

4️⃣ Offer context

As you navigate your decisions and next steps, it’s reasonable and to be expected that you won’t be able to share every detail with every team member at every point.

➡️ But can you share your thinking?
➡️ Can you illuminate the path ahead to give a sense of what’s next?
➡️ Can you make the process clear so they don’t second-guess your motivations?
➡️ Can you open your door to questions and feedback without consequences?

Don’t make the mistake in believing that your options are either sharing ALL the information or NONE of the information.

More often than not, it’s somewhere in between.

Leading others is often messy because we’re humans, and humans are often messy.

We mess up a lot.

And sometimes we hurt people in the process.

But we can get better by:

1️⃣ Communicating clearly
2️⃣ Acknowledging impact
3️⃣ Being mindful
4️⃣ Offering context

We probably won’t do it perfectly, but I guarantee (if it’s genuine) that the people we lead will be grateful that you care enough to try.

Keep going.

Steph

p.s. Need support navigating a tough decision or how to communicate it to your team? This is much of the work I do as a Leadership Coach - especially with leaders who straddle between a team they manage and a Senior Leadership Team they report into. If you’d like to chat about how I can support you, book a complimentary call with me here. I’d love to help!

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