How to Build a Culture of Trust: Transparency

I mentioned a key word in the last way to keep your happy employees happy:  transparency.

Yes that infamous semi-new business buzz word that has all the world a flitter with how to simply convey “what you see is what you get.”  We are who we say we are.  Open kimono.  No holds bar.  The real deal.  Nothing shady.  Nothing scary and certainly for sure and absolutely – nothing dishonest.

The driving force behind business’ new desire to be transparent, is the new need to prove that they are trustworthy.

And so while businesses are very concerned about their transparency to their shareholders, clients and customers – they sometimes forget that they need to start inside their four walls, with their employees.  The ones that need to trust them more than anyone else.

So how do you be transparent?  How do you gain the trust of your employees?

Here’s 4 simple tips:

1)  Be who you say you are by having integrity with your word and your actions

2)  Share the bad news, all the ugly cards on the table and no sugar coating

3) Share the financials in an accessible way

4) Authentically take the blame and apologize when you’ve messed up

There should be no surprises (unless you as the leader are surprised.)  Trust is based on security, on knowing.

Keep your employees “in the know” and you will gain their trust.

Transparency = Knowing = Trust