How Transparency Influences Team Morale

The first rule I was taught in business? Something that came back to haunt me. Let me explain. Growing up, I was told: Keep business information close to the chest. The belief was: If employees knew too much… revenue, challenges, what’s really going on… they might use it against you. That’s the mindset I saw modeled. So at first, I followed it. The result? ❌ Team members felt like outsiders, not owners ❌ Trust eroded each time something surfaced indirectly ❌ Morale dropped (it’s hard to stay motivated when you don’t know what you’re working toward) ❌ It slowed us down (more questions, more confusion) ❌ It created silos (departments focused on surviving, not collaborating) I knew something was broken, but didn’t know how to fix it. Until… a hero came along. I hired Sean to replace me as CEO. And one of his first decisions was something I was feeling in my heart all along. That we need to lead with transparency. So we did a full 180. Now, once a quarter, we host an all-hands meeting where we share everything… no sugarcoating. ✔️ Revenue growth (or decline) ✔️ Viewer stats and content performance ✔️ What’s working ✔️ What’s broken ✔️ New bets we’re making (and the ones we’re letting go of) Yesterday, we opened the books and laid it all out for nearly 100 team members in person and 100+ tuning in remotely. The wins, the losses, all of it. The new result? Transparency has done something that secrecy never could: It’s built trust. Ownership. Alignment. What I’ve come to learn is, when everyone knows the scoreboard: They don’t just clock in… they lean in. The old way was fear-based. This way? It’s mission-based. And in today’s world, that makes all the difference.

Transparency is a top priority for me. The only place I draw the line is with salaries, and even then, I’m considering it. Everything else is on the table… My team knows how much money’s in our reserves, how long the runway is, what our revenue goals are for the year, and how much budget they have at their disposal. They know when we’re facing challenges as an organization, what potential opportunities are in the pipeline, and the risks we face ahead. Every single person knows where they are, where they're going, and how to get there - that’s our baseline. Having that kind of visibility makes a difference in the ethos of an organization. When your team has clarity on how the company’s performing, they know where they stand, what they need to do, and how their contribution impacts the whole. They operate more efficiently because they can make decisions on the fly, know how to prioritize, and have a quick sense of where to seek out additional resources when things come up. And they don’t have as many questions… They’re not worried about losing their position, and similarly, they understand why they can only spend X amount of dollars on a marketing campaign. When you’re not concerned about the unknown, you’re better positioned to excel in the truth. #transparency #culture #strategy #teambuilding

How I CEO (part #2): On the importance of transparency. I think I shied away from being transparent with my team in my earlier days as a founder. My assumption was that revealing potentially distressing information when things weren’t necessarily going according to plan (which is basically all the time at a startup) might cause team members to panic or leave. It was a perspective probably based on fear and apprehension more than anything else. But I remember one example from my time as CEO of my previous startup, Heyzap, where the company was on the verge of this tipping point where we were running out of money and only had about six months of runway left. The team may have had a general awareness of our financial position, even without us having said it. Even so, the thought of confronting the issue head-on felt uncomfortable. In any case, we decided to be straight with them and told them flat out our position and that our only option was to get profitable within the next six months. We anticipated that once we’d laid our cards on the table, we might see a good chunk of the team leave, so we were prepared for the worst. To my surprise, only two people ended up leaving. Instead, almost everyone stayed and was excited about the challenge. Something that seemed like this quite existential, scary thing to me and my cofounder was actually received well and embraced as an opportunity by the team. It almost had this galvanizing quality to it. And so, we laid out an action plan of how we would achieve profitability, and that was that — we got to work and turned the ship around. .... Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gbPamPNT

We share all our numbers to everyone in the company. Cash in the bank and all . This kind of transparency is not for the faint of heart ➕ On the plus side: Everyone understands what they are signing up for . And how their work impacts bottom line It forces everyone to become a lot more literate in all sorts of metrics which is always helpful Allows us to fully celebrate the great months. Because we can all see them It allows for everyone to brainstorm and take ownership of areas that might not yet be stellar ➖ On the less positive front: I have been through many ups and downs to know that a down month or a few are not an indicator of the future. But not everyone has the same tolerance to bumps in the road Numbers can be misinterpreted which can lead to unnecessary confusion or incorrect conclusions Despite the cons I still prefer this path of full transparency because: - it increases trust and trust is one of the most important currency for me - creates ++ in accountability for everyone involved Plus it creates the kind of culture where top talent thrives because these days openness and honesty are a lot more important. Black boxes and execs that talk like a corporate robot are a lot less appealing to those who want to do their best work and see impact directly

🗣️How do you get everyone to buy into a shared vision for your business? The answer, we’ve found, is transparency. When we started Carbliss, we were completely transparent with everyone on the team about the fact that we were losing money. 📉💲Those losses weren’t really unexpected – it was part of the plan, and it didn’t worry me. However, I realized something crucial: sharing this journey openly could be powerful. So, every month, we started sharing the financials with the team. Not just the numbers, we also included the story behind them – ⬅️where we were, ⏹️where we are, ➡️and where we’re headed. This practice, which began in a challenging phase, has continued as we turned into a profitable business. The vision we share is rooted in our financial health – it’s a tangible, measurable aspect that everyone can understand and connect with. This level of transparency does more than keep everyone informed; it builds trust. 🫱🏼🫲🏽 It shows that we’re all in this together, facing challenges and celebrating successes as one. ⭐️And that’s how you get a team to truly invest in a vision – by showing them the reality, every step of the way. The most beautiful part for the people on the team from the days of losses, is they have by way of transparency, been able to watch all of their hard work and dedication turn into business security. 🚀 For the newer team members they get to see the correlation to the work they do and the increase in profitability. #rtd #rtdcocktails #entrepreneur #askadam #thoughtleadership

My dad always stressed the importance of transparency. He ran his own architectural business, and, as with many entrepreneurial endeavors, there were ups and downs along the way. Even as kids, we knew what we were working with - “This is how much we earned, this is how much we’ll pay in taxes.” “This is how much our electricity cost in February.” ← 👀👀👀 “Here’s what we invested in, here’s how much we earned.” It was never anything dramatic - my father was good with money and always had a contingency plan - but he made sure we understood how much was in the bank account, what our budget was for the year, how much things cost, what kind of vacation we could afford, that sort of thing. He wanted us prepared for the future. I appreciated my dad’s transparency. It provided clarity. And I always try to do the same with my teams. Transparency builds trust and expertise, it is the foundation of developing the next set of leaders and helps prepare your teams by giving them firsthand experience through good and bad times, so they don’t question the fragility or health of the company. I strive to be frank in those discussions - here’s how we’re doing, here’s what we need to improve, here’s what will happen if we don't achieve X,Y, and Z, and here’s what will happen when we do! It’s the best way to learn, it instills confidence and trust, and it allows your teams to focus on the work, not their fears of what’s being withheld.

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure, which is: Try to please everybody. —Herbert Swope Leadership success often involves making tough decisions and staying true to your vision, even if it means not pleasing everyone. Earlier this year, I posted how easy it is to say “YES” and how true leadership is the art of saying “NO”.  This highly aligns with that because those decisions often include tradeoffs and no’s.  ✔ Stay True to Your Values: Define your core values and principles as a leader. Let these values guide your decisions and actions. When faced with tough choices, align them with your values and vision, even if it means not pleasing everyone. ❌ Compromise Your Vision: Avoid compromising your long-term goals and vision just to appease others in the short term. Making consistent progress toward your vision often means making difficult decisions that might not be universally popular. In theory, your vision should be established for the long term success of the business – so comprising ‘now’ means damaging the ‘future’. ✔ Communicate Transparently: Be open and transparent about your decisions and the reasons behind them. When people understand the rationale, they are more likely to accept and support your choices, even if they initially disagree.  Even if they don’t support a particular decision, your teams will trust that you HAVE a reason. ❌ Fear Constructive Criticism: While you should stay true to your values and vision, don't shy away from constructive criticism and feedback. Be open to input that can help you make better-informed decisions. If all you’re listening to is the “yes, people”, then what’s the real value of having a supporting team?  Everyone’s experience matters. Remember, leadership success is about making choices that align with your values and long-term goals, even if it means not pleasing everyone in the moment. By staying true to your principles and communicating transparently, you can lead with integrity and purpose.  It also happens to align with the business goals and direction your company needs. #LeadershipSuccess #ValuesDrivenLeadership #TransparentCommunication #ActionableSteps

The Transparency Trap: How to Avoid the # 1 Communication Mistake That's Sabotaging Your Leadership Are you falling into the "Transparency Trap" without even realizing it? 😲 You might think you're being open and honest with your team… But in reality, you could be creating confusion, disengagement, and a lack of trust. 😞 And that's where the trouble begins. 🚫 But don't worry. I'm here to help you avoid this common pitfall and unlock the true power of transparency! Because the truth is, our definition of transparency might not always align with what our team members really need. That's why it's essential to start by defining transparency together. Ask yourself: 🎯 What information is critical for your team to do their jobs effectively? ⏰ When do they need to know it? Is it urgent, or can it wait? 🗣️ How do your team members prefer to receive updates? It's not just about sharing information; it's about sharing the right information, at the right time, in the right way. Here's a simple framework for building a transparent communication strategy: 📣 Create Awareness – Let your team know what changes are coming and why they matter. Be clear about what you know and what you don't know. 🤷 Own Your Unknowns – If you don't have all the answers, say so. Commit to providing updates as soon as you have more information. 🔥 Foster Desire – Help your team understand how transparency benefits them personally. Encourage them to ask questions and seek out information. 📖 Share Knowledge – Make sure information is easily accessible and easy to understand. Use multiple channels to reinforce key messages. Here's a real-life example to drive this point home: 💡 I once worked with a leader who thought she had transparency all figured out. She'd send out detailed memos, invite everyone to weekly meetings, and CC the entire team on every email. But despite her efforts, her team was still confused, disengaged, and always wondering what was happening behind the scenes. The turning point came when she started asking her team what THEY needed from her. By tailoring her communication style to her team's needs, she was able to create a transparent culture that kept everyone informed and engaged. So, leader, are you ready to escape the Transparency Trap and take your leadership to the next level? 🚀 Let’s talk about it! Now, it's your turn.  Take a moment to reflect on your current transparency practices. What small changes could you make to better align with your team's needs? Share your insights and experiences in the comments below. Let's inspire each other to build more transparent, high-performing teams! Your team (and your career) will thank you! 😉 #LeadershipGoals #TransparencyWins #EngagedTeams #CultureCurators #PremierRapport

Transparency shouldn't be a buzzword you say. It should be part of your core startup DNA. In a world where most startups operate in stealth mode, we've made a conscious choice to be radically open at Motion (Creative Analytics) From our founder Reza's regular All Hands updates to our public dashboard tracking key metrics, we believe in sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly with our team. Why? Because we trust our people. We trust them to: 1. Handle the truth, even if it might be uncomfortable 2. Contribute to solutions, not just point out problems 3. Act like owners, not just employees And that trust? It's a two-way street. When leadership is transparent, it builds trust with the team. And when the team feels trusted, they're more engaged, more motivated, and more invested in the company's success. Now, does that mean we share every single detail of every single decision? No. Of course not. But it does mean that we default to openness whenever possible. Because in the fast-paced world of startups, transparency isn't a luxury. It's a necessity. And at Motion, it's non-negotiable. P.S. How do you balance transparency with the need for discretion in your startup? I'm curious to hear your approach.

Transparency is Culture: The Numbers That Bind Us In the fabric of corporate culture, the thread that often goes unnoticed is transparency — not "radical transparency" that reveals salaries, but "business transparency" that demystifies our path forward. Business Transparency is about sharing our mission, our strategies, and crucially, our financial and performance metrics. It's about letting every team member in on the story that the numbers tell. It's this financial and metrics transparency that gives everyone a panoramic view of where we are, where we're headed, and how exactly we're going to get there. Here's why it's pivotal: Clarity in Direction: Sharing financial goals and results clarifies our collective mission. Empowered Teams: Understanding the metrics fosters informed decision-making and proactive contributions. Synergy in Efforts: Seeing real-time progress aligns and adjusts our individual efforts towards common objectives. By bringing financial and metrics transparency into the fold, we create a culture where every member feels included, informed, and integral to the mission. It builds trust, nurtures camaraderie, and aligns us not just in purpose but in action. As we move forward, let's remember that the numbers do more than just add up; they tell a story of our journey, our challenges, and our victories. Let's be as open with them as we are with our ambitions. In the end, transparency in business is not just a practice but a culture that says, "We're in this together, and here's the proof." #TransparencyIsCulture #BusinessTransparency #CorporateCulture #FinancialClarity #Leadership