“I’m sorry; I can’t share that.”
That’s a really uncomfortable thing for many managers to say – especially shortly after being tapped to lead the team they were once a member of.
“Ohhhh… You think you’re better than us now?” is a feared reaction, and one that managers often want to avoid. Combine that with the fact that transparency is usually a good way to build trust, and it’s easy to see why it can be hard for new leaders to keep the secrets that come with their new position.
Sharing tentative decisions too early, venting frustrations to the wrong audience, revealing performance issues, and over-explaining executive deliberations are all common traps that people face when they take on a role that requires them to manage information that belongs to the organization.
On the other hand, an equally dangerous tendency can be agreeing to keep information secret before knowing what it is, only to find out later that your role gives you an obligation to share that information as soon as you learn it – for example, a violation of policy, regulation, or law.
Establishing clear limits on what you will or will not share with others at the workplace is part of developing trust and professionalism. Sometimes saying less builds more confidence than saying more.
If you’re interested in developing skills like transparency and confidentiality to become the manager your team needs without stressing out or second-guessing yourself, let’s talk. Visit stevedwire.com/talk to start the conversation.
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