196. Transparency under pressure: leading with stability

What does it really mean to be transparent as a leader, especially when you can’t share everything or when you don’t agree with the direction of change?

In this episode, we go beneath the buzzword of transparency. 

If you’ve ever struggled with how open to be with your team during times of change, this episode will give you practical ways to lead with honesty, courage, and care.

Resources:

• Lisa Earle McLeod's post about authenticity

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teri-m-schmidt/

Get 1-on-1 leadership support from Teri here: https://www.strongleadersserve.com/coaching

Set up an intro call with Teri: https://calendly.com/terischmidt/discoverycall

Episode Transcript

Teri Schmidt (00:00):
Welcome back to Strong Leaders Serve, and to our
series Beneath the Buzzwords.
Today we're gonna talk about aword that gets thrown around a
lot in leadership circles,transparency.
It's a close relative toauthenticity that we'll be
talking about in a few weeks.
It's a term that soundsuniversally positive.

(00:20):
After all, who wouldn't wantleaders who are open, honest,
and forthcoming?
But like most buzzwords, once welook beneath the surface, things
get a little bit more complex.
So let's get into it.
I am Terry Schmidt, executiveand leadership coach at Strong
Leaders Serve, where we partnerwith organizations to prepare
leaders for the everyday stretchmoments of leadership from as

(00:43):
small as a new member joiningyour team.
To as big as the geopoliticaland technological changes that
are happening all around us fromthe promotion that makes old
habits obsolete to the reorgthat shakes trust.
And this is the Strong LeaderServe Podcast.

(01:56):
So let's start with a commonleadership stretch moment
leading through organizationalchange.
Recently I've had theopportunity to work with several
leaders who are navigating amerger of two large companies,
in their case, it's likely gonnabe a multi-year slog of
uncertainty until everything issettled.
Not only are they navigating theloss of their own company's

(02:18):
beloved culture.
But they're dealing withredundancies and differences in
flexible work arrangements.
They're also accountable forcontinuing their team's
performance, even when theirteam members are openly
wondering if their efforts willeven make a difference.
And at times they have moreinformation than they can share

(02:39):
with their teams.
Have you been in a similarsituation?
You're being asked to guide theteam through uncertainty, but
you don't have all the answers.
Maybe you're underconfidentiality agreements.
Maybe things are shifting fasterthan you can keep up with.
You can't be fully transparentin the way that sometimes people

(02:59):
imagine you can.
So what do you do?
Well, Gallup's research tells usthat one of the four most
important needs employees haveof their leaders during times of
change is stability.
People want to know, am I safehere?
Do I know what to expect?
Can I trust that someone has ahand on the wheel?

(03:21):
In this context, transparencyisn't about spilling every
detail, you know?
It's about sharing what you canin a way that fosters stability.
That means being honest aboutwhat you know, clear about what
you don't, and consistent inyour presence.
Sometimes the most transparentstatement is, here's what I

(03:43):
know, here's what I don't, andhere's what you can expect from
me in the days ahead.
Transparency at its core isabout trust, and trust doesn't
always require full information.
Instead, it requires clarity andconsistency.
So what can you do to createsome sense, even a little bit of

(04:06):
stability and consistency foryour team?
Are there simple routines orrituals you can co-create?
So that at least people knowthey can rely on something to be
stable.
Maybe it's a quick activity thatmakes people laugh every Friday
afternoon or a weekly meetingstanding agenda item that allows

(04:26):
people to connect or feel heard.
It's never easy to navigate ateam through organizational
change, but if you can focus onsharing what info you can as
soon as you can and providingsome sense of stability.
You'll continue to build trustwith your team.
And remember, you need to havestability and support in your

(04:48):
life too.
This is one thing that leadersoften forget.
Who can you rely on for that?
Maybe it's other colleagues, afriend, a coach, or a family
member.
After all, without taking careof yourself, you will not be
able to be the leader that yourteam needs in these difficult
times.
Now getting back totransparency, let's add another

(05:09):
complicating factor to the mix.
What if your organization isheaded in a direction or making
a change that you don't agreewith?
What if you're feeling alone oreven betrayed by the decision
being made above you?
The temptation is to equatetransparency with unloading
everything that you're feelingon your team.

(05:31):
But as Brene Brown says.
Vulnerability is not the same asdisclosure.
It isn't about telling your teamevery single detail of your
internal struggle.
That's not what it means to betransparent or authentic.
Instead, it's about choosingcourage over comfort and
connection over self-protection.

(05:54):
That might sound like this.
Change is hard for me too.
I know some of you may bestruggling with it.
And I want you to know thatyou're not alone.
I may not agree with everydecision being made, but I do
believe in us and I believe inour ability to find a way
forward together.
That's honest.
It's real, but it's notreckless.

(06:16):
You're not making your teamresponsible for holding your
emotions.
Transparency that is not usedresponsibly may make you feel
more comfortable and may giveyou a sense of belonging, but it
hurts your team members damages,morale, and adds more
instability and uncertainty.

(06:37):
What feels good in the momentwill not be good for the team in
the long run.
This reminds me of a LinkedInvideo that author Lisa Earl
McLeod shared abouttransparency's close cousin
authenticity.
I'll link the post in the shownotes, but basically she
explains how leaders haveenvironments where they can
embody the following grades ofauthenticity.

(06:59):
First of all, unfiltered.
Now this you should say, forblowing off steam with a select
group of friends and maybe yourparents or your partner, if
they're super supportive.
Second, truly authentic.
Now you wanna be yourself withrespect and judgment.
Of course, most of your time atwork.

(07:20):
Third intentional.
She talks about when the stakesare high, like CEOs of big
companies who have to be carefulnot to come out with bad
expressions on their facebecause it might make their
stock value drop.
When you have those high stakes,think about what you say and how
you say it.

(07:41):
It's not inauthentic to put yourbest self forward.
So beneath the buzzword oftransparency, we find two deeper
truths.
First, transparency duringchange isn't about revealing
everything.
It's about providing stability,clarity, and consistency.

(08:02):
And second, transparency whenyou disagree isn't about
venting.
It's about choosing courageousvulnerability that connects the
team and helps move the teamforward.
So the next time you heartransparency being demanded,
pause and ask, what is thedeeper need here?

(08:22):
Is it stability?
Is it connection?
Is it clarity of purpose?
Because real transparency isn'tabout shining a spotlight on
every corner of your mind.
It's about shining a light onthe path forward, even if that
path is only one step at a time.
I know leading teams throughorganizational change is

(08:45):
extremely hard, especially whenthere's not certainty about the
future.
And you still have to motivateyour team and stay motivated
yourself, but hang in there andfocus on being the compassionate
driven leader that you are.
Care about your people.
Give them stability.
And give them any informationyou can to help them feel just a

(09:09):
bit of calm in the midst of thisstorm.
If there's anything I can do tosupport you, please reach out at
any time.
Have a great week, and I willtalk to you again next
Wednesday.