How to Strike a Balance Between Honesty & Confidentiality With Your Team
Quick Leadership Tips #8
As a leader, you are sometimes privy to information you can’t share with the team.
Re-structures, company buy-outs, new products, and who is about to be fired. The list is endless.
Sometimes the secrecy may not make sense to you, but your boss has mandated radio silence.
So what do you do if your team starts asking questions?
Tell the truth. But not all of it.
Firstly, thank your team member for coming to you and expressing their concern.
Then say that this topic is confidential, but if anything changes, you will update the team as soon as you can.
If your team member gets upset, stay calm and listen to their concerns. Express empathy and let them know you understand their frustration.
Don’t cave in and tell them confidential information — you must maintain trust with your boss. Otherwise, your career could suffer.
Finally, your team must have heard what’s happening from somewhere, so let your boss know about the rumors.
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