When Should We Be Transparent? More Often Than You Think

“Transparency: A Window to the Truth” by Dr. Don Janssen, first published in the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Academy April 2021 newsletter, examines the choice we face repeatedly in our careers and personal life: when to be transparent. Dr. Janssen weighs the risk of disclosing information that may appear unfavorable and examines the unique leadership necessary to not downplay or delay. He then reviews organizational preconditions to create a culture of transparency and the positive outcomes associated when transparency is practiced. The full text of this article is included at the end of this interview as reference.

Zoo Advisors asked Dr. Janssen to expound on his article to further explore trust, vulnerability, and how, as a leader, you can instill transparency as a value in your team.

Zoo Advisors (ZA): Trust and transparency seem interrelated. How can you gain trust if you haven’t been transparent, and how can you be truly transparent without first having trust?

Dr. Don Janssen (DJ): Trust and transparency are indeed interrelated and interdependent. Both require vulnerability and honesty. Often, it takes someone who understands the value of building relationships to take the initiative. A servant leader will make the first move by extending trust and offering transparency without condition. Although the other party could take advantage of the given trust or a newly revealed weakness, this rarely happens. The more common outcome is that the other party will recognize the importance of the relationship and reciprocate. The trusting and vulnerable leader who acts in this way is seen as a trusted authority, widely respected, and can work broadly with influence in the organization.

ZA: Transparency also opens up the issue of vulnerability—we’ve heard a lot about vulnerability, empathy, etc. during the pandemic. Has this past year changed how transparent—or not transparent—we are as leaders?

DJ: From what I’ve observed, most leaders underestimated the importance of transparency, vulnerability, and empathy in carrying their teams through this pandemic crisis. The leaders I talked to learned to be transparent, show vulnerability, and connect better with their staff. And this past year, when everyone felt isolated and fearful to some degree, making this connection was critical. A leader who is willing to admit, share, and show a path towards overcoming those fears brings hope into the workplace. And where there is hope, you often find people acting with courage and with others’ best interests in mind. 

ZA: You gave a great example of the transparency conundrum in your article. How did that situation go for the Zoo? Have you ever seen/had transparency “backfire” when people abused the information shared? How did you repair the trust levels?

DJ: The wildlife welfare program at San Diego Zoo continues to hold transparency as a core value. To my knowledge, being transparent has not led to abuse by others. The fear of misuse of information is far greater than the reality of others using it against you. Extending and returning trust creates an upward confidence spiral. Breaking trust, in contrast, leads to long-lived suspicion.

ZA: Is “transparency”’ just the latest buzzword in leadership? Why will/won’t it endure?

DJ: As a buzzword, “transparency” may not survive. But as a concept, it’s enduring and here to stay. Being open and truthful has always been a rare but admired and influential characteristic of leaders. Call it what you will but be transparent. Don’t hide or obscure, but rather reveal and share the truth and its significance.

ZA: How can you instill transparency as a behavior in your team and help them understand when/why information needs to be confidential?

DJ: Instilling transparency as a value in your team starts with you as an example. Show you are willing to take the risk in the interest of building relationships. From there, promote psychological safety where curiosity and learning win over indifference or blame. Guide your team toward a goal of strengthening the team by seeking the truth. Teach your team about confidentiality and privacy, which follow the same pattern, i.e., act for the good of others, not out of your self-interest. Let the truth be told but never tolerate gossip about others.

We thank Dr. Janssen for his additional insights. If you haven’t yet read Don Janssen’s article, the full text is below for reference, re-published with permission from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance:

“Transparency: A Window to the Truth.”

For most of us, transparency goes against the grain. We would rather give good news that brings hope, even if it’s just wishful thinking. Choosing to be transparent usually means taking on risk. Often, it is the risk of disclosing something that may appear unfavorable. We commonly encounter situations, personal and organizational, where we have to decide what we should reveal. Several years ago, I was in the midst of such a situation that required taking a stance on transparency.

As I settled into my seat at the executive team table, I nervously mulled over all that had led to this moment. Two years prior, our CEO Doug Myers had given us clear direction. He wanted to know that all animals under our care were thriving, and that we could assess their welfare scientifically. With that as our vision, we designed a program to elevate animal welfare to an even higher level.

But we ran into a snag. A crucial part of the program was to solicit and respond to animal welfare concerns noticed by employees and guests. I was about to propose that we publish the list of concerns and our responses for all employees to see. We knew there could be a risk if those concerns were made widely available. The concerns could take on a life of their own outside our control. We also knew that the process needed full transparency to reduce suspicion, build trust, and obtain credibility. But was that transparency worth the risk? As I sat there ready to share all this, I wondered how the executives would react.

Transparency is a constructive practice free from attempts to hide or obscure and is a window to the truth. It takes a unique leader to push against the natural human tendency to downplay and delay. Great leaders dare to be honest and transparent even if, in the short term, it makes them look bad. Despite the risks, these leaders make transparency a personal and organizational priority.

Creating a culture of transparency requires some organizational preconditions.

1. Psychological safety. This refers to a spirit in which people feel free to bring up problems, concerns, and ideas without fear of unwelcome personal consequences. Transparency cannot happen without psychological safety. Leaders can encourage psychological safety by being humble, revealing their vulnerabilities, modeling curiosity, and encouraging questions.

2. Truth-telling culture. Great leaders tell the truth and share its significance, even if it reflects poorly on them or their organization. Failing to reveal the truth is one of the most common mistakes leaders make. The truth will come out eventually. Rather than avoiding the facts, tell the truth and develop a strategy to deal with that truth.

3. Privacy and Confidentiality. A practice of transparency does not mean you share all information. You must protect confidentiality and privacy. The distinction between maintaining privacy and being transparent is usually clear-cut. If there is a question, though, examine your purpose in sharing or withholding information. Your aim should be to uphold the truth, benefit others, and not be self-serving (e.g., not to protect a reputation by withholding the truth).

By consistently practicing transparency, we can expect the following positive outcomes.

1. Reduced speculation and claims of secrecy. People can sense when information is withheld and, over time, learn whom they can trust to be transparent and forthcoming. As trust mounts, suspicion declines, and the need to fabricate faulty assumptions or construct complex theories diminishes.

2. Realistic strategies. Dealing with the truth, regardless of how difficult the consequences, permits leaders to work unimpeded. They can work toward useful strategies that deal with the truth. In contrast, obscuring the truth distracts leaders. They are forced to spend unproductive time controlling information, and on defensive strategies.

3. Reputation. A good name is beyond value. Protecting a reputation is the most common justification for avoiding transparency. Oddly enough, it works the other way around. Being transparent is widely respected as a character trait because it benefits others and is often the hard choice.

4. Accountability. When people see that you are consistently transparent, they can assume you are holding yourself accountable. Other than what might be legally required, this means much less scrutiny and more freedom to act.

5. Tangible and genuine hope. People thrive on hope. But false hope based on a self-serving spin invariably leads to profound disappointment. People want to follow leaders who speak frankly and then show them how to overcome adversity. Instead of disappointment, that yields real hope, which brings forth courage.

Back at the executive team table, I was torn between the risks and benefits of transparency. But those at the table were not. They saw that truth through transparency was the wise choice. The risk of exposure that I feared, they assumed we would counter by the truth and reality of how we care for animals. That put the accountability right back on us, where it should be—out in the open for all to see.

Please send comments or questions to don.janssen@gmail.com.

Don Janssen, DVM, is a veterinarian and retired corporate director of animal health for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. He is the author of Upside-Down Leadership: A Zoo Veterinarian’s Journey to Becoming a Servant Leader. You can find more information about the book here.