Skip to content Transparency isn’t always trust. Sometimes it’s overload.
Managers often equate transparency with sharing every detail. But transparency without clarity just creates noise.
A Gartner-sponsored survey found that 38 percent of people feel they receive an “excessive” volume of communications, and of those who feel overloaded, only 6 percent say they are highly likely to remain with their organization. (Harvard Business Review, “Reducing Information Overload in Your Organization,” April 30, 2023)
People don’t need all the information. They need the right information, shared with intent. The difference between transparency and oversharing is purpose.
Everyday Moves
Share what helps people do their jobs better.
Frame information around context and impact.
Ask your team how they define “transparent communication.”
Transparency builds trust only when it’s thoughtful, not performative. Real transparency invites understanding, not confusion. When people know why something is shared and how it affects them, information becomes connection rather than clutter.
How do you decide what to share and what to hold as a manager?
