Transparency sits right at the intersection of emotional intelligence, trust, psychological safety and a high-performing culture.
It is an aspect of daily work that everybody is looking for. Transparency from colleagues, management and senior leaders. Transparency from suppliers and contractors.
Transparency is often described as a communication style, a leadership principle, or a cultural value. But at its core, transparency is much more than simply sharing information. Transparency is an act of care.
When leaders choose to be transparent, they are making a conscious decision to reduce uncertainty and respect the emotional experience of their people. They are saying, “You matter enough to be kept in the loop.” That message alone carries enormous weight.
In many workplaces, silence is often justified as protection. Leaders may hold back information because they don’t want to worry people, because details aren’t final, or because they fear difficult reactions. While well-intentioned, this approach frequently has the opposite effect. When information is absent, people don’t switch off their curiosity; they fill in the gaps themselves.
Transparency interrupts this from happening.
By openly sharing what is known, what is not yet known, and what is being worked through, leaders reduce the mental load carried by their teams. Instead of spending energy guessing, second-guessing, and scanning for hidden meanings, staff can focus on their work, their well-being, and their contribution. In this way, transparency becomes a gift of psychological breathing space.
Transparency also builds trust in a deeply human way. Trust is not created by perfection or having all the answers. It is created through consistency and follow-through. When leaders communicate openly, they demonstrate integrity. Over time, this signals to staff that they can rely on what is being said, rather than questioning what is being withheld.
And trust, once established, becomes a powerful stabiliser during times of change.
Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of transparency is its impact on emotional well-being. Uncertainty activates stress responses. It can trigger anxiety, rumination and a persistent sense of unease. Transparent communication, on the other hand, helps regulate emotions. It offers clarity where possible and containment where certainty is not yet available. Even hearing, “I don’t have the answer yet, but I will keep you updated,” provides more emotional safety than silence ever could.
Seeing transparency as non-negotiable shifts how leaders approach communication. It moves the focus away from “What am I allowed to say?” towards “What would be supportive to share right now?” It encourages leaders to consider not just the operational impact of information, but the emotional impact of withholding it.
Here is an example that explains this.
A company is reviewing its structure due to market changes. No final decisions have been made yet, but leaders are aware that some roles may change.
A Low Transparency Approach (what often happens):
Leaders say nothing while they wait for clarity
Staff notice increased closed-door meetings
Rumours start circulating
Anxiety rises
A Transparent, Emotionally Intelligent Approach:
Is transparent about what’s currently happening
Shares what they know
Is comfortable saying “I don’t have all the answers yet”
Reduces anxiety, and staff are not left to guess
Why does this demonstrate transparency?
Information is shared early
Language is clear and human
Uncertainty is named
Impact on staff:
Reduced anxiety and stress
Increased trust
Sense of being respected
Greater psychological safety
The Barriers to Transparency
Transparency does not mean oversharing or breaching confidentiality. It means sharing what is appropriate, in a timely and compassionate way. It means explaining the why, offering context, and naming uncertainty honestly. It means choosing clarity over comfort.
When transparency is practised with emotional intelligence, it becomes an expression of respect, empathy, and care. It tells people they are trusted partners, not passive recipients. It affirms their place in the organisation. And that is why transparency is not simply a leadership tactic.
It is a gift.
We should all seek transparency because it determines what kind of working culture organisations have. It promotes healthier ways of working, equitable practice and establishes to every single person in the organisation that they matter.
It leads the way for more trust amongst staff and accountability throughout the levels of the organisation. It can promote a culture of fairness and equity, whilst being an effective method of employee engagement. Which are proven ways to build the healthy, psychologically safe working environments that we all crave.
Open communication and collaboration are the bones of a thriving workspace. To get here, we must be willing to address the barriers to transparency.
Barriers can be structural, but in the case of transparency, most of the barriers are culturally maintained. There may be a culture of withholding information or being indirect as a normal mode of communication. But the lack of clear communication can create confusion and mistrust amongst staff, ruining the synergy that is required for an efficient workforce. Other barriers are that:
There is a lack of trust in the organisation. If your people don’t trust leadership, they may perceive transparency efforts as insincere.
There is an inconsistency in leadership behaviour. Leaders who say one thing but do another undermine efforts to build a transparent culture.
There is a fear of repercussions. Our people may avoid sharing feedback, concerns or mistakes due to fear of punishment.
We need to lean more into how our people feel when they are in the office, or even on a team call. With a clearer understanding, we can provide guidance of expectations and how their contributions fit into the bigger picture.
Creativity and innovation thrive in environments where people feel informed. When transparency is missing, those conditions begin to erode, and one of the first casualties is the willingness of staff to share ideas and fresh thinking.
A lack of transparency often creates an invisible hierarchy of information. Some people appear to know what’s really going on, while others feel excluded or kept at arm’s length. Over time, this dynamic sends a quiet but powerful message: your voice is not essential here. When people don’t feel included in the bigger picture, they are less likely to contribute beyond the narrow scope of their role.
Uncertainty also consumes cognitive energy. When staff are preoccupied with unanswered questions, rumours, or sudden unexplained changes, their mental bandwidth shrinks. Instead of exploring possibilities, experimenting, or problem-solving creatively, energy is diverted toward self-protection and sense-making. Creativity requires space. Chronic uncertainty removes that space.
Psychological safety plays a critical role. In low-transparency cultures, people often become cautious about what they say, how they say it and whether speaking up is worth the risk. If leaders are not open, staff may assume that challenging ideas are unwelcome. The safest option becomes silence.
This silence is costly.
Ideas remain unspoken. Small improvements are never suggested. Innovative solutions stay trapped in people’s heads. Over time, organisations can begin to mistake compliance for engagement, when in reality, creativity has simply gone underground.
Transparent leadership signals something different. It says: we value your perspective. It says: you are trusted with context. It says: your thinking matters. When people understand what the organisation is trying to achieve, the constraints it is facing and the direction it is heading, they are far better equipped to contribute meaningful ideas.
Transparency does not guarantee innovation. But without it, innovation struggles to survive.
When leaders choose openness, they are not just sharing information. They are unlocking the collective intelligence of their people, and that may be one of the greatest gifts transparency offers.
Transparency is a game-changer in the workplace. It builds trust, strengthens relationships, and creates an environment where employees feel valued and heard. It is not a ‘nice-to-have’. It is a leadership choice that shapes how people feel, how they show up and how willing they are to contribute their best thinking. When transparency is practised with emotional intelligence, it becomes an everyday act of care. One that reduces fear, strengthens trust, and creates the conditions for meaningful connection to thrive.
The most effective leaders are not those who have all the answers. They are the ones who are willing to communicate honestly and engage with people as humans first. They understand that openness builds credibility, and that credibility builds cultures where people feel safe enough to speak up.
At The EQi Glow, we work with organisations to develop emotionally intelligent leaders and teams who can communicate with clarity, even in complex or uncertain environments. Our training workshops equip leaders with practical tools to strengthen transparency, build trust and create psychologically safe workplaces where people feel valued.
If you’re ready to move beyond surface-level communication and cultivate a culture of high performance, we’d love to support you.
Explore The EQi Glow’s training workshops and discover how Emotionally Intelligent transparency can transform the way your people work, connect, and thrive.
