Building a Culture of Transparency and Trust

Last week, Laurie Dever and I hosted a Power Half Hour—our free 30-minute training sessions for clients—on Building a Culture of Transparency and Trust. It was such an important conversation that I wanted to share some key takeaways with our LinkedIn family. I’ll also be posting a few slides from the session, like this one!

Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” No matter how strong your business strategy is, if you don’t have a culture built on trust and transparency, success will always be harder to achieve.

Why Transparency Matters

Transparency isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the foundation of trust in any organization. When leaders are open and honest, employees feel valued, engaged, and more likely to contribute meaningfully. But transparency isn’t about policies—it’s about consistent actions and behaviors that show employees they are respected and informed.

Ever worked somewhere where leadership said one thing but did another? That disconnect can erode trust fast. On the other hand, when leaders openly share the good, the bad, and the tough decisions, it fosters a culture of authenticity and respect.

Practical Ways to Build Trust & Transparency

Building trust takes time, but small daily actions make a big impact:

? Show you care – Check in with a colleague.

? Be vulnerable – Acknowledge where you're holding back and work toward openness.

? Have tough conversations – Don’t push them off. Address them with honesty and integrity.

? Observe reactions – Pay attention to how people respond to news—good or bad.

? Keep your word – Follow through on commitments and avoid workplace gossip.

? Hold yourself accountable – At the end of the day, your integrity matters.

Leading by Example

At be the change HR, we believe leadership must model transparency and trust—every day. Whether it's discussing challenges openly, encouraging employees to ask tough questions, or ensuring accountability across the team, the goal is to create a workplace where honesty and trust thrive.

The journey toward a transparent workplace isn’t always smooth. Some will embrace it, others may feel uncomfortable. That’s okay. Consistency is key. If you stay committed, your culture will strengthen, your employees will engage, and your business will benefit.

If your organization wants to take this a step further, we offer tailored training programs on topics like Building Trust & Transparency, Leadership Development, and Harassment Prevention Training. Learn more about our Power Hours here: be the change HR – Tailored Training.

Want to build a more transparent, trust-filled workplace? Let’s chat.

-L

LeiLani E. Quiray is the Founder and CEO of be the change HR, Inc., certified Minority and Woman owned, a conscious company and social enterprise, providing HR support for small-to-medium sized businesses in any facet of HR from pre-hire to post-term and everything else that happens in between. She and her team also teach free job readiness courses and provide free coaching to trafficking survivors.? Her team is not only HR Pros, they are Life Changers.?

?If you’d like to chat with someone on our Squad for a free consult or are interested in our services book time here.