Transparency and Authenticity.
Sylvia Theisen
I help women in midlife get their mojo back and design the best chapter of their life | Transformational Life Coach | Pro-Aging Advocate | Author | Huffington Post Contributor
Transparency and authenticity have been buzz words for quite a while now in business. Aside from it being a current trend, why is it important? ?
It’s tough to relate to the person who never lets their guard down and consistently presents as though all is perfect in their world. Sharing a bit about what’s really happening, whether it be that your teenager is being particularly difficult these days or you’ve had a tough quarter in business, is more authentic then always saying things are great. Life and business have their natural ups and downs.?
2.?Being more transparent takes less energy.?
What is the cost of keeping your guard up??Generally, it costs you energy.?Being real and transparent will free up energy for more important things. It may not be immediate but over the long term, the more authentic we are, the less energy it takes.?
3. Being more transparent results in deeper connections.?
I was at a business event yesterday and a woman I had just met was describing why she took the position she’s currently in. As she talked about the love for her work, she got teary when she shared that it was inspired by the loss of her sister. She then quickly apologized for the emotion she was having.?To the contrary, I said - how great to actually connect on a real level instead of the usual superficial chit-chat. I got to know her more quickly, could tell she is a thoughtful person and I'll be more likely to stay in touch and develop that potential business relationship.?
Authenticity and transparency don't equate to oversharing, telling your whole life story, nor becoming a person who has a lot of ongoing drama. A little bit of self-disclosure and willingness to be human goes a long way.??What has your experience been with transparency in business?
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2 年Always such great advice Sylvia. Thank you for the reminder!
Founder | Enabling Leaders & Teams to Balance High-Performance & Well-Being | Global Executive Coach (ICF PCC, ELI-MP), Leadership Trainer & Speaker | EO Board Member
2 年Love it. Certainly takes less energy being open and honest than hiding and pretending. Now, would you say with everything or how do you set up borders,
Clinical psychologist and anxiety expert | USA Today bestselling author | Keynote speaker | Women's Health Magazine advisory board | Expert on Psychology Today, MindBodyGreen, and Well+Good | CBS, CNN, VH1, NYT + more
2 年A little bit of self-disclosure and "willingness to be human" goes a long way. I couldn't agree more. Thanks for sharing this great post, Sylvia Theisen! ?
I make writing with AI easy for small marketing teams (while always cooking dinner for my family)
2 年In a group setting I always try to lead by opening up and going first. I notice that then people are much more willing to share something about themselves. As leaders, we set the mood. And openness, transparency, and authenticity need to be demonstrated to be encouraged
Interesting. I do a lot of international work where transparency is important but nuanced. Do you know any resources on how to work through foreign relationships with transparency? THX