In this episode, Ben explores a common leadership dilemma: how open should you really be with your team?
While transparency builds trust, oversharing can create confusion or discomfort.
Ben offers practical advice for finding the right balance between honesty and professionalism.
He discusses when to share challenges and when to protect your team from unnecessary stress, helping thoughtful leaders navigate openness with self-awareness and confidence.
Resources:
- Brené Brown’s website: https://brenebrown.com/
- Work with Ben 1:1 – Coaching for thoughtful leaders.
Really interesting discussion Ben, thank you.
Many years ago I had a boss who said he would tell us “a little more than he was allowed to”. His rationale was that this stopped rumours starting in his team and indicated a level of trust that team members would not share the extra information.
Thanks Shaun, I like the “a little more than allowed”, but I wonder what his boss would have thought of this :)
It’s always that fine balance which is difficult, especially in middle management roles.
Cheers,
Ben
I have no doubt he was holding alot back from his direct reports, but it was as much about the philosophy ie: I trust you. I want you to be confident I’m telling you as much as I can. If you have questions, come and talk to me first.
Yes that makes sense – it’s a good way to go, I think!
Ben