I really enjoyed reading this, especially as someone who's about to become a manager. When you mention being transparent and explaining all the steps you've taken as a manager – the what, why, and how – I’m curious: do you think a manager should do that? In my experience, managers tend to be pretty discreet about these things, which I find frustrating. However, the team seems to accept this as the norm, almost like it's expected of managers. It’s strange because it also makes them seem more superior in a way, like they obviously know better. So, is being overly transparent not really a trait of a good manager?
Great question! In my experience, many new managers assume that being discreet equals being competent, especially if that’s how their past managers behaved.
But there’s an important difference between being discreet and being unclear.
When you explain HOW you made a decision - not just what the decision is - you’re not giving up authority.
You’re building trust!
For sure your team doesn’t need every detail, but they DO want to know that your choices are thoughtful, fair, and grounded in something real.
I often say this: transparency isn’t about sharing everything.
It’s about removing ambiguity.
In early manager roles, ambiguity is often what causes tension, confusion, and second-guessing.
So yes, I do believe sharing the WHY behind your decisions helps you earn more respect - because you show clarity and intention.
It also encourages your team to start thinking more strategically. When they see the reasoning behind decisions, they start to understand how everything connects. And that’s what real leadership is in my book :)
I really enjoyed reading this, especially as someone who's about to become a manager. When you mention being transparent and explaining all the steps you've taken as a manager – the what, why, and how – I’m curious: do you think a manager should do that? In my experience, managers tend to be pretty discreet about these things, which I find frustrating. However, the team seems to accept this as the norm, almost like it's expected of managers. It’s strange because it also makes them seem more superior in a way, like they obviously know better. So, is being overly transparent not really a trait of a good manager?
Great question! In my experience, many new managers assume that being discreet equals being competent, especially if that’s how their past managers behaved.
But there’s an important difference between being discreet and being unclear.
When you explain HOW you made a decision - not just what the decision is - you’re not giving up authority.
You’re building trust!
For sure your team doesn’t need every detail, but they DO want to know that your choices are thoughtful, fair, and grounded in something real.
I often say this: transparency isn’t about sharing everything.
It’s about removing ambiguity.
In early manager roles, ambiguity is often what causes tension, confusion, and second-guessing.
So yes, I do believe sharing the WHY behind your decisions helps you earn more respect - because you show clarity and intention.
It also encourages your team to start thinking more strategically. When they see the reasoning behind decisions, they start to understand how everything connects. And that’s what real leadership is in my book :)