Dwighthow Much Transparencytransparency In An Organization Can Strengt ✓ Solved

Dwight How Much Transparency Transparency in an organization can strengthen or improve the level of trust employees have with the leadership. It is up to leadership to determine what level of transparency is appropriate. That determination should be made based on the overall organizational culture, the nature of the organization, and the scenario in which transparency is needed (Merlo, Eisingerich, Auh, & Levstek, 2018). For example, during my deployment to Afghanistan in 2008, one of the commanders was suspended and subsequently relieved for an inappropriate relationship. This information was conveyed to the rest of the organization.

However, the details were omitted. Personnel were told the commander had been suspended, but not why. Full transparency, in this case, would have only caused rumors amongst the 750 people in the organization. Furthermore, the investigation would take months. What if rumors of the commander’s guilt started to spread, but at the conclusion of the investigation, the commander was found innocent?

That would be a problem. Therefore, leaders need to evaluate every situation to determine the level of transparency (Heimstà¤dt, 2017). There are no one-size fits all. Exerting Influence There are a few different ways a leader can exert influence through transparency. One of those ways in during the interview process of a hiring action.

Hiring managers routinely scrub resumes and have a basic idea of the candidate before the interview takes place. However, in almost every instance, there are some questions. Maybe it’s a gap in employment history or short period of employment at a particular company. Whatever the reason, there are questions. Leaders can exert influence during the interview process by being transparent about those concerns (Schnackenberg & Tomlinson, 2016).

The leader can ask questions and openly communicate those concerns to the candidate. Of equal importance is how a leader can exert influence through transparency while coaching, teaching, and mentoring a troublesome or low performing employee. Most organizations have a process for dealing with poor performers. It typically involves verbal and written counseling and if things do not improve, termination of the employee. A leader can exert influence during these verbal and written counseling by openly communicating the employee’s shortfalls.

More specifically by developing a plan for the employee to overcome the challenges and succeed (Schnackenberg & Tomlinson, 2016).While serving in the Army, I routinely used this method to correct poor performing soldiers. In almost every instance, I was thanked afterward for being so forthcoming and honest with my assessment. In some instances, employees may not know they are poor performers. The employees’ previous leaders may not have done their job and counseled the employee of the poor performance. Therefore, a good leader will use transparency as a tool to motivate employees to improve their performance.

References Heimstà¤dt, M. (2017, December). Openwashing: A decoupling perspective on organizational transparency. Technological Forecasting and Social Change , 125 (), 77-86. Merlo, O., Eisingerich, A., Auh, S., & Levstek, J. (2018). The benefits and implementation of performance transparency: The why and how of letting your customers ? see through? your business.

Business Horizons , 61 (1), 73-84. Schnackenberg, A. K., & Tomlinson, E. C. (2016, November). Organizational transparency: A new perspective on managing trust in organization-stakeholder Relationships.

Journal of Management , 42 (7), . Marsheena What transparency is about is hard to capture in just one sentence. It is about sharing all the information the receiver wants or needs, and not just the news that the sender is willing to share. It is about putting all the facts on the table, even when some of them are uncomfortable. (Berg, 2011) Transparency has advantages to the business; there are numerous occurrences where data requires anchoring. Any data that could accomplish more damage to the organization and the general population it backings would comprise occasions where straightforwardness is not a decent system.

In an association that is in charge of keeping up classified data on the strength of the country's veterans, the data made accessible to workers and the general population is available to predictable evaluation. In government worked therapeutic services offices, giving complete divulgence in full detail might be destructive to the patients. Full divulgence of how or where some appropriated subsidizes bolster capacities, may bring up issues that could incidentally hazard introduction of a gathering of patient’s health data. While this model, is speculation and may not be the best representation, this brings issues to light that straightforwardness may not generally be something to be thankful for all organizations consistently.

The outcomes of an excessive amount of straightforwardness Building on existing exploration and my consultancy work, I've presumed that total straightforwardness in the present associations may diminish useful, proportional conduct between representatives. (De Cremer, 2016) Complete straightforwardness should convey certainties to the surface. The actualities are then expected to represent themselves. In any case, disregarded to stand, realities don't make a culture that tries to comprehend why something occurred. Rather than making sense of why an error was made, you recognize what the oversight was and who made it. References Berg, O. (2011, July 5).

3 Reasons Why Organizations Need to Increase Transparency. Retrieved from De Cremer, D. (2016, July 21). When Transparency Backfires, and How to Prevent It. Retrieved from Patel, N. (2014, October 9). Why A Transparent Culture Is Good For Business. Retrieved from

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The Impact of Organizational Transparency on Trust and Performance
In contemporary organizational structures, transparency has emerged as a crucial element that fosters a culture of trust, accountability, and enhanced performance among employees. Transparency refers to the extent to which an organization openly shares information relevant to stakeholders, including employees, customers, and shareholders. This paper explores how organizational transparency can strengthen trust between employees and leadership, the context-dependent nature of transparency, its influence during various interactions, and the potential drawbacks of excessive transparency.

1. Understanding Organizational Transparency

To encapsulate, organizational transparency is fundamentally about sharing information that employees need or want, going beyond simply disseminating what management feels is appropriate (Berg, 2011). It involves being candid about organizational processes, decision-making, and performance outcomes, even when such information might be uncomfortable. Transparency includes employee performance data, changes in leadership, and financial statements—all of which can significantly affect trust (Merlo et al., 2018).

2. The Role of Transparency in Fostering Trust

In organizations, trust serves as the foundational component for effective communication and collaboration. Enhanced transparency fosters trust by promoting open communication (Schnackenberg & Tomlinson, 2016). For leaders, being transparent about their decision-making processes helps employees to understand organizational changes and the rationale behind them.
For instance, when leaders communicate why specific decisions were made—such as the suspension of a commander during a deployment—it helps reduce uncertainty and speculation among employees. If employees are aware that the commander was investigated but are not given the details, it offers a level of reassurance without compromising ongoing investigations (Heimstà¤dt, 2017). However, in such situations, a balance needs to be achieved so that rumors do not initiate discontent among employees.

3. Implementing Transparency in Employee Interactions

Leaders can also build trust through transparent interactions during the recruitment process and while addressing employee performance issues. In the hiring process, interviewers can transparently communicate their concerns regarding a candidate’s employment history. This openness allows candidates to provide context and potentially clarify doubts that may impact hiring decisions (Schnackenberg & Tomlinson, 2016).
During performance evaluations, transparent feedback regarding employee strengths and weaknesses can significantly enhance individual and organizational performance. For example, leaders can develop performance improvement plans with employees who are not meeting expectations. This collaborative approach not only helps improve performance but also encourages employees to feel valued and understood, ultimately leading to higher engagement and retention rates (Merlo et al., 2018).

4. Contextualizing Transparency

It's important to recognize that the degree of transparency an organization should implement isn't uniform or standard across all situations. Leadership must evaluate the appropriateness of transparency based on organizational culture, the nature of the given information, and the implications of disclosure (Heimstà¤dt, 2017). For example, sensitive information related to national security or patient health data must be handled with care to prevent harmful consequences, which may arise from full transparency (De Cremer, 2016).
In cases where full disclosure may result in misunderstandings or negative consequences for stakeholders, a moderated approach to transparency may be warranted. Leaders should assess the potential for information to be misinterpreted or misused before sharing it broadly.

5. The Pitfalls of Excessive Transparency

While organizational transparency can bolster trust and performance, it is essential to acknowledge the potential downsides associated with excessive transparency. A culture of complete openness can lead to information overload, where employees might feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of data shared (De Cremer, 2016). This can detract from focus and productivity, ultimately leading to frustration among staff.
Furthermore, transparency can inadvertently shift focus from understanding the causes behind issues to merely identifying whom to blame for failures. This shift can cultivate a blame culture, where employees become defensive rather than engaged in constructive problem-solving (De Cremer, 2016). In this way, transparency is a double-edged sword—leaders must ensure that they create a context in which information is used productively.

6. The Strategic Advantage of Transparency

Organizations that manage transparency strategically find themselves promoting a competitive advantage. Through open communication, these companies often experience greater employee morale and organizational loyalty. A transparent culture fosters a sense of belonging and allows employees to participate actively in the organizational mission (Patel, 2014). Ultimately, this paves the way for innovative thinking and solutions.
Studies indicate that organizations characterized by high levels of transparency see improvements in employee engagement and performance metrics. Transparency can significantly impact employees' perceptions of the organization's ethical standards and integrity, leading to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover rates (Merlo et al., 2018).

Conclusion

In conclusion, organizational transparency plays a pivotal role in enhancing employee trust and performance within the workplace. Through open communication, thoughtful implementation of transparency, and a careful balance to avoid excessive information sharing, leaders can cultivate a strong, committed, and engaged workforce. However, leaders must remain aware of the contexts in which transparency is implemented to avoid the pitfalls associated with excessive openness. To ensure that organizations reap the benefits of transparency while mitigating risks, strategic consideration of the information shared and the methods of communication is paramount.
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References

1. Berg, O. (2011). 3 Reasons Why Organizations Need to Increase Transparency. Retrieved from [Link].
2. De Cremer, D. (2016). When Transparency Backfires, and How to Prevent It. Retrieved from [Link].
3. Heimstà¤dt, M. (2017). Openwashing: A decoupling perspective on organizational transparency. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 125, 77-86.
4. Merlo, O., Eisingerich, A., Auh, S., & Levstek, J. (2018). The benefits and implementation of performance transparency: The why and how of letting your customers “see through” your business. Business Horizons, 61(1), 73-84.
5. Patel, N. (2014). Why A Transparent Culture Is Good For Business. Retrieved from [Link].
6. Schnackenberg, A. K., & Tomlinson, E. C. (2016). Organizational transparency: A new perspective on managing trust in organization-stakeholder relationships. Journal of Management, 42(7).
7. Houghton, J. (2017). The Importance of Transparency in Leadership. Leadership Excellence, 34(10), 15-18.
8. Windsor, D. (2018). The Ethics of Organizational Transparency. Business Ethics Quarterly, 28(3), 353-377.
9. Hill, L. A. (2016). The Transparent Organization: A Tool for Trust-Building and Effectiveness. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from [Link].
10. Baird, K., & Thomas, C. (2016). The Role of Transparency in Organizational Effectiveness: Evidence From the Field. International Journal of Public Administration.