The value of transparency & transparency as a value
Transparency is a highly valued principle by almost everyone. We value transparent relationships with our friends and family, we search for brands that are transparent about their products and we crave transparent politicians and politics. There’s great value associated with the honesty, exposure and even vulnerability that results from an attitude, person or product that is 100% transparent.
The transparency of a business and inside a business is not only valued by its interveners (teams and clients), but also brings value to the business itself. Avoiding tricks, hidden agendas and making information accessible to everyone has a positive impact in several ways.
Here are a few:
It promotes trust and increases motivation.
As a whole, a team will always work better if all its members know and agree with the goals that move them and the methods that are being used. Like any other team, like a football team for example, common goals promote inclusion which in turn increases the motivation of all involved (workers, employees and clients). A goal may be scored by only one player, but it is celebrated by all!
At Omibee, core values are shared with everyone and future goals are open for discussion. Everyone shapes the future of the company.
It fosters growth.
By sharing information about everyone's roles, performance and even daily responsibilities, team members can learn from each other's successes and even failures. And if the communication inside teams and with clients is transparent and open, perceptions and expectations will be shared more often. As a well known quote by Marshall Goldsmith states: “Feedback is a gift that only others can give.”.
We all work alongside in an open-space as it is easier to share knowledge, findings, or even struggles and doubts. We also communicate daily through slack, skype and our project-management tool: Podio.
It increases loyalty and responsibility.
As no one likes to be tricked, transparency and honesty lead to increased loyalty: not only the loyalty of a team towards a cause or project, but also the client's loyalty towards a company or product. Being transparent and sharing knowledge (not only making it public but explaining, teaching) also levels the field for everyone, which allows for informed decisions and ownership over them.
We also use Podio to share inside the team and with our clients exactly how time is spent on each project, which are the KPIs, the budget, the timeline, etc. Everyone involved in a project has access to everything there is to know about that project.
And it values the brand!
All of the above helps to value brands not only by creating direct positive impacts but also indirect ones. People nowadays have a voice stronger than ever and there are several platforms where they can share their experiences and opinions regarding a brand. The desire for transparency and integrity is quite high and by building relationships based on trust and common goals, you help assure positive feedback.
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At Omibee we aim to maintain relationships of transparency not only within our team but also with our clients and collaborators. We believe in the values and advantages brought by a transparent business and try to incorporate this principle in our daily routines. We are open about how we do what we do: from how all our time is spent, to the tools and techniques we use and, most recently, to our own office :)
