The transparency model explains why your company should be transparent with consumers and the risks you run when you hide aspects. Ultimately, your customers will help you!
In 2010, whistleblowing threatened to topple the political and economic system. Julian Assange upset international politics with Wiki.Leaks. He dragged U.S. actions in the Iraq war into the light, and his mere announcement that he would publish the internal mail exchange of a major bank sent stock prices plummeting.
Eric Schmidt, the former head of Google, said that the best thing to do is not to do what you don’t want to come out in the open. They were talking about private individuals – Wikileaks transferred this principle to governments. Although there are control mechanisms and the classic separation of powers, this system no longer functions reliably. In the 20th century, a control authority was added, but it functions only imperfectly:
– personal proximity of politicians to journalists
– mutual economic dependence of media and parties
– PR – Politicians and companies have developed strategies to control reporting
As the leader of a company or department, you should heed former advertising professional Alex Bogusky’s call to action. He talks about how transparency itself isn’t really a matter of choice – the question is more whether you’re willing to tell your customers the truth yourself, or whether you’ll wait until someone else does.
Bogusky, who now calls himself a “consumer advocate,” recommends making a plan to address the aspects of your work you’d prefer to keep quiet. Think about how you communicate these aspects to your customers. When you ask your customers for help in this way, you’ll be surprised that they’re willing to support your mission if you let them.