Managers - Be Highly Visible to Your Employees

Good management is synonymous with transparency. A good manager is easy to read. Managers should strive to make unequivocal messages to their employees that are clear and straight-forward. Employee must not be in doubt as to where their manager stands. Tricks are for magicians; managers are more like newscasters. Employees want the message without any barriers.

In order for a manager to be transparent, he must be O.K. with himself. A good manager has dealt with the struggles in life and has arrived at her own answers. He is confident in his abilities, and knows how he will react in a variety of situations. She is open with others on a myriad of topics, and not judgemental, but firm in her own ideas. He is not afraid to discuss his viewpoints with anyone. She has a pride about the person she has become, and is even a little showy.

Transparency in verbal directions is obviously important. Workers have to know exactly what is expected out of them. A manager isn't effective by giving out sloppy verbal cues. If she does, the employees are left up in the air and are unsure of where they are going. This creates a bad workplace. Sharp, concise directions are best, ones that have only one meaning or interpretation. Then the employees can proceed with certainty.

A good manager also has transparency in non-verbal messages. His posture, his facial expressions, the way he uses his body when communicating is all very important. Employees should be able to look into the mind of their manager and feel that they know her. There shouldn't be any surprise decisions coming down that are non-sequitors. He must be predictable and consistent.

Then employees can get in a groove with their work. They know what's expected. They can apply themselves to the task at hand. Without clear direction, they are in a rudderless boat. With clear direction they can stablize even in turbulent waters.
A manager may feel vulnerable if she's transparent. That is the challenge. Like I said, a good manager should know himself well, very well. Then she shouldn't be afraid to present herself to her employees. No room for shame here. That should have already been dealt with at an earlier time. A manager must have already come to terms with himself long ago.

At this point I must interject that transparency does not translate at perfection. A manager can't be perfect. He can only know the point at which he's arrived, and is not embarrassed or shy about it. She is respectful yet honest. He knows when to admit his mistakes. She doesn't hide them or cover them up.

Of course, trnsparency is on a continuim. No one can be 100% transparent or should he want or need to be. Some things should remain private. A manager should not interject her private life in the interest of transparency. The transparency has to do with the attitude about things related to work. A genuine openness must be cultivated in order to have a thriving workplace. This begins with the manager. He must be strong enough to project an aura of honesty and straight-forwardness to which the employees can rely on.