Gustavo Razetti from LAPIZ: Transparency Requires A Strong Commitment But It Pays Off

In his most recent post on his blog, Gustavo Razetti, Managing Director at LAPIZ, speaks about how fear has become a regular emotion at work, due to lack of trust and a safe space. He states that it is indispensable to be transparent and that it is, in fact, impossible not be so, because everything one does is a message, even if you do not do anything. He says “trust can help a team cope with adversity and, instead of blaming each other, find a solution together. Building trust requires transparency not just in how you communicate but, most importantly, in how you behave. Transparent behaviors provide clarity about your intentions and clearly “communicate” that you are not hiding anything.” Razetti expressed the notion that trust is an asset, albeit a changeable one. He adds that it takes a long time to build, but can disappear with one act. He also dealt with how critical transparency is when dealing with change, and how it can help a team cope with adversity and allow its members to find a solution together instead of blaming each other. The author says that in order “to operate under the principle of transparency, you are required to be exposed in front of ´the crowd´” and adds “building a transparent culture is a painful journey.” Based on his experience, he gives several recommendations to foster transparency, such as sharing results to foster accountability; taking risks to show you’re serious; encouraging discussion of tensions face-to-face to minimize gossip, among others.