Where do you stand on the now famous publicizing of embarrassing diplomatic gossip?  Is it a treacherous, malicious act of betrayal of those who spoke frankly under the cover of diplomatic immunity by those who revealed what they said? Or, is it a welcome exposure shining bright, daylight into dark and murky corners in our society, an explicit and transparent naming of things most of us have known or suspected all along?

I can’t help thinking of the cringe-making revelations and how I would react if things I had said or done with the belief that they were strictly “entre nous” were broadcast to the whole world.  Would I yell “foul play” and refuse to speak to anyone ever again, my trust in humanity having been broken beyond repair?  Would I threaten to sue in the vain hope that I could save my reputation from tatters?

I hope the repercussions prove to be less damaging than the worst fear-mongers imagine, and that the dark art of diplomacy will live through its little crisis if the end is increased peace and global co-operation.  But there are lessons for all of us in this fracas.

The first is: What do you really need to keep private?

Another theme in the news this week is the extent to which our movements on-line are being tracked.  However technologically advanced marketers and other snoops may prove, we need to take some responsibility for what people are able to know about us.  For those of us in organizational leadership roles, and for those of us looking for work, we are all prime material for cyber-probing.  Anyone can find out an awful lot about us, so we have to be vigilant about actively managing our online identities.

We need to be mindful about what information we consider private and about what we would be sensitive others hearing, and we must consciously manage that about which we would like to be transparent.  In doing so, we can modify our online behavior accordingly and avoid inadvertently doing a Wikileaks on ourselves.

The second is: What are the trade-offs between transparency and secrecy?

Many of us appreciate the value of increased transparency.  We want to know the background story, how and why decisions (especially those affecting us) are made and how things really work.  It frustrates us when we learn of back-room deals, and it can wreak havoc on the morale of organizations when some people are in the loop and others are not.  But, what is the price of transparency?  What if there were no “sacred space” where people can air their views without fear?  What if there were no secrets, no mysteries about anything?  Would the world really be a better place?  What choices have you made and what policies do you have in place in the trade-off between transparency and secrecy? What are the costs and what are the benefits in your world?

The third is: What do you do when some boundary of trust has been crossed and your relationship is endangered?

The people affected behave in very different ways.  Some trivialize the whole event and diminish the stature of the speakers and the value of the opinions expressed.  Others react with anger and threats.  And others shrug their shoulders, acknowledge a setback and commit to picking up and continuing business as usual.

The problem with the first response is that hurt feelings are likely to linger, and the damaged relationships will probably never repair.  The problem with the second reaction is that it seems overly defensive leading us to suspect that the accusers are spot on.  I adapt Shakespeare’s well-known quote when I write, “Methinks they doth protest too much.”

It seems to me that the mature, sensible response is the third. Acknowledge there is a problem, even apologize for it, and then appeal to the bigger picture and common ground so the storm can be weathered and co-operation continued for the long-term benefit of all.

Fredia Woolf, Founder of Woolf Consulting, blogs about career and workplace issues.  She provides Leadership coaching and Organizational “seasoning”, spicing up Productivity, Effectiveness, Performance, Personal Engagement, and Results (PEPPER), while enhancing Strategy, Alignment, Leadership, and Teamwork (SALT).  She can be contacted at fwoolf@woolfconsulting.com.

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Last updated on March 6th, 2012 at 09:43 pm