Tegan, the distinction you draw between receptive transparency and broadcast transparency is a useful one.
I’ve watched the cultural swing toward constant disclosure over the past decade, and it sometimes feels like we’ve confused immediacy with honesty. Sharing something the moment it happens doesn’t necessarily make it more authentic — it just means it’s unresolved.
The leaders I respected most in my former corporate life tended to operate exactly the way you describe. They were incredibly open when receiving input or criticism, but very deliberate about what they broadcast outward. When they did address a problem publicly, it usually came with context and a solution already underway.
Your “fix it first, explain it second” framing captures that discipline well.
I’m curious where you think the line is in smaller communities like this one on Substack. Writing is inherently reflective and sometimes exploratory, which means people are often sharing ideas while they’re still forming them. Do you think that kind of public thinking is useful… or does it drift into the broadcast transparency trap you’re describing?
Tegan, the distinction you draw between receptive transparency and broadcast transparency is a useful one.
I’ve watched the cultural swing toward constant disclosure over the past decade, and it sometimes feels like we’ve confused immediacy with honesty. Sharing something the moment it happens doesn’t necessarily make it more authentic — it just means it’s unresolved.
The leaders I respected most in my former corporate life tended to operate exactly the way you describe. They were incredibly open when receiving input or criticism, but very deliberate about what they broadcast outward. When they did address a problem publicly, it usually came with context and a solution already underway.
Your “fix it first, explain it second” framing captures that discipline well.
I’m curious where you think the line is in smaller communities like this one on Substack. Writing is inherently reflective and sometimes exploratory, which means people are often sharing ideas while they’re still forming them. Do you think that kind of public thinking is useful… or does it drift into the broadcast transparency trap you’re describing?
Exactly… We just let the definition moron into something else entirely!
Meaningful, informative and useful.
Thank you for taking valuable time to read!
So true Tegan. You would make a great counselor.
Ha — Thank you! (But I wouldn’t go that far😬😎)