One of the commenters says,
“Don’t write it unless you would say it in front of 100 strangers, your mom, your best friend and your spouse/partner.”Perhaps that could be reframed to: Don't do it unless you would do it in view of 100 strangers, your mom, your best friend and your spouse/partner.
An issue that is raised that was of interest to me is that there is a responsibility on the viewer of an activity to make conscious choices too. Do I need to know this? Do I want this level of intimacy? By our bravery in breaking our cocoons we force others to make brave decisions about what they want to know.
Another commenter links to a strong article by Molly Holzschlag about her experiences of being transparent in her professional life in IT and how that has benefited her career. These articles are coming from a more mundane approach than our venture, but they are dealing with the same issues we are.
We have embraced an idea that is coming to the surface here and we have with that a great opportunity for positive influence. We will need courage to follow this through but we are not doing this alone, and we have the key element of consciousness in our approach.
Molly Holzschlag includes a powerful quote in her article that is helping me in my battle for transparency;
Never apologise for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologise for truth.One day we will wonder why it wasn't always this way.Benjamin Disraeli
2 comments:
Some interesting thoughts here! I love the one about not apologizing for sharing feelings, though, of course, that is the toughest one.
It is all about finding that fine balance between being direct, yet subtle, honest yet not too 'in your face' or too friendly...
I think that too much transparency is as bad as too little: a) people loose interest when there is no mystery and b) it can simply be too much information.
I guess transparency should not be used for its own sake, but in order to bring about a greater clarity or to communicate a particular message.
Otherwise it feels like some group therapy, at best.
As ever - considered and brilliant Ruben.
I confess right now: the CB adventure has encouraged me to be more transparent, honest and direct.
It's hard but very worthwhile.
I had a very difficult exchange with someone only yesterday; I wouldn't let it lie in terms of sharing how I felt whilst taking responsibility for what was mine in the debacle.
In the end we found a peace.
This guy has always fascianted me: http://www.radicalhonesty.com/ and now I find myself working it with a mixture of elation and dread - 2 steps foward; 1 step back...onwards...
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