What do I do when I know corporate secrets my team doesn’t?
Ever had one of those moments when you had information about something and were not able to talk about it? Maybe you found out something is going to happen, yet you are not allowed to disclose any of it? Most of the time, leaders have access to a lot more information than the team does, and some of it can’t be fully shared with them. It could be budget cuts, downsizing, or restructuring…needless to say, not speaking about it can feel like trying to carry a big boulder while climbing a mountain.
Learning to manage the ethics of sensitive information in leadership is one of those topics that people don’t really talk about when you get the role; they just expect you to know what to do and how to cope with it. It’s not as easy as “you need to do this, so please don’t say anything about it.” People don’t talk about a lot of things: how you feel about it, the impact this can have on you, the proper reaction you need to be prepared for so you don’t actually affect your team, and many others. In this article, we will go over all of this, looking at the following topics:
- The heavy burden of sensitive information
- Knowing what you can and cannot share
- How to manage direct questions if your hands are tied
- Navigating confidential changes before they go live
- Rebuilding and maintaining trust after the news breaks
The heavy burden of sensitive information
There’s a lot of talk about how a leader must keep things confidential, not say anything wrong, be as compliant as possible, and showcase that they are very mature and responsible, but not enough talk about how difficult this actually is for that leader. The truth is, having to deal with information that only you and a few other people have access to is really not great: it sucks. It’s a burden that truly brings to life the old saying, “heavy is the head that wears the crown.”
As a first-time manager, you are expected to automatically adjust to managing this type of information without any issues. Because of this, and the lack of support received, people feel additional pressure, don’t really know how to manage it, and have this constant feeling of carrying a heavy burden on their shoulders. While there is no quick or easy fix for this, the best possible advice I can give you, based on what I do most of the time, is to compartmentalize. Try to stay focused on one thing at a time and don’t get sucked into the entire drama. Yes, it’s sad that people might be losing their jobs, some might have a very bad personal or medical situation, some might be under investigation for who knows what, or some might be having a mental health issue… many things can make you think, “wait a minute here, how do I deal with this?” One struggle at a time is the best possible strategy I can recommend: do things in steps, like a checklist, and try to stay focused only on the specific thing you must do in that moment. Don’t think about anything else. If you take on too much too soon, you will transfer all the pressure onto yourself, and it will show in everything you do.
It’s like when you know that part of your team must be let go, yet you can’t say anything about it in the moment. This type of secret is a burden the leader sometimes has to deal with. The impact comes from different angles:
- On one side is the personal feeling: how you look at that person, how you feel about it, if you are more empathetic in nature and it gets to you, etc.
- On the other side, there’s the “what can I do to help out” mindset. It’s the human thing to do: to feel bad for someone and think of ways to help them.
While this might sound crazy, knowing something and not telling it is not lying. You are protecting the team more than you know. Information is not always power; in fact, sometimes it’s a burden, and the ones with access to it have a harder job than those who are simply oblivious to it. Before you even contemplate saying anything to your team about a delicate issue, think of the impact that information might have on them: how will they react, what will they do, and are they happier just not knowing about it?
Knowing what you can and cannot share
The basics of ethics regarding sensitive information start with proper boundaries on what you can and cannot share. This is essential for every leader out there because the better you understand these boundaries, the better you are at navigating this complex topic. The key word is discretion, as well as how and when to apply it: Is it something about one person? Is it something that might benefit the team if they know about it? Can I share the information without actually telling them specifics? This comes down to what HR policies you have in your company, what direction you think is best for the given situation, and what your manager agrees on. You don’t have to set them alone. Remember: always ask for help when needed.
On this topic, we need to clarify the three types of information you might be privy to:
- Private: Personal or legally protected details belonging to an individual. Examples: medical leave, performance reviews, salary, personal family emergencies, disciplinary actions. People who have access to it: only the individual, HR, and their direct manager.
- Confidential: Strategic business data that is restricted to protect company operations, competitive edge, or timing. Examples: upcoming reorgs, unannounced product launches, pending layoffs, budget cuts, M&A discussions. People who have access to it: specific stakeholders, leadership, and project members on a need-to-know basis.
- Public: Official company updates, public press releases, and broad operational guidelines meant for everyone. Examples: published company goals, official org charts, launched products, company-wide newsletter updates. People who have access to it: the entire company, clients, and the general public.
To help paint a better picture of this, here are the three rules of PCP (Personal, Confidential, and Public) information:
- Personal: Zero leaks, zero gossip. This information belongs to the person, not the company.
- Confidential: Hold until authorized; prepare before releasing.
- Public: Distribute, contextualize, and reinforce.
When you leak confidential information, you do more harm than good because this type of information must be released after the team is prepared. Let’s say there are talks about layoffs, but nothing is 100% confirmed. If you leak this, people will freak out and start looking for jobs when that might not even end up being the case. Maybe the layoffs aren’t actually going to happen, or maybe the company was getting ready to move those people to other departments to preserve job stability. This is why you hold until you are actually authorized to release it.
How to manage direct questions if your hands are tied
This one is tricky because not many people know how to manage this aspect, especially new managers. In reality, people will either know something is up or they can guess that you might have additional information you aren’t sharing. It’s important to know how to handle this. People might come up to you and ask you point-blank about a situation. If you can’t answer them, don’t ignore them. This is the biggest mistake people make. Ignoring something doesn’t make it go away. In this case, you must think strategically: What can you say without saying anything of importance, but also without creating any drama?
I always do this: if people are aware something might happen and they ask me about it, I just say, “Listen, there are a lot of topics on the table these days, but nothing is confirmed. Wait until I have more information, and as soon as I can, I will let you all know.” Don’t say things like “don’t worry, this won’t impact you” or “you have nothing to worry about.” If there are talks about layoffs and you told your team not to worry because they’ll be fine, you’re the one getting the short end of the stick when you have to contradict what you told them earlier.
Keep in mind that you must always maintain your integrity through all of this and show people that you are consistent with what you say, without spilling the beans. This is why some leaders have a hard time with this topic; they keep making up different excuses or situations in an effort to deflect the drama. Don’t lie; just tell them something that reveals nothing while avoiding creating a false narrative.
The “I don’t know” line is a big trap: the moment you say it, your credibility flies out the window. I’ve said this before, and I will say it again: people know you. They work with you eight hours a day, so they know if you KNOW. Saying you don’t know when something is clearly up will only make things worse. You can discreetly suggest the possibility of multiple discussions being on the table, but that nothing is set in stone yet.
Navigating confidential changes before they go live
Let’s say your entire department is facing a big change in management and structure. If everyone knows this before things are ready, what do you think will happen? The amount of additional pressure, the disappointment, people going nuts over issues that don’t even exist yet, or overreacting to situations that aren’t currently happening will only create chaos. If you have chaos, you can’t maintain control. Loss of control is the death of management. Keep your cool, maintain team morale, and be there as the support pillar people need you to be.
When an inevitable change is coming, you need to create a proper plan and get people ready for it. This must be done without actually revealing what will happen before you have the OK to do so. You can start with small things: maybe small changes here and there that will better acclimate people to the new way of working, talking to them about how theoretical changes can make a big difference, how to manage feelings and mental health, etc. It’s your job to have them ready for the right time.
And don’t forget about yourself! Yes, you are in this too, and you have to prepare yourself as well. Make sure you are coping with the change, that you have had enough time to process it, and, more importantly, that you have accepted it. If you don’t take care of yourself, you might end up leaking some of these details in a meeting or during a tense moment. You don’t want that.
Rebuilding and maintaining trust after the news breaks
Once the news is out, you had better get ready to receive the age-old question: “Did you know about this?”
Don’t try to act cool and oblivious. Just tell them what actually happened, explain the reason behind all the secrecy, and make sure they understand why you had to handle it that way. People will be much more likely to accept things if you are honest rather than trying to paint yourself as, “I’m just like you guys, I had no idea this was even a thing.” If they find out you knew after you said you didn’t, they will NEVER trust you again.
Some of them might feel betrayed or extremely disappointed: don’t ignore these feelings or act upset because they expressed them. Treat people with the right level of empathy and be there for them: it’s a difficult situation, and everyone will react in their own way. Don’t make things worse; be that support pillar we talked about. Be human and be there for them.
Remember that any big change, if managed together, can make a team stronger. If you are there for them and show them how to move forward as a team, things will get better. Of course, it’s hard and it doesn’t happen overnight, but in time – and with a lot of hard work and patience – teams navigating these major impacts grow stronger. In the end, it’s about that human aspect we see all the time: communities that rebuild and start over.
Until the next article, stay healthy, happy, and safe!