The concept of leadership transparency is a scary thought. In an era where manipulation and deceitfulness is often perceived as the tool needed to make it to the top, leadership transparency has gone amiss. Too often our outward reflection is not an inward representation of our lives and this sets up breeding ground for failure.

Unfortunately, we can all name a leader whom has been caught up in a scandal, lie or some other major failure. From CEO's to Ministers, there has been a breakdown in transparency. Transparency is the discipline of allowing others to see through you, having nothing to hide. This is not to say that we as leaders should disclose our entire life. It does mean that we do not engage in activities that would adversely affect the direction that we offer followers.

For example: If I am leading a non-profit organization but embezzling resources and money for my own use then I am cheating the organization. This embezzlement issue would be blocking the transparency of my leadership and either directly or indirectly others would be affected.

Perhaps another word for transparency is integrity. We are who we say we are and we do what we say we will do. In order to live this philosophy we must be transparent with nothing to hide. It is time to stop hiding failures but to healthily engage them with the help of others. If we do not, our failures will consume us and make us something different than what we project to people and our leadership momentum is hindered significantly.