Transparent Leadership: A Key to Engaging the Millennial Workforce

Published on

Sparked by the millennial workforce's demand for authenticity and openness, their quest for honest leadership is reshaping corporate integrity. Find out how you can embrace the transformative power of leadership transparency.

The Rising Need for Transparency in Leadership

Quoto: The more consistently we are open and honest with our teams, the stronger the foundation of trust we build.

Thank goodness for millennials.

Their desire— and almost demand — for leaders to be more straight forward and forthright has accelerated the necessity for leaders to adopt transparency as a mainstay in the workplace.

More than one-third of the workforce is made up of millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996.

They tend to reject being kept in the dark about what’s going on — unwilling to invest themselves without knowing the why of things.

This reflects just how much they respect, value, and need transparency.

Addressing the Core Needs of Millennials in the Workplace

As conscious leaders, it is essential that we find ways to proactively meet the core needs of our NextGen workforce to support them in bringing their best foot forward for the benefit of their careers and our companies.

Doing so, we can collectively benefit from the energy, brilliance, and power of the millennial talent pool. Let’s explore how we can become more authentically transparent with our teams, and as a result, far better leaders.

Challenging Old Paradigms: The Millennial Stance on Authenticity and Trust

Quoto: At the core of “transparency” is a commitment to embody honesty and openness in our work environments.

Millennials will not put up with a lot of bullshit.

They feel less married or locked into any company than prior generations have, and they’re very comfortable, even fearless when it comes to moving on — especially when dissatisfied with their current position or work environment.

Trust is a big issue, as the volume of public outings of greed, corruption, and hidden agendas — in governments and businesses — have made trusting corporate integrity difficult for millennials.

From their view, that we even need whistleblowers says a lot, and seeing whistleblowers being condemned for stepping forward further degrades the potential for trust.


The Demand for Real Transparency and Why It Matters

Millennials are understandably allergic to all the manipulating and machinations that go on in politics and in business, so when we announce that we’re going to do things in a new way, they’ll ask “Why?”.

They won’t accept that it’s because we think it’s better. For them, it’s simple. “What’s the real reason? Just be transparent. We'll follow you if you lead with integrity. If it makes sense to me, for us, I’ll be on board with it.”

The Meaning and Significance of Transparency

Quoto: As conscious leaders, it is essential that we find ways to proactively meet the core needs of our NextGen workforce for the benefit of their careers and our companies.

At the core of “transparency” is a commitment to embody honesty and openness in our work environments.

Communicating our intent and motives behind various actions is an act of inclusion that helps all employees to feel more in the loop and a part of what’s going on.

Open and transparent communication helps to form a foundation of trust and a collaborative environment.

The more consistently we are open and honest with our teams, the stronger the foundation of trust we build


The Benefits of Leading with Transparency

There are so many ways in which leading with transparency can improve our work environments and organizational performance — with all employees, not just millennials. Just a few of the benefits include:

  • Leaders are more open, approachable, and teams feels more connected
  • Teams feel safer, allowing for greater innovation and creative solutions
  • Leaders are more credible, trustworthy, and teams feel more respected
  • A greater sense of inclusion improves morale, collaboration and motivation

Integrating transparency into the way we lead will yield significant positive benefit to our organizations and our enjoyment in leading. It takes focused intent and dedication to transform how we show up with our teams, how we build our workplace culture.

Embracing Vulnerability in the Pursuit of Transparency

Since transparency requires a willingness to be more easily seen, it can bring about a feeling of vulnerability and a bit of fear. If you experience that, it’s best to deal with this fear or vulnerability head on so that you can powerfully and effectively bring transparency into your leadership.

Sure, if we’re not practiced in leading with transparency there can be a learning curve. If there is, keep remembering the benefit to your career and organization are so worth it.


Would you like to be more present, feel more alive and connected, with a greater sense of inner peace?

It's my mission to support people in living and leading with greater ease, wisdom, and inner peace. To feel more deeply connected with those around them.

If you'd like to tap into your deeper insight and practical wisdom to live and lead more consciously, feel free to reach out at bodhi@bodhijeffreys.com to set up a time to connect.

To see what others have to say about the work we do together, please check out the testimonials here. I look forward to connecting.


Follow Bodhi on Social Media

There's a lot more content available here on the site and on these social media platforms.

🔥 Get Bodhi's latest Insights and Tips

🔔 Subscribe to the Bodhi Jeffreys YouTube Channel

👔 Connect at LinkedIn

➡️ Connect on Facebook

📷 Connect on Instagram

⚡️ Follow on TikTok


Recent testimonials

  • I forget Bodhi is at the other side of the planet – he is truly with me when we work together.

    Lisbet Hjort Author, Awakening Mentor, Human Resources Manager Copenhagen, Denmark

    There is a before and an after regarding my work with Bodhi. Before working with Bodhi for many years I experienced a life with a lot of struggle, pain and resistance, both in my private and my business life. Today I experience a life with joy, love and peace – even amidst the challenges of life. I’ve never actually been with him in person – but I sense his energy, his warmth and love in our work. I forget Bodhi is at the other side of the planet – he is truly with me when we work together.

    Bodhi is a gift in the world – he can work on many levels which means that you can work and grow on many levels too. I will always be very grateful that we connected and I highly recommend Bodhi to everybody that really wants to live a life in freedom.

  • It was my sessions with Bodhi that helped me to heal my most self-destructive patterns.

    Kirstin Nielsen Partner Relations Manager, Aarhus BSS Career Højbjerg, Denmark

    Bodhi is a fantastic teacher and coach, and I’m so thankful for working with him. Though I’ve worked with coaches and therapists over the last 10 years, it was my sessions with Bodhi that helped me to heal my most self-destructive patterns. Now I feel very blessed that my life flows. Bodhi is a very warm and humorous person, and I always get amazing insights during our sessions.

    As a coach I had primarily been using a very result-oriented model with a great number of people in Europe. After meeting Bodhi I learned to act from truth and I feel so much more present with my clients. As a result, my business has expanded naturally without any other effort than just being able to use what I’ve learned from Bodhi with my clients. He makes a great difference for so many people.

  • I have become a better leader, a better boss, a better husband and a better father.

    Christopher McAuliffe, Master Certified Coach President & CEO, Accomplishment Coaching Coach Training Company San Diego, California

    Bodhi’s support goes beyond my stated projects and goals. Since working with him I have become a better leader, a better boss, a better husband and a better father. Bodhi is what coaching is all about. It seems like magic sometimes how he is able to hone in and focus on the exact thing that brings me more power, or more clarity, or returns my calm and centered focus. If you want to become a better version of yourself or to fulfill on what you think you can create – I recommend working with Bodhi.

  • Bodhi always leaves me feeling more empowered, more joyful, more truly accepting...

    Helle Laursen Leading Mentor Coach and CEO, Nordic Center for Mindful Self-Compassion Silkeborg, Denmark

    Working with Bodhi repeatedly over several years, I am constantly filled with deep gratitude after each session. Bodhi always leaves me feeling more empowered, more joyful, more truly accepting all parts of what I am, and with more energy to face life. Being a mentor coach myself, I have learned from Bodhi's amazing ability to give further depth to any issue within coaching. He is more than just a great coach, he is embodied wisdom, ready to share and give more meaning and depth to all matters I bring up. Bodhi takes coaching to a new level: it is healing, very practical, and supports my commitment to live my life from compassion and awareness.

  • Bodhi has been a guiding light for me, opening doors to my own hidden resources.

    Paul Williams Author of "Das Energi", Founder of Crawdaddy Magazine Encinitas, California

    Bodhi has been a guiding light for me, opening doors to my own hidden resources. I have found working with him to be a tremendously healing and awakening experience. I would unhesitatingly recommend Bodhi and his work to any friend in need. The truth is within us, but it is a joy and a great relief for me to have found a teacher who has been able to so quickly put me in touch with that inner truth and its liberating powers.

Back to top