--- title: No more closed doors in the digital age description: Transparency in dealing with employees, partners, customers and the public is becoming a key competence and a decisive competitive advantage. image: https://blog.northdata.com/hubfs/Transparency%20Post%20Art-featured.png --- [Skip to content](https://blog.northdata.com/north-data-with-more-data-0#main-content) Subscribe to the blog ## Subscribe to the blog [![North Data](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/NDBlog/images/northdata-logo.png?width=600&name=northdata-logo.png "North Data")](https://www.northdata.com/) [![North Data Blog](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/NDBlog/images/blog-logo.png?width=180&name=blog-logo.png "North Data Blog")](https://blog.northdata.com/?hsLang=en) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. - [Decoding Registers](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/decoding-registers) - [Behind The Code](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/behind-the-code) - [Crime Lab](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/crime-lab) - [Deep Into Data](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/deep-into-data) [![North Data](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/NDBlog/images/northdata-logo-mobile.png?width=600&name=northdata-logo-mobile.png "North Data")](https://www.northdata.com/) [![North Data Blog](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/NDBlog/images/blog-logo-mobile.png?width=180&name=blog-logo-mobile.png "North Data Blog")](https://blog.northdata.com/?hsLang=en) Open navigation menu Close navigation menu This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ## Categories - [Decoding Registers](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/decoding-registers) - [Behind The Code](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/behind-the-code) - [Crime Lab](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/crime-lab) - [Deep Into Data](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/deep-into-data) # No more closed doors in the digital age Backroom deals, death by a thousand cuts, and complete silence – those days are over. Companies today can no longer operate in total secrecy. Published on 03-08-2021 by **North Data Team** - [share via email](mailto:?subject=North+Data+Blog+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail&body=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) - [share on Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) - [share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) - [share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) --- **![Transparency Post Art](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Transparency%20Post%20Art.png?width=1860&name=Transparency%20Post%20Art.png)** Decisions behind closed doors, salami tactics, silence... that's in the past. Companies today don't get away with secrecy. In the age of Wikileaks and Facebook, transparency in dealing with employees, partners, customers, and the public is becoming a key competence and a decisive competitive advantage.   ### **Transparency is key** Because of digital transformation, our world is changing at a breath-taking pace. On one hand, more and more networks and flexible structures are replacing rigid hierarchical levels and strict control systems, while on the other hand, permanent access to an abundance of data and the ability to rapidly exchange information via social media platforms require a new strategy for dealing with internal company information. But at a time where almost everything can be researched and verified, **transparency** is here for companies to gain credibility and ultimately trust. ### **Breaking old traditions** And yet, when it comes to key figures, medium-sized companies in particular still find it difficult. While corporations are committed to transparency by the stock exchange, the state and their corporate governance code, the following still applies here: profits, losses, liabilities - *one does not talk about that*. Unlike in countries like the USA, where people deal confidently with positive and negative results, we don't like showing **success** any more than **failure**. The first is due to the fear of envy in the professional and private environment and possible demands from employees, the last is out of fear of social ridicule and stigma. In a world where everything is changing faster and faster, mistakes are inevitable and ultimately become natural. ### **Successes and failures are accompanied by ...** Setbacks, mistakes, blunders and also failures should therefore be understood as valuable experiences in a constant mutual learning process. Those who draw conclusions from this can do better next time and also help others with their knowledge to avoid mistakes. Without internal transparency, complete external transparency is not possible. The willingness to adopt familiar observation and behavioural patterns to break through, is a prerequisite for a clear and direct exchange of goals, strategies, successes and failures, as is already practiced in start-ups and modern companies. ### **Clear communication is paramount** Regular internal and external communication creates transparency and therefore the basis for honest, productive cooperation with benefits for everyone involved. Entrepreneurs and managers prevent power games and ensure smooth processes, while employees are more motivated and creative. But partners and customers also benefit from clearly presented results, because they can use them to assess and value the entrepreneurial performance much better and even become a valuable sparring partner for market developments. In the meantime, transparency in all channels contributes to a new form of culture as well as to the success of companies of all shapes and sizes. - [Email share via email](mailto:?subject=North+Data+Blog+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail&body=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) - [LinkedIn share on Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) - [Facebook share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) - [X share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fnorth-data-with-more-data-0%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) Related Articles [![North Data goes French with new platform version](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Europe%20Data%20Map%20-%20France.png?width=5000&height=3000&name=Europe%20Data%20Map%20-%20France.png)](https://blog.northdata.com/north-data-launches-french-version-of-its-platform-northdata.fr?hsLang=en) ## [North Data goes French with new platform version](https://blog.northdata.com/north-data-launches-french-version-of-its-platform-northdata.fr?hsLang=en) [by **Benette Kröger**](https://blog.northdata.com/north-data-launches-french-version-of-its-platform-northdata.fr?hsLang=en) [North Data expanded its European coverage by adding six new countries. 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