Highly functioning teams are transparent with each other: they describe what they are working on daily; they feel safe to share problems as they arise; they share what it will take to get work done and by when; they are generous with the foundations of their expertise. At the end of projects, they look back together—to identify opportunities for improving team productivity and flow. Trust accelerates productivity; transparency is the essential ingredient.
Highly functioning teams are also transparent with their stakeholders and sponsors. They make commitments at the beginning of projects; they share incremental work product as it comes to life. Stakeholders may attend daily team meetings, but effective sponsors and leaders empower the team by trusting the delivery cadence; micro-management compromises team autonomy.
The most highly functioning companies are also transparent with—and trusted by—their customers. This highly valued state is impossible without an internal culture of trust and transparency.