March 15, 2026 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes)
Trust Grows Fastest in the Light.
How can embracing transparency revolutionize your leadership?
I was having a cold beer at the Fort Myer Officers’ Club, just up the hill from the Pentagon, when Vice Admiral “Frosty” Frost pulled me aside.
He knew I was headed to command. And that night, he told me the only story he ever shared with me—but it stayed with me through every command tour that followed.
Frosty told me a story from his tour as the commanding officer of a fighter squadron deployed at sea. The ship was scheduled to pull into a liberty port for five days of well-earned rest. There was just one problem.
Every one of his F-14s was broken. All of them were “down.”
The Air Wing Commander told Frosty he needed to cancel squadron liberty and use the entire in-port period to fix the airplanes. Frosty assured him the jets would be “up” when the ship got underway again.
But what about liberty?
That first morning in port, Frosty gathered the squadron and told them the truth. All twelve aircraft had to be ready in five days. Some wanted to cancel liberty altogether—but he believed they could take three days off and fix the jets in the remaining two.
Then he said something simple and powerful:
“Have a great time on liberty. All the airplanes must be up when we get underway.”
Word had already spread about what higher headquarters wanted. The squadron was surprised—and grateful. And they were determined not to let their skipper down. They took three days of liberty. Came back with less than half the time remaining.
And when the ship got underway, every single aircraft was ready to fly.
Frosty’s lesson to me was clear:
Be transparent. Take care of your people, and they will take care of you.
He took a real risk. If the jets hadn’t been ready, it would have ended badly for him. But he knew his team. He understood their capability. And he trusted them enough to tell them the truth.
Transparency builds trust—and trust unlocks performance.
The opposite is also true.
A lack of transparency can destroy organizations from the inside out. Enron is a painful reminder of what happens when secrecy replaces honesty. Leaders hid reality, manipulated numbers, and ignored warnings. When the truth finally surfaced, it cost thousands of jobs, wiped out retirements, destroyed a global accounting firm, and collapsed a once-powerful company.
Contrast that with Patagonia.
On Black Friday in 2011, Patagonia ran a full-page ad with a picture of one of their jackets and the headline: “Don’t Buy This Jacket.”
They openly explained the environmental cost of their product and encouraged customers to buy less, repair more, and think long-term.
It was counterintuitive. And it worked.
Employees trusted leadership more deeply. Customers believed the message. The brand strengthened. Loyalty grew. And long-term performance improved.
Transparency didn’t weaken Patagonia.
It defined them.
Here’s what transparency does when leaders practice it consistently:
- It builds trust with employees, customers, and stakeholders.
- It increases engagement and ownership.
- It encourages honest dialogue and better decisions.
- It strengthens reputation—especially during hard moments.
- And it creates long-term resilience when challenges hit.
Transparency matters most when things go wrong.
Admit mistakes. Take responsibility. Communicate clearly. People don’t expect perfection—but they demand honesty.
Here’s the bottom line:
Don’t be afraid to be transparent and vulnerable with your team.
They already know mistakes happen. When they see that you’re human too, it gives them permission to be honest, speak up, and take responsibility.
Don’t put yourself on a pedestal.
Let them see your humanity—so they feel safe showing theirs.
Transparency isn’t weakness.
It’s strength under pressure.
And it’s one of the fastest ways to build real trust.
Want more powerful leadership lessons from Mike?
- Begin leading from the heart: Order Learn How to Lead to Win | The Manazir Maxims | Leadership Study Guide for Manazir Maxims
- Book Mike to Speak or for 1:1 Executive Coaching
P.S. Know someone trying to build up their people and lead with heart? Forward this to them. It might be the encouragement they need to keep going.
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Let’s lead to win together,
Mike Manazir
Retired Navy Rear Admiral | Bestselling Author | Keynote Speaker | Executive Coach