Transparency: Accountability, Openness, and Communication

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or in a cave in the hills, you know that we are currently in the thick of the Information Age – an era of human history where technology rules the day and near-instant access to a myriad of topics is available at the touch of a finger. With the boom of digital dependence comes a heightened call for transparency.

The foundation of transparency is built upon accountability, openness, and communication. At its core is the desire for trust. Employees want to trust the company they work for; patrons want to trust the people they do business with; and citizens want to trust their elected leaders.

Not only does transparency foster that trust, it also sparks a higher level of participation from the community. An informed public is an involved public.

If you aren’t already initiating efforts toward increased transparency, we highly encourage you to do so. Here are some tips to get you started:

Be open and accessible: Let’s face it, most people are busy. They want to be informed, but they want to find the information they are looking for electronically if possible, or with the littlest disruption to their schedules. Access to information and leaders/decision-makers builds that trust we have been talking about. The more you are able to disclose and make accessible (not including confidential information), the more transparent you become.

Go above and beyond: Is there any public information that is continually being requested? If possible, try making it more readily available. Is there information that the public might not know to ask for, but would benefit from receiving? Put it on your website and social media channels. When you make the first move to open the dialogue, you are fostering a higher level of transparency.

Don’t discount the interest in fiscal documents: People want to know where their taxpayer dollars are being spent. Making budget documents available in an easy-to-follow format goes a long way in building trust. Access to rates and fee schedules is also important.

Keep people informed: Does your district have a big project coming up? Rather than waiting for the calls to pour in with questions and complaints, post the details of the project online and on social media well in advance. Not only will the public appreciate it, but so will your employees as they deal with fewer calls from the community.  

For more tips and resources visit us at uasd.org.