Our exit runway is progressing, and we are about to bring external accountants and advisors into our daily environment for due diligence, which will inevitably trigger rumors. How do we manage communications with the broader staff to keep them focused on their Rocks and Scorecards without lying to them or prematurely disclosing the transaction?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When outside advisors and auditors begin appearing on Zoom or in the office, the rumor mill will inevitably start spinning. To manage this communication challenge, you must lean on the core pillars of trust from the Trusted Advisor Fieldbook, combining reliability with open and honest communication. Trying to hide the process completely often backfires, creating anxiety that disrupts daily performance.

While you must maintain strict confidentiality regarding the transaction details, you can address the presence of external advisors by framing their work around operational scaling and financial maturity. Tell your staff that as part of your multi-year strategy to scale the business, you are bringing in third-party experts to audit your systems, clean up your files, and help prepare the company for its next phase of growth.

This explanation is entirely true and keeps the team focused on their weekly Scorecard metrics and quarterly Rocks. Encourage your leadership team to model low self-orientation by listening actively to any employee concerns. By maintaining a high degree of intimacy and open dialogue, you prevent destructive rumors from taking root, ensuring your team remains focused on running the company during this critical pre-exit phase.