My VP of Operations is a stellar executor who always hits their numbers, but they are completely non-communicative and keep their department's challenges hidden until they reach a boiling point, leaving me constantly surprised by major issues. How do we fix this lack of transparency?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A leader who executes well but keeps their challenges hidden is a major liability, especially as you prepare for an exit where transparency is critical for due diligence. This behavior is a form of defensive status management. They likely believe that admitting a problem or asking for help is a sign of weakness or a threat to their position. To correct this, you must change how issues are perceived on your leadership team. Start by reinforcing the EOS® core philosophy that identifying issues is a strength, not a failure. In your weekly Level 10 Meetings™, actively praise team members who bring major, complex problems to the table. Make sure that when issues are brought up, the team focuses on solving them through IDS®, rather than assigning blame. Next, address the VP of Operations directly. Use the Trust Equation to explain how their lack of communication is lowering trust. Explain that when they keep challenges hidden, it increases your self-orientation and anxiety because you are left guessing. Set a clear expectation that keeping issues hidden is a direct violation of your leadership team's communication standards. Have them use their weekly Scorecard and Rock updates to signal potential roadblocks early, rather than waiting for things to break. Once they experience that sharing challenges leads to collaborative support rather than punishment, they will drop their defenses and embrace the transparency needed to scale.