HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY MAKE YOU VALUABLE

Honesty and Transparency Make You Valuable: Creating a Culture of Feedback

I don’t know what it is about today’s culture, but it feels like giving honest feedback has become weirdly hard.

We avoid being direct because we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, or come across as harsh, or make things “awkward.” And yet, avoiding honesty doesn’t actually help anyone—it just delays the inevitable, or worse, leaves people in the dark.

At Accounting Therapy, one of our core values is:
“Honesty and Transparency Make You Valuable.”
We believe this extends beyond our team—it affects how we work with clients, vendors, and even how we communicate as leaders.

 

Say the Thing—Even When It’s Uncomfortable

We recently demoed an app we are considering bringing in to support client services. The sales rep was great—helpful, responsive, and clearly trying to do their job well and close the deal (they are a sales rep, after all)!

But the features weren’t quite what we’d initially hoped for, and the price? Definitely a sticking point. We’re still deciding, but I felt so resistant to tell them that it wasn’t a slam dunk.

Why? Because it’s uncomfortable to say, “This might not be the right fit for us and here’s why.”

And let’s be real—sometimes that awkwardness makes ghosting the person all together feel easier than just being honest with them.

But here's the thing:
Isn’t it more respectful—and honestly, more helpful—to just be transparent?

As Alexis always says, “News is news.” It’s not personal. And when you can give feedback kindly and constructively, you’re not just being honest—you’re being valuable.

 

You're Not Doing Anyone Any Favors By Not Saying It

There’s this thing we do—where instead of saying, “Here’s what didn’t work for me,” we throw out excuses. It’s not in the budget. We’re not ready right now.

But as Katy Hayes, our Bookkeeping Team Leader, says:
“You’re not ever doing anyone any favors by not telling them they have something in their teeth.”

That kind of direct, kind honesty is what helps people improve.

• • A sales rep might take your feedback back to their product team and spark new features.
  • A vendor might use your transparency to better position their offer.
  • Your honesty could lead to a better experience for the next customer.

It’s not about being critical—it’s about creating clarity.

And it’s a two-way street. We want our clients and partners to be honest with us too. If something’s not working, we want to know. That’s how we grow.

 

Creating a Culture of Feedback—From the Inside Out

This isn’t just something we believe in for external relationships—it’s something we work really hard to practice internally.

Alexis and I recently hosted an internal book club (tbh, it actually was just the two of us, but anything sounds cooler when you call it a club, amiright?) and read The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, and one section really stood out to me:

“You should have an opinion on every forecast, every product plan, every presentation, and even every comment. Let people know what you think. If you like someone’s comment, give her the feedback. If you disagree, give her the feedback. […] This will have two critically important effects:

1. 1. Feedback won’t be personal in your company. […]
   2. People will become comfortable discussing bad news.”

That line—feedback won’t be personal—really stuck with me.

Because when you make feedback a normal part of how your business runs, it loses its edge. It’s not scary or dramatic. It’s just communication. No cryptic Teams or Slack messages. No guessing games. No wondering if your manager is secretly unhappy with your performance.

Just honest, transparent dialogue—with the goal of helping everyone do better.

It’s Not Just About Giving Feedback—It’s About Taking Ownership Too

Creating a culture of feedback isn’t just about offering observations to others—it’s about looking at yourself, too.

If you’re in a leadership position, you’re going to be the one giving a lot of feedback. But you also have to create space for your team to share it with you—without fear of judgment or retaliation. (← No, really. You can’t judge or retaliate.)

And when you mess up (because we all do), you have to own it. Publicly. (I mean, don’t post it on your socials, but make sure the affected parties know you are taking responsibility.)

Recently, we were in the middle of hiring a new team member, and we totally botched part of our interview process. We were trying something new, the workflow wasn’t clear, and things didn’t go how they were supposed to. 

Instead of scrambling for excuses, we just told the candidate the truth: 
“We missed the mark here, and we’re working on tightening up the process moving forward.”

That kind of honesty builds trust. Whether it’s a candidate, a client, or a team member—people appreciate when you acknowledge mistakes and show how you’re going to fix them.

And by the way, we expect the same thing from our team. If something goes wrong, take ownership. Don’t hide it. Don’t wait three weeks to bring it up. Just own it, be transparent and honest about it, find a solution and let’s all move on. We’ve got bigger fish to fry… like taking over the accounting world.

But that only works when you’ve created a culture where taking ownership is safe.

How We Practice Feedback at Accounting Therapy

We’re not perfect at it, but we’re working on creating a culture where feedback flows freely, both up and down the org chart. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

1. Quarterly Team Check-Ins

These structured and intentional conversations happen every quarter and give both the team member and the leader space to share what’s working, what’s not, and what support is needed. It’s a two-way dialogue. (If you want to learn more about how these work in our organization, check out this blog post).

2. Weekly 1:1s

They don’t have to be long—sometimes 15 minutes is enough. But having consistent, dedicated space to talk each week with your team members helps feedback feel normal.

• • You don’t have to sit on feedback all week.
  • Your team doesn’t feel blindsided.
  • And best of all—it builds trust.

3. Real-Time Feedback

Not everything needs to be a scheduled meeting. Sometimes you just need to say, “Hey, do you have a few minutes?” and give the feedback right then and there. It doesn’t have to wait for the next meeting or become a “thing.”

Again, news is news.

Outside Your Org? Still Applies.

This mindset doesn’t stop with your internal team. It matters in your relationships with clients, partners, and vendors, too.

If a client relationship is off-track, say something. If your vendor drops the ball, let them know. If you need to give feedback to that app you’re unsure about...

• • Say, “We’re looking at a few other tools right now. Yours didn’t hit all the boxes we were hoping for, but we’ll keep you in mind.”
  • Or, “We’re not moving forward right now, but here’s what we loved and what we felt was missing.”

They may take your input and actually improve their service, product, or communication. Or they may just appreciate that you didn’t waste their time. Either way, you’re modeling the kind of communication you’d want in return.

Similarly, if you mess something up, own it and communicate what steps you’re taking to make it right.

People don’t expect perfection.
They expect honesty.
They expect ownership.
And they’ll respect you for showing up with both.

The Bottom Line: Say the Thing. Own the Thing.

Whether it’s:

• • Giving a vendor direct feedback,
  • Owning a mistake in your hiring process,
  • Or helping a teammate grow through honest dialogue—

 

Honesty and transparency make you valuable.

When practiced consistently, they lead to:

• Stronger teams
• Better partnerships
• More clarity
• And a whole lot more trust

So, say the thing. Own the thing.
And if someone has something in their teeth—tell them.

Kindly, of course.