No transparency, no progress
When people meet me online for the first time, they often assume I’m working from the office because of the board behind me. It always surprises them when I explain that I’m actually at home in my study, and that the board is a real Kanban board with real sticky notes. I like having this visual reminder of my personal goals close by.
This board helps me focus, plan realistically, track my progress, and celebrate each achievement, big or small. And it all starts with creating transparency: on my goals, my actions, and most importantly, my progress.
Why transparency matters
Transparency is one of the pillars of Scrum, next to inspection and adaptation. But it all starts with transparency. Because without it, you’ll never know how you are doing, let alone if you need to correct your course of action. So transparency is your handle on reality.
Creating transparency is often easier than you think. Start looking for meaningful indicators that provide basic insight into progress, and start collecting data. When all goes well, it’s good confirmation. It gets tougher when an inconvenient truth is revealed. That’s usually easier to handle in personal life than in a business context. But hey, at least you know now, so you can act on it.
Personal examples
One thing I keep track of every day is my weight. I want to lose a few kilograms so I can feel fitter and stay healthy as I get older. Sometimes, stepping on the scale is a bit confronting, but the numbers don’t lie. I’ve learned that feeling guilty or upset doesn’t help. Instead, I try to notice patterns and experiment with how my eating, drinking, and exercise habits affect my weight. It’s a process of learning and adjusting, rather than judging myself.
I’m also keeping track of my progress toward meditating more often. I really enjoy these brief moments of tranquility when I focus on my breath in the here and now. Observing my thoughts brings me peace of mind. And it only takes 10-15 minutes to feel revitalized! To create transparency on this new habit under construction, I put a check mark for every day I meditated. It’s a simple and effective indicator if I’m following through on my intention. When I miss a day, I am more motivated to pick up the next day.
Besides these practical examples of using transparency for personal growth, I’ve noticed how important it is in communication. Being open about your intentions, concerns, needs, and dreams helps build trust. And trust is the foundation for any healthy relationship.
How transparent are you? To others? And to yourself?