Spies and Gatekeepers

Take a moment and consider a piece of confidential information. What comes to mind? A redacted dossier leaked from the FBI? The inside of Area 51? The salary information of your direct reports? As a manager, you’re going to have access to all sorts of sensitive information, whether you like it or not. In your one-on-ones, you’ll talk about confidential topics, professional and personal. Additionally, as a manager, others may divulge secrets to you, knowing that they can come to you in confidence. Or worse, they may spread rumors to attempt to curry favor with you.