Not All Transparency is Created Equal
Fireplace vs Fridge: What Companies Really Mean When They Say "Transparency"
Transparency is one of those values that shows up on almost every company page. It sounds good, feels progressive, and looks great in onboarding slides. But in practice, not all transparency feels the same.
Over time, I’ve come to think of it in two distinct forms: fridge transparency and fireplace transparency.
Fridge Transparency
Fridge transparency is technically open. The documents exist. The strategy deck is in a folder. The numbers are in a dashboard.
But like a fridge, it only works if you get up, walk over, and open the door.
The information is cold, compartmentalised, and out of the way. You have to know what you're looking for. You have to choose to go searching. You have to take action to access it.
This version of transparency often comes from good intentions. The idea is to make things visible. But the burden sits entirely with the individual. It assumes that everyone knows where to look, what matters, and how to connect the dots.
In reality, most people don’t. Especially if they’re new to the team, less confident, or just overwhelmed with their own work. The result is a kind of passive transparency that excludes without meaning to.
Fridge transparency is cheap to create and easy to maintain, but its impact is just as shallow. It demands little effort and offers little in return.
Fireplace Transparency
Fireplace transparency feels very different.
It is warm. It is present. You feel it simply by being in the room.
You do not need to take action to benefit from it. You are already exposed to the heat. The transparency reaches you.
This kind of transparency is built intentionally. It shows up in the habits and systems of a team. Decisions are documented, shared and explained. Strategy is repeated often. Metrics are walked through, not just published. Important context is broadcast by default.
People are brought into the loop, not left to find their way into it.
Fireplace transparency changes how a team feels. Just like a fireplace, it sets the tone of the space. Everyone benefits, even those who are not sitting closest to the source.
Why It Matters
In my work across product, strategy, and operations, I have seen how powerful this difference can be.
The best teams I’ve worked with are not always the ones with the most resources or the most polished plans. They are the ones who make sure everyone has shared context. Where people understand not just what they’re doing, but why it matters.
That kind of alignment is not a side effect. It is something you create. And you do it through systems, rhythm, and repetition.
Fireplace transparency takes more effort. It requires discipline and care. But it builds trust, connection, and momentum. It allows people to contribute with confidence and clarity.
I look for this kind of transparency. I try to create it where I work. And I believe it is one of the clearest signs of a team that truly understands how to build together.