Navigating Workplace Conversations: What to Share and What to Keep Private

Self-disclosure at work can build trust and connection, but it also carries risks—especially for women, leaders, and those whose values or identities set them apart. That tension is what Columbia professor Katherine Phillips explored in one of our earliest episodes of the podcast, back in 2018.

Now, we revisit Kathy’s research on inclusion and authentic relationships, and add a fresh perspective. Amy B speaks with Kathy’s longtime collaborators Tracy Dumas and Nancy Rothbard about how expectations around self-disclosure have shifted. The Amys also reflect on what they’ve learned about sharing personal details at work: when it builds connection, when it complicates things, and when they choose to hold back.

Guest experts:

Katherine Phillips, before her death in 2020, was a professor of leadership and ethics at Columbia Business School.

Tracy Dumas is a professor at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business.

Nancy Rothbard is a professor at Wharton, as well as the school’s deputy dean.

Resources:

• “Self-Disclosure at Work (and Behind the Mic),” from Women at Work
• “Sharing Personal Information Can Build Trust on Your Team — If You Do It Right,” from HBR on Leadership
• “Research: When Leaders Disclose a Chronic Illness at Work,” by by Peter Ghin and Mladen Adamovic
• “Make It Safe for Employees to Disclose Their Disabilities,” by Laurie Henneborn
• “Why Leaders Should Be Open About Their Flaws,” by Li Jiang et al.
• “How to Get Comfortable ‘Being Yourself’ at Work,” by Lan Nguyen Chaplin

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