Leadership: To tell or not to tell

A problem that people of influence (leaders) struggle with is this: "How much should I share with those under my authority?"

Should the owner of a company tell his or her employees about every negative possibility that could come as a result of the business decision that was recently made?
Should a child who is overseeing the medical care of a dying parent tell the parent that Hospice has said their death is imminent?
Should a parent tell a child that daddy lost his job, they will lose their house, they don't know where they are going to live or how they will have enough money to buy food?

It seems to me that the answer to questions like these are best answered when another question is asked first:
"Can those I share troubling news with do anything about it? Will they have the ability to prepare for or thwart the possible tragedy?"

If the answer to those questions are "No," then it seems to me that the information might need to remain private.
If the answer is "Yes," then it probably needs to be shared.

As I read this morning in Matthew 24, I was able to listen in as Jesus warned His disciples, and those who would read his words later (us!), that the end of days would be horrible. He spoke of it in terms that were very troubling.

As I was reading, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Why would Jesus share this doomsday information? If the folks who were listening couldn't do anything about it, wouldn't it have been cruel to tell them?"

Well, embedded in the text, we see that there was something that Jesus' listeners could do. They couldn't keep the tragedy from coming. But, knowing that it was coming, they could prepare themselves just like someone who races to the store to stock up on necessary items before a massive storm hits.

"But the one who endures to the end will be saved." (Matthew 24:13)
"So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming." (Matthew 24:42)
"You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." (Matthew 24:44)

Jesus spoke at length about the troubles ahead because He knew that it could motivate His followers to mentally prepare for the tough times and commit beforehand to be a faithful follower. This information was valuable because it enabled His followers to realize that life wouldn't always be easy. They needed to buckle up and get ready for the ride.

So, as you lead others, keep this general principle in mind: "If you see potential trouble on the horizon and those under your influence could benefit from knowing that information, then you may need to tell them. If they can't do anything about it, it may be best to keep it to yourself."