How do secrets and secrecy influence working life and working relationships? Listen to the latest podcast episode (German language) with Prof Dr Jana Costas.
Secrets and secrecy play an important role in working life and working relationships. They often act as an invisible force, shaping our daily work and the way we interact and lead in organisations. In the current podcast episode with Prof Dr Jana Costas, who holds the Chair of Human Resources, Work and Management at the European University Viadrina, we delve into this topic.
Prof Dr Costas was a guest speaker at a flow event in spring 2024 and offered exciting insights into her research. Her findings are so fascinating that they are perfect for our podcast – and for the pre-Christmas period, which is characterised by secrecy, I think 😉.
A ‘secretive’ book
In the foreword to her book ‘Secrecy at Work. The Hidden Architecture of Organisational Life’, which she co-authored with Christopher Grey, Jana Costas gives a first impression of what her research is about:
“Secrecy is endemic within organizations, woven into the fabric of our lives at work. Yet, until now, we’ve had an all-too-limited understanding of this powerful organizational force. Secrecy is a part of work, and keeping secrets is a form of work. But also, secrecy creates a social order—a hidden architecture within our organizations. (…) Animated with evocative examples from scholarship, current events, and works of fiction, this framework presents a bold reimagining of organizational life.”
The path to exploring secrets
How did Jana Costas come to this topic? Her answer is very pragmatic:
- Her own experiences: As a member of various organisations, she developed a curiosity to explore how secrets affect everyday working life and relationships in the workplace.
- Empirical research: Through her research in various organisations, she quickly discovered that secrets often play a central role and shape everyday working life.
Three forms of secrecy
Prof Dr Costas emphasises in our interview that it is important to clearly distinguish between three forms of secrecy:
- Formal secrecy: this refers to business and state secrets that are protected by laws and regulations.
- Informal secrecy: This refers to secrets based on trust and networks.
- Public or open secrecy: These are secrets that are known but not openly discussed.
The power of secrets
What is the real power behind secrets and secrecy? It is not without reason that Jana Costas speaks of a ‘powerful organisational force’ and explains three logics, each of which can develop a special power:
- Seclusion (secretus): This leads to the formation of cliques or hierarchies within the organisation.
- Secrecy (arcanum): Secrecy increases the desire for revelation.
- Mysterious (mysterium): This maintains a status and a sense of exclusivity.
Secrets have an enormous effect in and on organisations. They determine who belongs and who remains outside – both within the organisation and on its borders. The effectiveness of secrecy can go so far that members of an organisation enforce secrecy more strongly than is actually necessary. It is then less about protecting valuable knowledge and more about creating demarcation, status and exclusivity.
Source: Prof Dr Jana Costas, 2024
The role of secrecy for managers
Secrets as a basis of power can also generate mistrust and encourage disclosure endeavours. So-called ‘dark secrets’ are particularly problematic, as they can cause enormous stress – both between people and for the individual. Nevertheless, secrecy can help managers to maintain control and create a safe space for negotiations. According to Jana Costas, a manager should therefore make every effort to belong to cliques or networks within the organisation – in order to be in the loop, to better understand connections and to avoid being surprised by decisions.
The benefits of secrecy
In the course of the conversation, it becomes clear that Jana Costas is not interested in categorising secrets as good or bad per se. She looks at the phenomenon from a scientific perspective and not in a normative way from the outset. Despite all the perhaps rather dark and mysterious stories, the research also shows that knowledge of a shared secret can promote networking and the exchange of knowledge. In a protected space, beyond the usual hierarchies, creativity is encouraged and failure is allowed. Secrecy has a protective function here.
Conclusion: An ambivalent phenomenon
‘Secrets and secrecy’ is a complex topic that needs to be considered in a differentiated way. It is important to distinguish between the different types of secrets and their respective dynamics: formal and legally binding secrets and informal secrets. While the disclosure of formal secrets can lead to sanctions and legal penalties, disregarding informal secrets can result in social marginalisation.
Overall, Prof. Dr Jana Costas’ research shows that secrets are a hidden but powerful force in organisations. They influence working relationships, hierarchies, leadership and the dynamics within teams. By understanding this force, we can learn to deal with secrets more consciously and responsibly.
It’s no secret that we coach, act as sparring partners and provide background advice when things get difficult in organisations. Just get in touch with us.
You can also find our podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Secrecy at Work: The Hidden Architecture of Organizational life. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Discussed in „How 3M Discovered, Then Concealed, the Dangers of Forever Chemicals“, The New Yorker
