Published on: 2 July 2025
I hear more and more colleages complain about they do not have a high level idea of the proyect. This is why this is wrong
Introduction
In many organizations, especially those with hierarchical or security-conscious cultures, the “need to know” principle is often applied to project execution. At first glance, it seems logical: limit information to only those who require it to perform their tasks. This minimizes distractions, reduces the risk of leaks, and keeps things streamlined, right?
Not really.
While this approach might work in military or intelligence contexts, applying it rigidly in collaborative environments can backfire. Here’s why:
It Kills Context
When team members only receive fragments of the bigger picture, they lose the context that helps them make informed decisions. Without understanding how their work fits into the whole, they may make choices that are technically correct but strategically misaligned. Usually to get to the What to do we need to know Why are we doing it.
It messes prioritization
When you only know what task to do, and not for what is for and how it sits on the great schema of things, the team can’t decide what it’s more important, what should be done before, and if bugs occurr, they can’t be all with high priority, team needs this knowledge to properly plan.
It Slows Down Problem-Solving
Cross-functional collaboration thrives on shared knowledge. When information is siloed, teams waste time rediscovering information others already know or waiting for approvals to access what they need. This delays progress and frustrates everyone involved.
It Breeds Mistrust
Transparency builds trust. When people feel they’re being kept in the dark, they may assume the worst—about leadership, about the project, or about their own value. This can erode morale and lead to disengagement.
It Stifles Innovation
Innovation often comes from unexpected connections—someone in marketing suggesting a product tweak, or a developer spotting a business opportunity. If people aren’t allowed to see beyond their narrow scope, those sparks never happen.
Other complications
If the “need to know” mindset dominates your project culture, you might face:
- Misaligned deliverables: Teams may produce outputs that don’t integrate well because they weren’t aware of each other’s goals or constraints.
- Duplicated efforts: Multiple teams might unknowingly work on the same problem, wasting time and resources.
- Bottlenecks: Key information gatekeepers become overloaded, slowing down the entire project.
- Low morale and high turnover: Talented people don’t like feeling excluded or undervalued.
- Poor risk management: Hidden dependencies and blind spots can lead to critical failures that could have been avoided with broader awareness.
A Better Way Forward
Instead of defaulting to “need to know,” consider adopting a “need to share” mindset. Empower your teams with context, trust them with information, and foster a culture of openness. You’ll be surprised how much faster—and better—your projects move.
