Often I’m asked by clients to sign confidentiality agreements. I’m sure that these are important from a legal viewpoint.
But in truth they are not really the point.
The point is to know inside oneself that you’re not going to tell one client another client’s secrets, however tempting it is to appear “in the know”.
So mum’s the word. In all circumstances. Whether or not a written agreement is in force.
Among McKinsey & Company’s values is this:
Keep our client information confidential: We don’t reveal sensitive information. We don’t promote our own good work. We focus on making our clients successful.
Couldn’t be clearer. Sometimes not so easy to live up to in a large firm.
Of course, when stuff is in the public domain, it’s no longer a secret. I have known clients who don’t appear to grasp this!
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