Managers frequently know things that other employees have good reasons to want to know. They may be aware of an impending dismissal, a serious workplace complaint, an employee's medical circumstances or an organizational decision that will affect colleagues with whom they have worked for years. Some information is provided in confidence. Other information comes into their possession simply because of their position. In either case, the manager is expected to exercise discretion, maintain professional relationships and continue leading people who may be directly affected by decisions they can't yet explain.
These responsibilities are familiar features of management, but their psychological consequences deserve greater attention. A manager may be asked to demonstrate openness while withholding information, encourage trust while declining to answer reasonable questions, or offer reassurance without being able to disclose the circumstances that would make that reassurance meaningful…