Episode 65: Why Is Confidentiality So Important?
Recorded: Saturday, September 13, 2025
Today’s Crew - Alessandra, Greg, Shadows Pub, Bobby B, Devin.
“Why Confidentiality Is So Important in Small Groups”
Today the crew unpacks why confidentiality is the backbone of small groups like Creative Work Hour, support groups, therapy circles, and any tight-knit community.
They explore how trust forms early in life, how breaches shift relationships, why “what you hear here stays here” actually matters, and how confidentiality protects both people and their creative work.
From everyday friendships to NDAs, (Non Disclosure Agreements), the team ties personal experience to practical guidance so groups can stay safe, respectful, and effective.
The episode opens with a reminder that confidentiality often starts early in life: common ground creates friendships, and trust grows when someone decides to share something private. That simple social contract is what keeps small groups safe and productive.
Quotes and key points from the crew
Alessandra
Quote: “The contract of that friendship is… I can tell him that I like Devin. [When that’s broken] that’s a game changer.”
Key point: Confidentiality is a learned value that begins with common experiences and becomes essential when people take emotional risks. In creative groups it also shields intellectual property.
Greg
Quote: “Loose lips sink ships.”
Key point: Breaking confidence can feel like a betrayal. In vulnerable spaces, keeping what’s shared inside the group protects people and preserves trust.
Shadows Pub
Quote: “When I find out that somebody is violating that, then, yep, that totally changes the relationship.”
Key point: Even people who are generally private or open have boundaries. A breach changes what they will share going forward.
Bobby B
Quote: “Trust can be hard to earn… and broken is something that can immediately terminate the situation.”
Key point: People have different thresholds for privacy. Clarifying expectations matters; some people use practical measures (pseudonyms, separate author names) to protect privacy.
Devin
Quote: “One of my favorite provisions… is that the very existence of this agreement is confidential information.”
Key point: You can’t assume what’s sensitive for someone else. Confidentiality allows creative risk-taking — people share drafts and ideas only when they feel safe.
Main takeaways
Confidentiality enables risk: When people trust a group to keep things private, they’re willing to share work and feelings that help them improve.
Small leaks can have big consequences: Even a single reveal can change relationships and damage reputations.
Clarify expectations: Define what’s confidential up front (membership, works-in-progress, names, agreements).
Protect both people and work: Confidentiality covers emotional safety and intellectual property.
Repair and model norms: Leaders should set the example and address breaches quickly and respectfully.
Episode highlights
Childhood roots: Trust often begins with simple shared contexts (same class, same group) and deepens through private disclosures.
A small story with big lessons: The playful “Alessandra likes Devin” example shows how quickly dynamics shift when confidences are broken.
Real-world parallels: NDAs illustrate that sometimes even the fact of an agreement is meant to be private.
Practical privacy tools: Use clear group norms, ask before sharing, and consider structural measures (pseudonyms, controlled channels) when needed.
Action steps for small groups
State confidentiality norms at the start of every session.
Ask before sharing someone’s name, membership, or work outside the group.
Use clear language: what is okay to share, with whom, and under what conditions.
Leaders should model confidentiality and call out breaches calmly and promptly.
Consider practical privacy tools (pseudonyms, separate accounts) when the risk of exposure is high.
Why this matters:
Confidentiality is not just etiquette; it’s the infrastructure that lets small groups function. Kept confidences build trust over time, and that trust is what makes honest feedback, growth, and collaboration possible.
Share and follow Tell the crew:
Why is confidentiality important to you?
Visit creativeworkhour.com to share thoughts or suggest topics for future episodes.
Credits Today’s crew: Alessandra, Greg, Shadows Pub, Bobby B, Devin