間事未發而先聞者間與所告者皆死
Sun Tzu
If a spy reveals a secret before the appropriate time, it could compromise the mission or put others at risk. As a result, both the spy and the person who received the secret must be held accountable for their actions.
If a secret piece of information is divulged by a source before the appropriate time, they must be confronted along with the person to whom the secret was told.
In business, having secret information about a competitor which gives you an advantage is only an advantage as long as it remains secret. However, if it is discovered that this secret piece of information has been divulged by the source before the appropriate time, it is important that both the source and the person to whom the secret was told be confronted about their actions. This is necessary in order to address the issue, ensure it’s not shared with anyone else, and to prevent future breaches from occurring.