Open Door Policy is Dead!

If you have an open-door policy, let me guess…

You are usually right in the middle of something when a Team Member approaches your office door and would like to speak to you?

You seem to only hear from those Team Members that are outgoing, not the introverts.

When you hear something from someone (possibly gossip) who just so happened to “drop by,” you tend to overreact.

And you’ve heard your Team say that you have an “open-door policy,” but it really isn’t “open.”

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It's fine to say, hey, drop by anytime.? But we are now in the next/newest generation of open-door policies.? To make it work, to make your Team Members believe in it, how about putting some light rules to it.

·?????? If I am on the phone, come back.

·?????? If I am having a conversation with someone else, come back.

·?????? If my door is shut and I am working, come back or shoot me an email/text asking if we can talk.

·?????? BUT also, put out at least 3 hours a week that you will be wide open, no meetings, no travel, just available if the mood hits and you need to speak to me.? Not saying I won’t be working or someone else might be in talking to me, but for that block of hours, I will most likely be available.

·?????? Biweekly to weekly 15 – 30-minute coaching sessions with your Team Members.? Utilize agendas for these coaching sessions.? Insist these agendas are used.? And honestly, you should already be having coaching sessions with your Team Members.

·?????? Keep your online calendar available to your Team.? If they need to speak to you and it’s not a coaching session or a blocked-out amount of open-door time, they can at least see if you are free or in the middle of something.

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I am sorry to say something you already know.? The open-door policy is dead.? Stop saying it.? Stop trying to convince your team of it.? Trust me, they already know it’s dead.? Instead, install those light rules above and start the newest generation of open door…ness.