Open Door Policy or an Open Door Practice?
Available ≠ Accessible and Accessible ≠ Present
Is it possible to be together, but not be present?
This may get a little weird for a second, but stay with me here…
I am a very happy Dog Mom and while my little fuzzy butts can’t talk, she sure has mastered non-verbal communication. She absolutely hates it when I am on my phone or computer, not paying attention to her. In fact, even when she is playing with a toy, she requires me to talk to her, pet her, somehow be engaged with her. If I stop, even for a minute, to check the notification on my phone, she stops what she is doing and begins to pout. No joke.
Humans may not be as willing to express their frustration, disappointment, or sadness as our canine companions, but what’s to say they aren’t pouting and feeling dejected, ignored, and invisible inside when they aren’t experiencing “presence” from their manager or co-workers?
This got me thinking about the trust “open door policies” so many of us have at our organizations. We treat them like they are the holy grail of employee/manager communication. HR leaders and managers alike will say, “We have an open door policy here” as if they’ve done something special. An open door policy isn’t special, it’s foundational and frankly, an “open door policy” means nothing if there isn’t an “open door practice.” What if no one is willing to walk in? Or if they do walk-in, they don’t feel validated, heard, or like they are a priority? I know I’ve worked with managers who, after I share concerns brought to my attention by a member of their team, say, “well, they didn’t tell me about it.” And why is that?
It’s important for us to consider how employees feel when they come into our office to talk with us. Do they get our undivided attention? Do we ask questions to improve our understanding of whatever it is they are sharing with us? Do we help them feel heard and validated? Or do we try to answer an email, send a Teams message, or look at our phone, and try to get them out of our office as quickly as they came in? I can completely appreciate the constant demand on our time as managers and how it could contribute to our distracted mindset. And while it is not intentional, that drive to multi-task and make the most of our limited time is closing that open door and is diminishing the practice, rendering the policy moot – and that would be sad for everyone.
To be approachable, we need to be accessible, but just as important is to be present.
Here are a few strategies to help you be approachable and present:
Make your 1:1s multi-functional and not focused only on goals, projects, and tasks. Give your employees time to talk about their concerns, questions, and ideas – or anything else on their mind – and give them your full attention.
You don’t have 1:1s? Start to! These meetings are a great opportunity to get caught up on what is happening with your team’s projects and tasks, but to get an understanding of what you can do to support them, remove barriers, or help them through a challenge. It also fosters your relationship by giving you time to intentionally connect with each other.
Keep in mind your doorway goes both ways; it doesn’t always have to be people coming to you. Get mobile and meet your team where they’re at. Walk the floor or the office, stopping by and connecting with your team. Simply coming to see them may encourage them to talk with you then, drop by later, or talk with you during your next 1:1.
Ask for their input. See if your organization has a 360-tool or if there may be another way to get feedback from your team. Maybe a simple anonymous survey done via Google, SurveyMonkey, or Microsoft.
When talking with your employee, turn and face them and consider getting out from behind your desk and meeting at a table that may be deemed more neutral.
Flip your phone over so you don’t get distracted.
Make eye contact, be inquisitive, and hear what they need from you. Be ok with admitting if you don’t understand or know how to help or are otherwise unsure of their ask. Expressing sincere desire to understand and be helpful can help your employees give you a little grace.
Communicate your appreciation for the trust and confidence in coming to you.
What other ideas do you have to help ensure your open door policy is an open door practice?
If you are looking to gain deeper insights into your Strengths to know how you can leverage them to help solidify your open door practice and connect with your team, let’s talk! Schedule a no-obligation call with me at https://calendly.com/journeystrong and see how CliftonStrengths can help you unlock your potential!