{"id":1426,"date":"2010-06-03T17:28:44","date_gmt":"2010-06-03T21:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lifewithhappiness.com\/?p=1426"},"modified":"2018-10-02T13:36:51","modified_gmt":"2018-10-02T17:36:51","slug":"is-your-open-door-policy-killing-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theexecutivehappinesscoach.com\/2010\/06\/is-your-open-door-policy-killing-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Open Door Policy Killing You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A common concern I hear from my executive clients is that they have great difficulty with strategy time.\u00a0 The issue usually presents itself like this: \u201cI can\u2019t find the time to think when I\u2019m constantly being interrupted.\u201d\u00a0 OK, why are you constantly being interrupted?\u00a0 The response is usually a form of, \u201cwe have an Open Door Policy, so I have to be available to everyone.\u201d
\nThat gets me all curious about what their Open Door policy actually says. <\/strong>What is the intent of the policy?\u00a0 Is it to let all employees know that, if they unsatisfied with how they are being treated, they can take their concern up the chain of command without concern for reprisal (in other words, that \u2018all doors are open\u2019 to them)?\u00a0 OR does it say, \u201cYou can walk into anyone\u2019s office, at any time, regardless of your issue, and interrupt what that person is doing?\u201d<\/em> Does the policy say, \u201cby virtue of this policy, YOU can determine the priorities and schedule of the president of the company, because \u2018the policy says\u2019 their door must \u2013 literally \u2013 be open at all times?\u201d<\/em>
\nUsually, the first response I get is a puzzled look.\u00a0 The latter definition is what a LOT of people think Open Door Policy means.
\n\u201cHere is an opportunity,\u201d I tell my client, \u201cto regain control of your time.\u201d
\nThinking<\/strong> \u2013 which is a legitimate and important responsibility of a top leader \u2013 requires some stretches of uninterrupted time.\u00a0 And Conversation<\/strong> \u2013 which is also a legitimate and important responsibility of a leader \u2013 needs to occur.\u00a0 But the two activities are often mutually exclusive.\u00a0 So, just as you schedule meetings, you should schedule time to think, strategize, design, and plan.\u201d
\nOpen door policy or not, you are allowed to close your door when you are trying to concentrate or work on what they pay you to do \u2013 think about the future.\u00a0 You can manage your \u2018accessibility\u2019 \u2013 which is the real issue in an open door policy \u2013 by declaring specific hours of operation.\u00a0 For instance, if your best thinking\/strategizing time is in the morning, you might say, \u201cI am not available for meetings before 10:30 AM.\u201d\u00a0 Or you can say, \u201cI have set aside from 1 until 3 every day for unscheduled meetings.\u00a0 My door is wide open between those hours.\u201d
\nFinally, you must enforce the boundaries you define. <\/strong>If your Closed Door time is prior to 10:30, and Suzie sticks her head in because she wants to talk to you about her boss, you need to say, \u201cSuzie, now\u2019s not a good time, as I\u2019m in the middle of __X__.\u00a0 I\u2019m happy to speak with you at 11 today. Will that work for you?\u201d\u00a0 And unless it\u2019s an emergency, she\u2019ll likely say, Yes.\u00a0 You both win \u2013 she gets access, and you get to operate as a strategic-thinking leader.\u00a0 And nobody, including you, has to live in constant frustration.
\nRemember: Leadership is not about a title<\/strong>.\u00a0 Anyone can be a leader who can effectively manage their own priorities by learning to Just Say No<\/em><\/strong> in a way that allows them to complete their Thinking work, yet still allows time for Conversation with others.
\nP.S. this tip works if you\u2019re a parent, as well, by the way.\u00a0 Or a co-worker.\u00a0 Or even if you are on a deadline and your boss stops by \u2013 Just Say No does not mean you can\u2019t talk\u2026 it just means that you say, I have this Boundary, and I ask that you honor that boundary just now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A common concern I hear from my executive clients is that they have great difficulty with strategy time.\u00a0 The issue usually presents itself like this: \u201cI can\u2019t find the time to think when I\u2019m constantly being interrupted.\u201d\u00a0 OK, why are you constantly being interrupted?\u00a0 The response is usually a form of, \u201cwe have an Open … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5789,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[58,11],"tags":[141,222,313,312],"yoast_head":"\nIs Your Open Door Policy Killing You? - The Executive Happiness Coach\u00ae<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theexecutivehappinesscoach.com\/2010\/06\/is-your-open-door-policy-killing-you\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Is Your Open Door Policy Killing You? - The Executive Happiness Coach\u00ae\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A common concern I hear from my executive clients is that they have great difficulty with strategy time.\u00a0 The issue usually presents itself like this: \u201cI can\u2019t find the time to think when I\u2019m constantly being interrupted.\u201d\u00a0 OK, why are you constantly being interrupted?\u00a0 The response is usually a form of, \u201cwe have an Open ... 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