in An open door policy for senior leaders is not just a catchphrase; it’s one of the most effective management and leadership tools for team development. This policy helps to bridge communication gaps, build stronger relationships with team members, and cultivate a more engaged and motivated workforce. Most organizations have some history with using these policies, which allow employees access to all levels of management without setting a formal meeting. However, many organizations I’ve consulted with also have experienced difficulties in effectively managing their open door policy.
An effective open door policy keeps the leader abreast of any issues and helps them stay connected to their teams. Leaders who lose touch will experience a loss of productivity, a decrease in morale and diminishing commitment to their vision.
Consequently, when managed improperly, that very same policy can create more problems than it resolves.
The first open door policy
The first recorded open door policy occurred in what is now the town of Danvers, Massachusetts. Then a parish of Salem Town known as Salem Village. Two young girls, Betty and Abigail, took advantage of the open door of the Salem Village minister, Reverend Samuel Parris. To create excitement and celebrity status for themselves, they told the good Reverend that their bizarre, seemingly inexplicable behavior was due to witchcraft being conducted by citizens of the town. Reverend Samuel mistakenly assumed that he was receiving good intelligence, so on their word alone, he launched into an investigation that led to a trial that eventually led to tragic events. By the time the hysteria ended, 24 people had died by hanging, burning and one being pressed to death under stones.
How about that for a policy run amuck!
What went wrong?
As leaders, we want to hear about what’s going on in the lower ranks so we can take the action required to strengthen the organization. But as leaders, we have a responsibility to be fair and impartial with everyone under our command, including subordinate leaders.
How to manage your open door policy
Receive it as information only
When an employee comes through your open door to voice a complaint, receive it as information only. It’s just intelligence that’s neither good nor bad, truth nor a lie. It’s someone’s perception of events and circumstances. Be glad to receive it, but be careful before you act on it. There’s a lot more to find out before you offer advice on what you just heard.
Listen more than you speak
Continue the discussion by spending more time listening than talking. Ask as many open-ended questions as you possibly can to gather as much information as there is available. Get more information on why the presenter is concerned and if the situation is having a negative impact on them or others on the team. Ask what they have done to try to resolve the issue.
Get insight on leadership involvement
Ask the presenter if they’ve attempted to use their leadership chain-of-command to work the issue. If they haven’t, as is often the case, ask that they circle back after they’ve gone done so. The first step in the conflict reconciliation process is to work the conflict with the other party involved. In my years as a corporate leader and manager, I found that many people took advantage of the open door policy as a way of passing off their conflict. Asking this question kept me from interfering in issues that could have been resolved directly with the manager.
Ask how you can help
If they’ve gone to their manager and still need to come through your open door, as how you can help. Help them brainstorm a list of possible solution to their problem. The more items you develop with them, the more they will gain confidence in the fact that the problem can be solved.
Review the list of possible solutions with them and help them sort out the ones they could do themselves. Help them decide what to do first and then set a date to discuss the results of their actions. Hopefully, their confidence will convince them that they can both find solutions to their conflicts and put those solutions into action.
Follow up with your subordinates
If the issue is about one of your subordinate leaders, discuss it with them candidly. You owe them at least as much loyalty as you do the person who just walked through your open door. Allow space for the two of them to work it out, but don’t promise to keep secrets. You can maintain confidentiality and build trust while still voicing your concerns to your subordinates.
You might be wondering, “What if I hear something that I need to act on?” In these instances, you can tell the person you heard it from that you have to act on this to prevent them from being caught in the middle. Get their input on ways to handle it so that everyone wins.
Follow these steps for effectively managing your open door policy and you may find fewer people showing up at your door and fewer conflicts amongst on your teams.