“I just can’t seem to get anything done,” lamented Ralph. “It seems that, all day long, people just line up at my door with questions and problems they cannot solve. I spend more time working on their problems than my own problems.”
I asked Ralph how accessible he was. “Oh, I have an open door policy. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I closed my door.”
An open door policy sounds like an admirable leadership trait, when, in practice, it can create unintended results. An open door policy can actually train your team members that you are the fastest way to solve a problem. As the manager, you can become the shortcut that prevents independent research, arriving at new ideas, or formulating original strategy.
On the wall behind the swivel chair of one of my favorite clients is posted the following phrase, “What are you going to do about that?”
Next time, one of your team members enters your “open door” with a problem they wish you would solve for them, try this response. “That’s curious, what are you going to do about that?”
You might even get some of your own work done. -TF
“No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs” was one of the first books I read on time management, and it was also the first place I read that an open door policy just isn’t good.
An open door policy doesn’t help foster good employees who have the drive to solve problems on their own. This idea is well known in technical circles, where the knowledgable ones will frequently say “RTFM!” to those who ask questions without bothering to solve the problem themselves.
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life, as they say.
As TF stated in later posts, the open door policy works as well as the designer. Why should I RTFM if things have changed? Asking questions for clarification is a great thing. It’s up to those with the open door to figure out who’s just trying to get fed vs. who’s trying to learn to feed himself (and perhaps the company).
Tracye,
I particularly like your idea of the designer. Your management works as you design it to work.
Tom,
Thanks for publicly giving me credit for an idea that you plainly stated previously. That is an excellent way of managing the conversation in a positive manner, rather than just saying, “Uh, DUH!” or “I told you so,” or something else like that. It also made me feel good…like I got a gold star! lol
And now I will pay that forward in my dealings with my coworkers and clients, and hopefully it will spread. It will also aid me when said coworkers and clients fight me tooth and nail…like I used to do to everyone else!
Love this blog. Thanks again.