The End of the “Open Door Policy” As We Know It

By Jill Pancoast, President, The Breakthrough Coach

“If you want a successful career and satisfying life, close your office door when you need to get work done. You increase the value of your time by making your time more scarce.” Malachi Pancoast, Founder, The Breakthrough Coach

One of the most detrimental habits I confront when coaching school executives is their perpetually open office doors. School leaders who make themselves available to all people, for all things, at all times, inevitably work too many hours and spend insufficient time observing and coaching instruction.

When questioned about this practice, most school leaders resolutely defend their need to maintain an “Open Door Policy,” which to them literally means always having an open office door. However, an “always open door” leads to a steady stream of interruptions that invariably start with “Got a minute?”; “Can I talk to you for a sec?”; “Is this a good time?.” In this environment, staff members learn to skulk around the front office like foxes, waiting for an opportunity to pounce-and-trap.

The net result of this “Open Door Policy” is that it derails the school executive’s schedule, upsets the balance of power between teaching and front office staff, and leads site administrators to spend countless nights and weekends working.

For the record, the “Open Door Policy” does not mean constantly having an open door. An open office door is simply an invitation to be interrupted. The original intent of the “Open Door Policy” was to encourage staff at any level of an organization to communicate with anyone else inside the organization, so long as they went through the appropriate channels to do so. The “Open Door Policy” is also not a mandated, literal, leadership style. It’s a guideline for an open, empathetic and engaging communication and work style.

If you want a successful career and a satisfying life, close the door to your office when you are working there and get your work done. Hanging out for pleasantries and chit-chat is completely appropriate when you are out in the building and we encourage this. However, for those who want dedicated time with you behind closed doors in your office, the protocol should be different. 

Teach your school community members that your time is scarce and therefore valuable by posing the following questions to anyone requesting an in-office meeting with you:

1. What is the purpose, intended outcome(s) and agenda for this meeting? 
2. Why is this meeting a priority?
3. Who is accountable for running this meeting? Me, you, someone else?
4. What paperwork is needed for this meeting?
5. Who is responsible for bringing, organizing and explaining the paperwork?
6. Is there any additional information needed prior to this meeting so that we produce the intended outcome(s)?
7. Do you have any special requests for me regarding this meeting?

These questions, asked and answered prior to meeting, yield the following results:

• Staff come to meetings focused and prepared.
• School executives bring their thoughtful, undivided attention to every conversation.
• Staff learn to “bottom line it” to get their needs met, while also valuing the school executive’s time.
• Casual, non-urgent conversations happen where they are supposed to – out in the building – which significantly decreases an executive’s front office interruptions, and thereby their overall work week.

Your thoughtful leadership and precious time are valuable resources that should not be wasted or haphazardly consumed. When you honor yourself in this way, you redefine your Open Door Policy and train your school community members to interact with you in a more professional and efficient manner. 

Learn more about how to set appropriate time boundaries at work with The Breakthrough Coach.