Living The “Open Door Policy”

I had a boss once that told his employees that he had an open door policy. This was funny, because his office was a cubicle without a door.

Wikipedia tells me that an open door policy is a communication policy in which the head honcho leaves their office door open to encourage openness and transparency with the employees of the organization. What a cool gesture, right? Especially when you are trying to build a culture of teamwork and positivity. Every great company needs a culture built on the open door policy to retain kind of people you want working for you. Every great music program needs this policy to create a safe environment for students to express themselves authentically.

Just telling your employees or your students that you have an open door policy does not build that open and transparent culture you’re going for unless you live out the policy wherever you go. It takes one interaction with an employee to communicate whether you actually have an open door policy or not. In just a matter of seconds, your student decides whether or not your “office” is safe enough for them to share their authentic thoughts. It is not enough to tell people what you believe and what you think. You communicate your thoughts and beliefs through your actions and patterns of behavior.

Here are some things to consider when trying to live out an open door policy:

1. Every single person on this planet simply wants to feel heard and understood.

Am I saying that you have to take everyone’s suggestions? Am I saying you have to agree with what everyone says? No, no, that’s not what I’m saying. This is what I’m saying:

2. Every interaction you have with a colleague or an employee or student (or child or friend and the list continues…) is an opportunity to open the door and be vulnerable.

If you’re not an open person [like me], it takes real effort and cognitive ability to push aside your anxieties and make yourself vulnerable. You’re not going to open the door perfectly every time. But welcoming the opportunities is the first step.

3. After the discussion, ask the person you’re talking to: ”How heard and understood do you feel right now?”

WOW, that might make you uncomfortable just thinking about asking a question like that. Don’t take it personally, just remember this is an opportunity. If the person doesn’t quite feel heard or understood, ask them politely if you can try again. Reflect back to them what they've told you so they know you were listening. Even if you don’t get it quite right, reflecting back gives them the opportunity to clarify their thoughts in an emotionally-safe manner.

4. Free yourself from the vocabulary of “inconvenience.”

I don’t believe in the word: inconvenient. Besides the word ”I”, there is not a word more selfish than ”inconvenient.” We know those people who just walk up to us and completely de-rail everything we are doing (unintentionally). Well, if we’re living out the policy then we basically invited them to come talk to us. Instead of being frustrated or ”inconvenienced”, why not lean into it? You’re not the center of the universe. Another human being is seeking to have a meaningful interaction. Is the task you are doing more important than this human being? Are YOU more important than this human being?

If you want the people around you to see that you are a certain way or hold a certain value, live it out vulnerably and authentically, and you will be seen.