Open-door policies are like belly-buttons: Everyone has one, but no one's sure what they're for, or what to do with them. In theory, of course, they're meant to boost workplace engagement, to make employees feel like management is accessible and, more important, concerned about their thoughts, feelings and issues. In theory, they demonstrate that management is eager to listen to good ideas, timely warnings, or just plain complaints from all levels of the organization, which is a good thing. The theory behind open-door policies is sound. In practice, though, open-door policies are usually a cop-out. Most managers use them in place of actually managing. "My door is always open," they say, with the expectation that any and all problems will be brought to their attention. When an important engagement goes south near the deadline, they're surprised to learn that there were signs of trouble all along. When a valued client fires the firm, they're stunned to discover that the client didn't feel they were getting the service they needed. When a high-potential staffer leaves, they're shocked - shocked! - to learn that the employee was unhappy. Their door was always open, managers say: Why didn't someone warn them?
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