Your Open-Door Policy Sucks — Here’s What Actually Works
Somewhere along the way, “open-door policy” became a badge of honor in leadership.
The idea is simple: I’m available anytime. Just come to me if you need help.
It’s meant to be a signal of trust, approachability, and people-first leadership. And in theory, it sounds great.
The problem? In practice, most people won’t walk through that door.
Why Your Open-Door Policy Isn’t Working
Here’s the truth: most high achievers will do everything they can to figure things out themselves before asking for help.
Not because they’re stubborn (okay, sometimes) — but because:
They don’t want to look like they don’t know what they’re doing.
They don’t want to bother you.
They’re afraid it might make them seem less capable, especially in an environment where layoffs are making everyone a little more cautious.
Even when you’ve said, “Any question is fair game. I’m here for you,” many team members will still avoid stepping into your office (or Slack DM).
A Real Example
In my company, our VAs know — without a doubt — that they can come to me anytime.
I’ve made it crystal clear that I’m there to support them, especially if they feel a question is “too small” or “too dumb” for a client.
Recently, one of my VAs was onboarding a new client. She’s friendly, capable, and knows my style. During a call, I could tell she was overwhelmed, even though she didn’t say it outright.
At the end of the call, I reminded her she could reach out anytime.
Days went by. No message. No call. No Slack ping.
So I reached out: “Hey, I know I’ve thrown a lot at you lately. If you’re overwhelmed, let me know what you need help with.”
She admitted she was, in fact, overloaded — but she still hadn’t come to me. It wasn’t until I suggested a specific time to meet that she said, “Actually, that would be great.”
The Real Fix: Active Leadership
The takeaway? An open door is passive. It puts all the responsibility on your people to initiate.
If you really want to build trust and support your team, you have to:
Notice the signs that someone is struggling (tone, body language, missed deadlines, shorter responses).
Initiate the conversation instead of waiting for them to come to you.
Make it easy to say yes — suggest specific times, narrow the topics, and show you’re ready to help.
Trust isn’t built because you say you’re available.
It’s built when you consistently show that you see your team, understand their challenges, and are willing to step in before they have to ask.
Bottom Line
If you’re still clinging to an open-door policy as your primary way to connect with your team, you’re leaving trust — and productivity — on the table.
Trade the open door for active leadership. Don’t just wait for your people to come to you.
Go to them.