Be Accessible

The “Open Door” policy originated in 1899 when the United States feared it would lose its trading privileges in the East. The United States declared an Open Door policy, allowing all trading nations access to the Chinese market. “Access” was the key word. It’s an important concept that quickly moved from trading policies to the workplace. Today, a true open door policy allows any employee to talk to anyone at any level, fostering upward and downward communication through direct and easy access to everyone. Ask those around you if you should adopt an open door policy to better manage your relationships. If you need to be more accessible and show people they can have unscheduled, informal conversations with you, then adopting this policy might be right for you. Keep in mind that you don’t have to stretch yourself too thin by being there for everyone at any time; you simply have to communicate your version of the policy and then stick to it. Use your self-awareness skills to identify how the policy will work best for you, and manage yourself to make it work. Ongoing observations of others, also known as social awareness, should help you to determine how well it’s working. Remember that increasing your accessibility can only improve your relationships by opening the door to communication, even if it’s virtual (by email or phone). People will feel valued and respected because of the time you’re giving them; and you get the opportunity to learn about others in the process. At the end of the day, the policy is a win-win for everyone. Do you have difficulty maintaining the balance between people having sufficient access to you and you having sufficient privacy to get work done? Truth@Life can help. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a FREE consultation. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/