Maintaining open lines of communication with staff is a hallmark of good leadership. It fosters trust, encourages transparency and helps build a strong team culture. But what happens when that open-door policy starts to backfire—when employees begin relying too heavily on their manager for every minor issue or emotional vent? One leader recently found herself in exactly that situation and reached out for advice.
Question: I’ve always had an open-door policy with my staff. Sadly, this policy is preventing me from getting any work done, and it seems my staff are constantly looking to me to solve all day-to-day conflicts and challenges.
Much of what they come to me for is simply venting or something they could easily resolve on their own. How do I find a way to get them to handle their own challenges without shutting them out completely?
Answer: An open-door policy is a valuable leadership tool, but without structure, it can quickly become a productivity drain. In today’s workplace—where hybrid schedules, remote tools and constant connectivity are the norm—managers need to be even more intentional about how and when they make themselves available.
An open-door policy can sometimes lead to over-reliance on leadership, leaving managers overwhelmed with issues that staff should be handling independently.
I recently worked with a Canadian business owner facing a similar challenge. Instead of shutting the door entirely, she introduced a system to help employees distinguish between essential and non-essential interruptions—whether in person or through platforms like Slack, Teams or email.
A helpful approach is adapted from Dr. Edward de Bono’s six-hat thinking model. In his method, different coloured hats represent different types of thinking. I simplified the concept into a three-hat system, where employees identify the nature of the conversation before requesting a meeting or sending a message.
Here’s how it works.
- Venting hat: “I just need to talk, but no solutions are required.”
- Problem-solving hat: “I have an issue that needs your input.”
- Social hat: “This is a friendly chat, not work-related.”
Before reaching out, employees would state which “hat” they were wearing. This helped the manager prioritize her time and filter out distractions. Over time, staff began resolving many of their own issues rather than automatically turning to her.
If your team is leaning on you too heavily, consider these strategies to encourage more independent problem-solving:
- Ask for solutions, not just problems: Encourage employees to think through possible fixes before approaching you.
- Set office hours: Establish designated times for discussions rather than remaining available at all times.
- Use calendar blocks and messaging statuses: Indicate when you’re in focus mode and reinforce that boundaries should be respected.
- Teach decision-making frameworks: Equip staff with tools to assess when they can handle an issue and when escalation is appropriate.
- Delegate frontline problem-solving: Team leads or supervisors should manage minor issues before they reach your desk.
With a few practical adjustments, you can protect your time without sacrificing approachability. You don’t need to shut the door; just help your team understand when it’s appropriate to knock.
Have a workplace or business challenge you’d like help with?
Send your question to [email protected]. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity. Names can be changed on request.
Faith Wood is a professional speaker, author, and certified professional behaviour analyst. Before her career in speaking and writing, she served in law enforcement, which gave her a unique perspective on human behaviour and motivations. Faith is also known for her work as a novelist, with a focus on thrillers and suspense. Her background in law enforcement and understanding of human behaviour often play a significant role in her writing.
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