When Is An Open Door Not An Open Door?

2014-08-14T13:00:34-04:00

Six months after I left active duty with the US Air Force, I was thrilled to be hired by Wal-Mart into a leadership role in their Logistics division. I had operated as a leader in smaller groups in the USAF and could not wait to apply my military experience into a civilian career. Everything looked good – except for that pesky Open Door policy that Wal-Mart was committed to...

I was used to leading within the context of the military's Chain of Command structure – the very real expectation and practice that a service member would engage with every level of leadership before consulting the next higher level. Got a problem? Try resolving it at the lowest possible level. Didn’t work? Take one step up. Repeat. In contrast, Wal-Mart (as many civilian organizations) operated with an Open Door policy. Any Associate in the company could engage any leader, at any level, at any time.

When Sam Walton was still alive, he kept a published phone number for his home in Bentonville, Arkansas – and was accustomed to getting calls from Associates at any hour, day or night. That is truly the definition of an Open Door. And that is a world apart from a Chain of Command.

I'm not debating or comparing the relative merits of one system over another. In fact, I ask you, my reader, not to engage in that debate yourself. Instead, I pose this question to a practicing or potential leader:

Do you adapt to your organization – or are you expecting it to adapt to you?

I've written before (many times!) about my good fortune working for great leaders. One of them, JL, told me once that you hire a leader based on what you need as a leader for that team. Seem overly pat? I trust him – he's a smart guy and an effective leader. I watched him lead a large organization through significant change – and do so with integrity and poise.

My challenge was to decouple the familiar patterns of my background – a chain of command – from the role that that my new employer wanted me to fill – which included supporting an Open Door policy. I struggled with the change – until I accepted the fact that where I was operated differently than where I used to be.

In the end, I found success operating as a leader for my new employer. I worked through a cultural adaptation – on my part. And, most satisfyingly, when I hired a retired Senior NCO from the US Marine Corps a year later, I smiled when he said, "Open Door? They don't have to go through me first?"

"Nope," I replied. And then I was privileged to watch B translate his leadership skills to a new environment. And – by the way – his folks were better off for his adaptation.

So if you're working in a leadership role or – even more importantly – contemplating a move to a leadership position in a new organization, can you recognize how you may need to adapt your leadership style? I sure hope so.

Your people are counting on you!

I write about a variety of topics including leadership, family, and geek culture here: http://tmpinsyr.com/

TMPinSYR

I am my target audience. I hope it entertains you as well!

Response by SSgt Gregory Guina made Aug 14 at 2014 9:43 PM

2014-08-14T21:43:29-04:00

Without a doubt you have to adapt to the company that hired you for the simple reason they hired you to join them. They already have a policy and you must abide by those policies. No different then when you joined the Air Force. They had systems in place that you were expected to follow. If/when you start your own business it is your right to adopt and implement the policies that you see fit.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 15 at 2014 12:38 PM

2014-08-15T12:38:42-04:00

Great post and a very interesting perspective on Open Door policies.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2014 7:26 PM

2014-08-23T19:26:35-04:00

SYR = Syracuse - ICA

The Chain of Command should be antiquated. Not the concept but the title. Even still, what if you complaint might naturally fall upon deaf ears? What if the step involves a friend of who you first talked to? There are inherent weakenesses in the system but the larger problem would be with fraternization?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2014 11:18 PM

2014-08-23T23:18:24-04:00

An open door is not an open door when it's a closed door.....in which case, liberal use of C4 will open the door.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Aug 24 at 2014 12:26 PM

2014-08-24T12:26:29-04:00

The Chain of Command works best when it is a two way process. Orders flow downward and feedback flows up. It is not a failing of the Chain of Command when it functions as a one way street, it is a failure of leadership. Therefore, I suggest that the Chain of Command is an essential part of a successful military organization and rather than dismiss it as antiquated, simply repair the potholes and weed out those leaders who abuse it.

Response by Cpl Michael Strickler made Aug 24 at 2014 12:29 PM

2014-08-24T12:29:05-04:00

There is a lot of things that are just 'on another level' when you compare to the military community. Open door policy for us meant, 'if i find out you haven't exhausted every other level and option before knocking on my door and interrupting my play back of Dr. Phil I will send you to the furthest reaches of the globe to clean dirt of of igloos. '
For 'them' (aaahhh for us... i am a them?! aahh) it is more literal, because there is more of a 'coddling' and 'relaxed' atmosphere on the outside. I hope that came off right. I do not mean that all civis are babies, but rather people are more inclined to NEED to have attention paid to them.
I had a similar experience when I started to work for the broadcasting company I work for now. In the military (and other professions like doctors or whatever) someone who is 'on call' is someone who is sober, alert, keys in hand, waiting to answer the call. You do not need to be in your chucks sitting in the drivers seat, but you should be in driving range and 'able to help' right? Well, for this company there was an instance we called the on call guy and he was two states away attending a bachelor party or something... no need to say he was tremendously helpful in obtaining a solution right?!
I think this is just another example of 'difference in culture' between public servant and private citizen lifestyles... and unfortunately in most cases we are the ones that are expected to adapt.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Nov 30 at 2014 1:00 AM

2014-11-30T01:00:02-05:00

I think that the military should incorporate the civilian sectors open door policy more. I say this, as I am sure thousands of you senior leaders out their are typing up their outrage as I am still typing this. Let me explain. How does the units leadership know what's going on? Supposedly, if a junior SM has an issue, he takes it to his/her first line and it keeps going up until it is either handled at the lowest level possible or it makes it to the commanders desk. I doesn't actually work like that. In reality, it starts at the first line leader and they tell you that they will take care of it. You wait a week or two and nothing is done, so you use your open door policy to talk to your second line supervisor. He/she tells you that he will look into it. You wait another week or two, meanwhile, your second line supervisor chews your first lines ass and then he chews your ass for not letting him/her take care of the problem. So a week or two goes by and nothing is done, so you use your open door policy to see your 1SG. You wait a week or two and by this time, your 1SG is pissed because his/her NCOs couldn't take care of the problem and the the junior enlisted gets his ass chewed again. Well by this time, a month or more has passed and nothing has been done and the junior SM has given up completely and the command now thinks that someone else has taken care of the problem, because no one follows up. At this time, you may say that I am full of crap and 'normal' units are not like this. I got some news for you...they are.

If everyone was allowed to go to the individual in the unit that can take care of his/her problem with everyone being scared to death about getting in trouble, I think unit cohesion and morale would skyrocket! Meh, what do I know, I am just a junior enlisted...

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 9 at 2018 4:08 AM

2018-08-09T04:08:42-04:00