"As a leader, I need to be open. We all do. I want colleagues to talk freely with me and with each other, so we can resolve issues and encourage fresh ideas. So being out and about is important, and dialogue is the norm in our organization, not the exception. Sometimes there are occasions when you need to shut the door, to help focus, cut out interruptions, to have those important discussions. By I try to keep those as brief as possible, so that I can get out to the open again." -- Simon Hayward
How open should your open door policy be?
Simon Hayward, Managing Partner, Cirrus+
Simon Hayward is has worked with some of the world’s leading organizations on international leadership development and strategic employee engagement programs. Simon was formerly head of Academee, which was recognised by both The Financial Times and The Sunday Times as one of the UK’s Best Companies to Work For. He sold Academee to Oliver Wyman in 2008 and founded Cirrus (www.cirrus-connect.com) in 2010. Simon is researching the links between leadership and employee engagement as part of his DBA and Manchester Business School. He is part of the UK government’s employee engagement task force.