Approachable, Not Always Available

The open-door policy has traditionally been a metaphor for approachability and for ensuring employees felt they had an avenue for voicing concerns or opinions. It’s still common to hear leaders and organizations talk about the importance of maintaining an open-door policy for their teams. But in practice, many managers take this too literally, keeping their door physically open and themselves perpetually available. In today’s work environment, we need an updated approach that encourages approachability without inviting constant availability.

Being constantly available as a manager may seem approachable, but it invites frequent interruptions, encourages multitasking, and pulls you away from focused, strategic work. More importantly, it creates dependency. When leaders are always ready to jump in with answers, employees miss the chance to think critically, solve problems, and build confidence. What teams truly need are leaders who are supportive, present, and intentional, not always accessible. Effective leadership means setting boundaries, being fully engaged during key moments, and creating clear, consistent ways for people to connect. 

Exceptional leaders focus on facilitating results, not just fixing problems. Leadership is not about having all the answers, it’s about creating the conditions for others to learn, grow, and succeed.

Here are five ways to be a supportive and approachable leader while still protecting your time and focus.

1.    Be Intentional: Make Interactions Count

Approachability doesn’t mean being immediately available for every issue, it means being present and engaged when it matters. Schedule regular check-ins, walking meetings, or office hours where your attention is undivided. When people know you’ll show up with purpose, they’ll bring better questions, more thoughtful updates, and a deeper sense of connection.

2.    Be Accessible with Purpose: Create Clarity Around When and How

Instead of leaving the door metaphorically (or literally) open, create clear channels for communication. Let your team know when you’re available and how best to reach you for different needs. Whether it’s a weekly team meeting, a shared team chat, or regular one-on-ones, structure builds trust and reduces the chaos of unplanned interruptions. Creating agreed upon structures also encourages your team save frequent interruptions for true emergencies. 

3.    Create Psychological Safety on Your Team. 

Creating an environment where employees feel comfortable speaking up to voice opinions, ask for clarity, or share challenges is crucial for fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and innovation. Even the most approachable and supportive managers need to focus on creating psychological safety, as some employees may hold back from sharing their true opinions or perspective, because as a manager, you hold a position of authority. Use your individual and team meetings for more than just task updates and project checklists. These touchpoints are valuable opportunities to check in on how your team is feeling, clarify expectations, and offer support. I like to use this framework:

       a.    What is working well?
       b.    What is not working well?
       c.    How can I support you better?

I suggest giving employee time to reflect on these questions before you ask them to share. If you let your team members know that you will have this discussion regularly to ensure the team is working at their best, you make these discussions part of how you work together, and over time, most employees will become more comfortable sharing their ideas and perspectives. These intentional check-ins strengthen trust and help you stay connected without needing to be constantly available.

4.    Encourage Ownership Before Questions

Help your team build confidence and problem-solving skills by asking them to think through challenges before coming to you. When someone approaches you with a question, respond with: “What options have you considered?” or “What do you think is the best next step?” This not only shifts the dynamic from dependency to development, it also reduces reactive interruptions. Over time, your team will come to you more prepared, and you’ll create a culture where people think of solutions rather than coming to you with problems. 

5.    Protect Your Thinking Time

Strategic leadership requires space to think, plan, and create. Block time on your calendar each week for deep work; no meetings, no check-ins, no distractions. Treat this time as sacred. Use it to reflect on team priorities, prepare for key conversations, or simply step back and assess what’s working and what’s not. Modeling this behavior also gives your team permission to protect their own focus time, which leads to better results across the board.

This doesn’t mean you’re never available or that your team can only approach you during scheduled times. Informal check-ins, walking around, and impromptu conversations still matter, but being available all the time isn’t sustainable or effective for you or your team.

While it’s important to support, guide, and lead your team, it’s equally important to be intentional with your focus and energy. You cannot lead effectively without space to focus on what matters most. Supporting your team is a critical part of leadership, but being constantly available does more harm than good. It not only derails your ability to think strategically and get meaningful work done, it also holds your employees back from developing confidence and ownership. When you’re always accessible, you’re always interrupted, and that takes a toll on your effectiveness. Great leaders make time to coach and connect, but they also protect time to reflect, plan, and lead with intention. Close your door when needed, block time on your calendar, and give yourself permission to focus. 

Laurie Maddalena, MBA, CSP, CPCC, is a professional speaker, leadership consultant and founder of CUES Supplier member Envision Excellence LLC in the Washington, D.C., area. Her mission is to rid the world of bad management practices and help organizations create cultures where people love to come to work. Maddalena facilitates management and executive training programs and team-building sessions and speaks at leadership events. Prior to starting her business, she was a human resources and organizational development executive at a credit union in Maryland. Contact her at 240.605.7940 or laurie@lauriemaddalena.com