Educational leaders know the importance of being accessible and transparent, and a popular strategy to underscore these values is the leader’s statement that he/she has an open door policy. An open door policy is a great strategy for building trust, cultivating relationships and setting an example for open communication among community members. There are some pitfalls with an open door policy, however, and a leader should adequately consider the implications and outcomes so that it can be implemented successfully and without frustration. These three strategies will help set boundaries and ensure a successful open door– so come on in!

1. If You Say it, Mean it

An open door policy means that, whenever your door is open, community members are welcome to come in without a scheduled meeting. This strategy breeds positive and open communication, provided that the leader actually leaves their door open and receives people with a positive attitude when they stop in. If you say you have an open door policy, you must be sure that the majority of your time your door is open. Community members will interpret this policy to mean that they can stop by and have the opportunity to check in with you; if every time they stop by your door is closed, the policy becomes a source of frustration as it doesn’t fulfill the expectation that it sets. In order to make sure your door is open for community members, consider arranging meetings outside of prime time for visits. Teachers, as an example, will most likely be able to utilize an open door policy during non-instructional times such as before/after school and during recess/lunch. In order to be accessible, try to avoid scheduling meetings or tasks requiring a closed door during these prime times so that your faculty can stop into your office and take advantage of the open door policy. Remember, too, that the policy is an invitation to enter your office unscheduled when the door is open. When people enter your office, even if you are busy or in the middle of an important task, you must positively reinforce the open door message by stopping your work and positively receiving the visitor. In short, the answer to the likely question “do you have a moment”– in an open door school where your door is open– will always be “of course”, regardless of the truth of that response.

2. Plan “closed door” Time for the Completion of Important Tasks 

There are tasks that need to be completed during the work day that are priorities and cannot be interrupted. While meetings are clear opportunities to close the door, many educational leaders feel that outside of meetings the door must be open to be in compliance with the policy. This is not the case. In order to joyfully serve community members in the open door model, a leader must be clear about those tasks that cannot be interrupted or must be completed and make them a priority. Preparations for an important meeting, budget reviews or documentation of a significant episode on campus require a leader’s full attention and must be completed with attention to detail. In these cases, where interruption will be problematic, leaders in open door environments must consider these tasks as important as confidential meetings and close the door. Set aside the amount of time you believe will be required to complete the task and schedule the task as you would any other meeting or priority item. Alert the secretary or office staff that you are working on a priority project and that your door will be closed, indicating that you should be distributed only in an emergency situation. This practice will enable you to compete important work and will reinforce your positive reception of visitors in all other cases when your door is open.

3. Set Norms for “Drop Bys” 

Most often in an educational community, the open door policy is utilized as a chance to have brief, causal conversations or check-ins on a variety of issues. There are some cases, however, where a topic or community member’s need is not best served in this model. Setting norms for drop-bys with an open door is the easiest way to avoid uncomfortable interactions or ad hoc meetings where you find yourself with insufficient time or underprepared. Make sure your community knows that they are welcome to stop by for advisement or feedback on minor items but that the expectation for major issues or dialogue is that an appointment be made with you. Unless the issue is significant and time sensitive, most major items can be addressed in a timely manner using a traditional scheduling approach. For community members who are unable to gauge the difference between open door items and appointment worthy items, have some scripted statements prepared so that you can redirect an open door  visit to a scheduled meeting. Responses such as, “I would like to discuss this further; when might you have some time this week for us to carve out 30 minutes (or whatever duration of time you see as adequate) to meet and discuss?” will save you time and discomfort and allow you to preserve accessibility by defending the purpose of open door visits.

Having an open door policy is a great strategy as an educational leader- with a bit of preparation and a few simple strategies you can maximize your accessibility while still maintaining the time necessary to complete the many tasks of the job. So, open that door and move education forward– with Momentum!

Being in a position of power does not make school leaders without fault or able to anticipate outcomes beyond a reasonable doubt. As the professional in relationships with school parents, it is the responsibility of the school leader to engage in authentically listening the to concerns of school families. Sometimes, mistakes have been made. In other cases, no mistake was made but injury was still caused. Regardless of the circumstance, when a grievance is brought forward the school leader is professionally obligated to reflect on the actions taken and determine if an error was made or any hurt caused.

An apology is not an admission of guilt, it is simply an acknowledgement that, in the opinion of someone, something harmful has transpired. A school leader should never apologize for anything for which they are not authentically and wholeheartedly sorry about. The undersireable outcome of a decision, the hurt feelings of a child or a parent– these may be the result of excellent decision making on the

School leaders know the importance of modeling mission and setting vision, but with the many demands of the position school leaders all too often find themselves exhausted, distracted or pulled in too many directions. It is essential for leaders to remember that joyful leadership is an essential component of successful leadership. The school community looks to the leader for cues about the health and welfare of the school. A fatigued or reticent leader does not inspire confidence nor does a lackluster leader motivate community engagement. So what is a leader to do to restore enthusiasm and model joyful leadership? Here are 5 tricks for leading with joy–

1. Remember WHY You Chose Education

Very often in school leadership, school and district administrators find themselves increasingly removed from what initially drew them to education– educating! There are many important components to educational leadership, and it is far too common for administrators to see curriculum, instruction, teacher supervision and faculty development wain in the bigger picture of budgets, employee and HR issues, parent demands and student discipline. While no single component is more important than another, school leaders may wake one day wondering how they have arrived so far away from the classroom where they started. While it isn’t practical in many cases for an educational leader to continue to teach a class or run a special program, there are many natural intersections for school and district leaders to consider. Identifying the WHAT will help you reprioritize your schedule (see strategy #3) to ensure that you are seeing these continued connections. Positive self talk and transparency on these intersections are key to joyful leadership. Look to remember what exactly it was about education that motivated you to make it your life’s work and find that in your daily routine… enter strategy #2!

2. Identify WHAT in Your Day Brings You Joy

The days of an educational leader are busy and diverse, but in each day there are likely to be a variety of tasks or responsibilities that bring you joy. Identifying these moments will assist you with seeing the natural sources of joy in your work and will allow you to prioritize these areas during your day. One strategy to identify these sources of joy would be to carry a notebook with you for a week at your job, jotting down those moments that were satisfying and fulfilling. At the end of the week you should have collected a variety of items that you can now categorize to better understand where your job can support your enthusiasm for work. Once you have identified these joyful contributors to your work you can begin to manage your schedule to strategically manage your day to maximize your enjoyment and support your work to model joyful leadership.

3. Manage Your SCHEDULE Strategically

You can identify the parts of your job that bring you natural joy, yet these are often the moments that are too swiftly moved aside to make space for the many pressing business tasks of educational leadership. This is where strategically planning your schedule will be an important strategy to sustain your joyful leadership. In addition to knowing the parts of your job that fulfill you, you are also likely able to identify those tasks and responsibility that exhaust or fatigue you. Considering the way you plan your day will allow you to manage the gratifying and challenging aspects of your work. Depending on your temperament, you may prefer either to be fulfilled before entering difficult situations or to have joyful experiences to look forward to after completing difficult tasks. As an example, consider that joyful children playing is a source of real joy during your day and difficult meetings with your parent leadership group fatigues you. Scheduling this difficult meeting after recess allows you to enjoy the pleasure of playing children immediately before this challenging meeting, filling you up and helping you to frame the joys of your work so you can enter this challenge with a positive spirit. Alternatively, if you prefer to face difficulty first and reward yourself for successful completion, hold your meeting before recess so that you dismiss from this challenge into a context that reminds you why you selected education and what makes your work fulfilling.

4. PRIORITIZE Joy as an Essential Component of Your Job

At the end of the day, joyful leadership is an important administrative quality that should be a priority for every leader. As an educational leader, it is your responsibility to find ways to lead with enthusiasm and serve as an example to your educational community. True leaders know that they cannot depend on others to protect them from the burdens of the job and are aware that they alone are responsible for the way they approach each day. Joyful leadership must be prioritized and leaders must hold themselves accountable for this style and approach to work. However you can find joy and manage your schedule to assist you, taking the time to color your work rosy is an essential quality of educational leaders that should not but underestimated.

5. If You Can’t Find it… Get Out!

Simply put, if your attempt the above strategies and cannot seem to find joy in your work as an educational leader, perhaps it is time to consider whether educational leadership is the best fit for you. Schools and districts are living, breathing organisms that are influenced by the leader. A leader who lacks joy is ultimately not able to provide some essential qualities necessary for the health of the school. Perhaps returning to the classroom would restore your joy. Perhaps a new career altogether will do the trick. Whatever the resolution, no leader should retain a position that is devoid of enjoyment and no educational community should tolerate a leader who doesn’t find joy in their work.

Best of luck on your quest for joyful leadership– and don’t forget to lead with Momentum!