Being Available & Approachable

Here are some suggestions for how you can enhance your skills in the leadership behaviours of Being Available & Approachable:

• Reflect on the extent to which you have been visible, present and available to colleagues over the last week (or a more appropriate timeframe). It may be helpful to make a log of the different type of contact you have had with your colleagues during this timeframe.
• Think about whether this contact was enough and, if not, what the consequences of that will have been for you (for example, in terms of information flow), and your colleagues (for example, lack of support and advice from you, or perceptions of lack of transparency and accountability).
• Consider how you can increase your availability to your colleagues and make a plan to implement this. It doesn’t have to be just being physically present and it doesn’t have to take a lot of time, as there may be small actions you can take that will have a positive impact. For example, giving colleagues a quick call to check how things are in the office; having a brief chat when meeting a colleague, or passing them in the corridor. It shows that you notice them, and are bothered to find out how work is going for them.
• Think about asking the team to discuss what would be the most useful ways you could improve your availability, that takes account of other demands on your time. Encourage them to think creatively but also realistically. Discuss them with the team, and be open to listening to their suggestions rather than rejecting them outright, but be honest. You may be surprised that at least one of the ideas could be worthwhile.
• Remember that lack of communication (both quantitatively & qualitatively) is at the root of most organisational problems, and that doing this can have a significant effect on team and individual morale and engagement!
• Consult with a colleague who you feel is better able to make themselves available to colleagues, why they see this as something that is important, and what steps they take to make sure they are available.
• Reflect on your communication skills, including your body language. Think about how approachable these make you, especially if someone needed to speak to you spontaneously, such as needing support on a particular matter.
• Think about how approachable you are to all colleagues, whatever level they are in the organisation.
• If you feel people do not approach you very often, think about the reasons for this. Are they afraid to do so? Do you come across as too busy to offer support?In order to aid this reflection, think about 3 or 4 interactions you have had over the last week (or a more appropriate timeframe) with colleagues. Think about the quality of these interactions and whether the people you were interacting with seemed happy with the outcome.