Open-door leadership in ECEC: When support becomes unsustainable

An open-door policy sounds like good leadership, but in reality, it can sometimes undermine your team’s independence and your own ability to lead with purpose.

For service leaders, being approachable is a core part of the role. Maintaining an open-door policy feels supportive and responsive. Educators know they can come to you with questions, concerns or ideas at any time.

However, when the day becomes a series of unplanned conversations, constant interruptions, and urgent requests, it becomes harder to support professional growth and focus on centre-wide priorities.

What starts as a support strategy can gradually create over-reliance. Instead of building autonomy, it encourages repeated help-seeking. This can impact educator confidence and contribute to leader burnout.

Setting a consistent rhythm

Creating regular, predictable check-ins gives educators space to share what matters, while protecting your capacity to lead with clarity. It also helps model respectful time management and builds a culture of trust.

Two weekly touchpoints can help reset the dynamic.

Work in Progress meeting
A 20 to 30-minute session to align on room goals, reflect on challenges and plan ahead. These meetings provide structure and create shared ownership of outcomes.

The Pit Stop
A short wellbeing check-in, around 10 to 15 minutes. There is no set agenda. It is simply a space to ask, “How are you going?” and “Is there anything I can support you with this week?”

These conversations are not just about what needs to be done. They are about how people feel while doing it.

This approach is not about withdrawing support. It is about providing it in ways that are purposeful, sustainable and responsive to real needs within your team.

When team members leave a conversation feeling heard, capable and trusted to lead in their own right, that is leadership that lasts.

This piece is based on an original blog from Farran Street Education, shared with permission.