Recently, with the current politics [US, Brexit, RSA], access has been an issue of great debate. Usually, access is never discussed on the front lines. People [mostly] see access as a lock, a door and an entrance. While it is more complex. Any researcher in human or social science [and animal sciences] will concur that access is a vital part. But what does it mean to have access?
Access can be defined “A means of approaching, entering, exiting, communicating with, or making use of. The ability or right to approach, enter, exit, communicate with, or make use of.” (American Heritage Dictionary, 2013). People and [their] Spaces are not ‘open-door’ environments, where anyone can walk in and have free reign. Access must be negotiated [talk, exchange, consultation] to ensure that the ‘best’ interest is always upheld [ensured]. So why do we control access? Why do we limit, request, negotiate, force, require, mandate, control access to space? As people, we do this every day, every person you have ever met a variation of access confirmation [negotiations] was done. When we speak of access it is what we allow, retract, open, close and deny. It is what we allow others to see, and who we refuse. In relation to security, we restrict/limit access for safety. For governance of risk. Containment. In relation to people, we restrict/limit access to prevent harm. Access can be boiled down to even our conversations, and no it’s not a YES/NO question. Access can be requested through a series of questions: “Good day” [requesting access to conversation] “Oh Hi, how are you?” [acquiring/requesting access code/confirmation] “I am good to thank you, and yourself?” [receiving access code] “I am good thanks for asking” [level 1, access granted, follow further protocol] Access is more a series of keys opening a series of doors, each door you enter deeper into a ‘space’. Once you no longer have access, or you ‘codes’ are denied, you are revoked access from the space in which it occurs. Then what is Space in this argument, well. When I refer to space, I refer to both the physical reality and proverbial constructs, and the virtual/imaginary spaces. Our space is sacred to us, just as someone else’s space is important to them, entering a space without the required access is trespassing. SO how does this all apply to your daily work life? In an office, by its very design and function, there are multi-layers of space. As a Leader in your company or office[space] it is important that you study these spaces. Are there free-for-all spaces [where do people go freely]? Are there spaces that are restricted [what space do they avoid]? Who controls access, who is your gatekeepers in these spaces? It is relatively easy to have “an-open-door” policy, but are you seen as the person who allows access? A door can be open but the space behind the door can still be restricted by the occupant or social rules. By Negotiating access and restriction you also negotiate your problem-solving capacity. If a problem arises who do you access for assistance. So how do we open the levels of access, to ensure problem-solving, work-flow and efficacy exist? We communicate we open doors and spaces to allow others in to add value. Much like polycentric governance [there is a post on it] where we all co-create, co-enforce, co-sustain order. If there is a problem call everyone into a ‘safe space’ and open the discussion – let everyone have access, share the access – and ensure that during problem-solving everyone’s access is valid, legitimate and welcomed. H Koekemoer Founder Corpus Crimen
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February 2018
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