I first encountered the idea about six weeks ago, when Jason Fried, the ever-creative CEO of 37signals, announced that he would hold office hours every Tuesday and Thursday from 3 PM to 5 PM Chicago time. So maybe it’s time to transport that familiar ritual from the Ivory Tower to the halls of business. Well, we’re the professors now - busy, distracted, unapproachable - and it’s our colleagues, customers, and all sorts of other constituents who are eager for our time and guidance. But we knew that for a couple of hours, at least one day a week, we could stop by their office, ask for advice, try out an idea, and get the guidance we needed. We’d take classes with professors who were busy, distracted from teaching with research in the lab or the library, and otherwise remote and unapproachable. The concept of “office hours” for business goes back to a universal ritual from our college days. What could be simpler - or, in this era of information anxiety, more effective?

If you, as a busy and stressed-out leader, want to stay in touch with your colleagues and stay connected to the market, then clear your calendar for an hour or two each week, invite colleagues and customers to stop by your office, and answer their questions. Lately, my rule of three convinced me to check out the rise of “office hours” in business and finance.

I have a rule that whenever I see three twists on the same idea, I need to look into that idea - on the theory that three of anything can mark a trend.

Open the office