Photo collage by Aiya Kamalova
What's the deal with gatekeepers at work? Aren't we all supposed to be on the same team?
I clearly remember being at a party in my early twenties. I saw a beautiful woman wearing an outrageously colorful dress and asked her where she got it.
"I got it in Denver," she replied in a strangely defensive manner. I could have pressed, but she didn't want me to know where she procured this dress. But, why?
While I wouldn't have the name for this behavior for a few more years, I realized she was gatekeeping! How dare she! As women, aren't we supposed to lift each other up? Doesn't that include sharing where we got our beautiful dresses—and whether or not they had pockets?
I don't believe in gatekeeping. As we all learned in kindergarten, sharing is caring.
Good Gatekeeping Versus Bad Gatekeeping
I know the whole "dress thing" isn't a big deal, but that's not the point! Gatekeeping isn't morally or ethically "wrong," per se. It's one of those grey-area behaviors.
There's a great article on HubPages about one writer's personal experience with gatekeeping at work. Writer Chrissy Cordingley differentiates good gatekeeping from its insidious cousin, malignant gatekeeping.
She explains, "Gatekeeping can be a helpful tool to set healthy boundaries in an organization, create order, and improve quality control. For instance, a receptionist determines who may access certain people within the company directly."
Good gatekeepers exist to control access, redirect, and filter. They are meant to be helpful. Gatekeeping goes wrong when the keepers decide to hoard their power, access, or information.
- Good Gatekeeping: A security guard at an entrance who allows folks with appropriate identification to enter.
- Bad Gatekeeping: When the same security guard starts accepting payments or bribes from people looking to enter.
- Good Gatekeeping: A newspaper editor reviews articles and decides whose articles are published.
- Bad Gatekeeping: When the same newspaper editor decides to publish only articles from folks with whom they have a friendly relationship, regardless of quality or accuracy.
- Good Gatekeeping: A manager who is responsible for mentorship and promotion in their organization.
- Bad Gatekeeping: When the same manager allows an employee they don't like to continuously make mistakes instead of intervening, resulting in the employee being fired or laid off.
Bad gatekeeping is typically practiced by folks looking to achieve personal gain and keep others from leveling up beside or behind them. We're all familiar with lying by omission, but gatekeeping is being unhelpful by omission.
Behaviors of Gatekeepers at Work
Here are a few examples of gatekeepers at work. Do any of these seem familiar?
- Refusing to share important information or resources
- Constantly criticizing and undermining the contributions of others
- Excluding certain team members from decision-making processes
- Micromanaging every aspect of a project
- Assigning tasks based on personal biases
- Taking credit for the work of others
- Creating unnecessary barriers to advancement or promotion for certain employees
- Ignoring or dismissing valid concerns
- Setting unrealistic expectations or deadlines
- Intentionally sabotaging the work of others
- Withholding opportunities for professional development or growth from certain individuals within the team
- Spreading rumors or gossip about colleagues to undermine their credibility or reputation
- Using intimidation or coercion to silence dissenting opinions o
- Fostering a toxic work environment by encouraging competition and hostility
How to Handle Workplace Gatekeepers
Now that we've identified some of the gatekeepers' cornerstone behaviors, let's figure out how to handle them. Handling bad bosses or problem coworkers is never easy.
In fact, gatekeeping behavior is often accompanied by other toxic behaviors, like micromanagement, gaslighting, passive aggression, and jealousy. Imagine trying to address gatekeeping behavior only to be sucker-punched by unexpected gaslighting.
Maintain Professionalism
Regardless of the gatekeeper's behavior, always maintain professionalism. Responding with hostility or aggression will only escalate the situation and reflect poorly on you. When dealing with a malicious gatekeeper, keep your emotions in check. Maintain a calm demeanor, even if you feel frustrated or provoked.
Document Instances
Record any instances where the gatekeeper obstructs or undermines your efforts. Document specific details, including dates, times, and descriptions of the behavior. If the gatekeeper's behavior violates company policies or codes of conduct, report the incidents to appropriate authorities. Provide evidence and documentation to support your claims, and request a formal investigation if necessary.
Communicate Effectively
Communicate your needs and expectations to the gatekeeper in a firm but respectful manner. Be assertive without being confrontational, and emphasize the importance of collaboration and mutual respect. If you suspect the gatekeeper's behavior is motivated by personal animosity or bias, address your concerns directly with them. Express your willingness to resolve any misunderstandings or conflicts constructively.
Explore Alternatives
Consider alternative routes or channels for accessing the resources or information you need. If the gatekeeper consistently proves uncooperative, explore other avenues that may bypass their influence. If direct communication and informal resolution attempts fail, consider involving a neutral third party, such as a mediator or conflict resolution specialist.
Mediation can help facilitate a constructive dialogue and find mutually acceptable solutions.
Know When to Escalate
If all attempts to resolve the situation internally prove unsuccessful, be prepared to escalate the matter to higher levels of authority within the organization. Present your case calmly and professionally, and provide evidence to support your claims.
