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| DESCRIPTION | |
| When it's lacking: - The rules remain inflexible regardless of the situation. The rule book is seen as the final word. - Policies and procedures are mindlessly followed. - "Whatever the circumstances, we do what our written rules and procedures tell us to do." - People show remarkable ingenuity and persistence -- and expend tremendous energy -- getting around the rules. |
When it's thriving: + The organization's rules are flexed when a situation justifiably calls for it. + Good judgment is used in applying rules. People accept the subjectivity that goes along with this. + Policies and procedures are in place, yet there's an understanding that specific circumstances may require different approaches. + "In a given situation, we do what's right for the customer." |
| EXAMPLES |
| Sarah sells advertising for cable TV, and she loves her work. It offers constant
challenges and the chance to meet regularly with external customers. But all the
positives have recently been overshadowed by an imposing and unbending corporate
rule book. "Right now I'm going through hell just to find out how they'll pay
me on maternity leave. (Her baby is due in two months.) My immediate bosses are very
flexible, but corporate is another thing. What they do for one they have to do for
all." Sarah doesn't think she should get special treatment. Rather, she thinks
the rule book should get special attention -- and revision -- so it allows greater
flexibility in situations like hers. It is, she explains, a sad case of people serving
the rules -- instead of the other way around. Ken had just reached his sixth year with a 100-employee manufacturing company when his family situation changed dramatically. He got divorced and received custody of his children -- which meant he faced all the challenges of single parenthood. This included getting his three children off to school in the morning. For years, Ken had been arriving at work promptly at 8 a.m. But now, that was virtually impossible. "I tried to pull it off the first few weeks, but to get to work on time, I had to take my kids to school an hour early. It wasn't fair to them." His work wasn't the kind that required him to be there at exactly 8 a.m., yet when he approached the keepers of the rules to see if he could work a 9-to-6 shift, the response was unequivocal: "Everyone must get here at the same time." Ken never did reach his seventh year with the company. The 20-person insurance company where Amy works has a policies and procedures manual, and she can quote from it chapter and verse. But that manual is hardly the organizational be all and end all. "We are obsessed with our customers," Amy says. "A lot of people develop these mission statements, and we have one too. I guess you could say our mission tells us what to do -- and the rules are sort of there in the background." After one of Amy's colleagues got married and bought a house, he asked for a change in his salary-commission mix. A written policy stated a recommended balance, but it was just that -- a recommendation. "He was able to get a larger base and a smaller commission because he wanted the extra income security," Amy says. "It was no big deal. We talk about valuing employees, and thatÃs what this was all about." |
| ACTION IDEAS |
| Be on the alert for situations in which organizational rules, policies, and procedures
are put to the test. These are opportunities to conduct a snap "flexibility
test." Does it seem like the rules have become more important than people? If
so, address the immediate situation in a flexible way -- and recommend changes
to the policies so flexibility is easier to achieve in the future. Have a dialogue on this topic of organizational flexibility, focusing on rules and policies that seem to be causing the most heartburn. Apply the mission test: Do the rules contribute to the greater mission of the organization, or are they actually making it more difficult for people to carry out the mission? This is guaranteed to be a robust conversation. Be ready to act on the answers. Avoid the "rule creation reflex," which can afflict well-intentioned managers who face difficult situations. Example: An employee is found using work time to browse Web sites like www.adult.com. Unfortunate Response #1: Browsers are removed from the computers of virtually all employees. Unfortunate Response #2: Employees who are allowed to keep their browsers are issued a list of permissible Web sites, along with the requirement that Internet research should be kept to a maximum of 30 minutes per day. Result #1: The company seals off a massive pipeline of information, much of which can serve the business. Result #2: Employees complain about "corporate" and begin finding ways to sneak their Web searches. |
| Copyright 1998-2002 by Tom Terez and Tom Terez Workplace Solutions, Inc. P.O. Box 21444, Columbus, Ohio USA 43221-0444. Tel. 614-571-9529..mail@BetterWorkplaceNow.com HOME | 10-Minute Briefing | Free Online Tools | Insight and Inspiration | Laugh and Learn | Buzzword Bingo | Kits, Books, and Tools | Keynotes and Services | Meet Tom Terez | Tell a Friend | Bronze Access |
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