We were reminded of a simple approach to decision-making recently. The following is copied, with permission, from the introduction to a Company Personnel Policy Manual:
In our early years, the Company’s leadership did not have a handbook such as the one you are now reading. Rather than emphasizing rules and policies, every attempt was made - and has been made - to establish a Company culture where people actually talk to one another!
While this is still the preferred (and emphasized) style, our growth has made it necessary to develop this handbook in order to facilitate clear and consistent communication.
It is however instructive to note that prior to the first publication of this handbook, we experienced reasonable success by issuing the following two sentences as the only formal personnel policy statement:
- "In all circumstances which require you to act on behalf of this Company, use your best judgment.
- As a representative of this Company, treat other people the way that you would want them to treat you."
This handbook now includes additional and more detailed elements. Various regulations now require that sections of the handbook also contain "legalese" in order to accurately define the scope of some policies (and this legal language does not always sound as friendly as we would like it to).
Even so, the above original two sentences are a great way to both understand and implement everything else that follows. So let's never forget where we started. And how we seek to treat each other - and those we are privileged to serve as our customers.
Life presents those who lead with many opportunities to make decisions.
Maybe it isn't quite as complicated as we often make it...?