Despite my parents’ best efforts, I am not a camper. Too many childhood summers of schlepping my things in the Sierras did damage on my burgeoning camping soul, and although I love travel, I don’t love me a good freeze-dried meal. But, in my grand tradition of reading 200 books a year,I certainly like to read about camping. When I added Shawn Stratton’s new book on leadership called Teams on the Edge onto my 2013 reading list, I thought it sounded right up my alley.
Shawn has spent more than 15 years as an instructor with National Outdoor Leadership School and other organizations, and knows what it means to lead in dynamic situations when everything is on the line and you’ve got to throw protocol out the window. After reading and enjoying his book, though, I asked him a simple question: How can those of us who aren’t on the edge of a cliff learn to make bold rule-breaking moves that fit within our corporate context?
This was his answer. “Rules are for fools, use your head.” — Paul Petzoldt
How do you empower yourself and your team to develop bold, creative solutions when you have a two-inch-thick policy manual?
Many crises can be averted and off-the-wall ideas prosper when people are given the power and confidence to use their judgment in decision-making. In any large organization key policies around issues like harassment, confidentiality, etc. are important. But sometimes these go too far, removing the potential for smart, capable team members to use their own judgment. For leaders to “let go” and let team members use their own judgment on important decisions is challenging but essential if they are the right people with the proper training in the right positions. If you can’t trust team members to use their judgment when it counts, they probably shouldn’t occupy these positions.
While I was leading a wilderness expedition for the National Outdoor Leadership School NOLS in the Yukon Canada near the Arctic Circle some years ago, the group I had been instructing for three weeks set off in two smaller groups for a final instructor less 5-day mini-expedition to test their new skills. They had been briefed on all NOLS emergency procedures and policies such as never hike in a group smaller than three we were in grizzly bear country.
Several days later I was shocked when only two students from an original group of four hiked into our camp. My first reaction: where’s the third member? It turned out one of their teammates had a severe systemic infection caused by a blister on her toe, now presenting as a red streak stretching to her knee, swollen lymph nodes, and an increasing fever. If she wasn’t evacuated within the next few hours, her life could be in jeopardy. When I asked why they had traveled in a pair, I learned that the potential third member had a slightly sprained ankle and would have slowed them down in a situation where timing was crucial. The student leader said, “We decided we were just going to be two people, we were going to be fast, and we were going to scream the whole way keeping the bears at bay.”
Ultimately I was thrilled that the group, ignoring standard NOLS protocol, had made that decision. They used good judgment and common sense, which helped get them to the camp, where the instructors could radio-request a rescue. The helicopter’s landing just in time, just before nightfall, saved a life.
When developing a team, it’s important to establish common goals and shared values but few rules should be rigid. Guidelines can be helpful, but good judgment based on common values and understanding is essential, especially when unique circumstances arise—which they inevitably will—whether inside an office or outside in the wilderness.So go ahead, break the rules.
via Why You Need to Break the Rules at Work | LinkedIn.
Why You Need to Break the Rules at Work
