Dear HR Executive,
Rules are rules are rules. No exceptions: It’s easy to get into that mindset when you’re responsible for drafting and enforcing policy.
But according to leadership trainer Colleen Bracken, you hold a position of responsibility because your employer trusts your judgment. And your judgment will occasionally tell you it’s OK, even preferable, to break the rules -- or at least bend them.
Attention: Rule being bent
When you’ve determined that a particular situation is indeed that special case, always acknowledge to the others involved that you are breaking the rules, and why.
If you don’t, people may start thinking you don’t respect your own policies.
Example: “You were late again today, and under our attendance policy you should be suspended. But I understand you had your bachelor party last night. Getting married is a big deal in a person’s life, so we’re letting you off – this once.”
Bracken estimates that a good HR person will come to a rule-bending decision like this maybe 10% of the time. The exception proves the rule...
Dave Clemens
Editor-in-Chief
Human Resource Rapid Learning Center
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