Create Common Sense

 Most of us have been in a situation at work where rules have been enforced which are clearly stupid to anyone with common sense.  If you doubt this, you need to read ‘Dilbert’ more.

Do you want your employees to obey rules which, to them, are ridiculous …. or do you want them to challenge those rules.

There is a useful creativity ‘technique' which asks people to temporarily overturn the rules in play while they think up new ideas.  This applies not  just to formal rules but to established ways of working.   The technique can be useful in allowing people to ‘think outside the box’ before later checking that their new ides work within the important ‘boxes’.

So, back to  ridiculous rules.  Give your employees both the ‘permission’ to challenge them - and a process by which they con do so.

If eventually, all the rules you apply  are seen as being common sense by your employees,  they will obey them.

Productivity will rise!