Why Should Anyone Work Here?

Chapter 6

Simplify the Rules

Reducing the Clutter and Increasing Clarity and Fairness

When we were conducting the research for this book, we were impressed by the energy and passion with which people described the ideal organization. Their thinking was aspirational. They were able to articulate a positive picture of what an authentic organization should look like. The topic of this chapter is the exception. The discussion of a universal need for “simple rules” (the “S” in our DREAMS list of organizational ideals) produced waves of irritation and complaint—a kind of collective nausea. People are frustrated by what they experience as a quagmire of rules that limit their creativity and, more fundamentally, their ability to do their jobs properly. ...