Why You Should Write Down Your Company’s Unwritten Rules

Unwritten rules and ways of doing things — both good and bad — are ingrained in the corporate world. Often, these norms become so enmeshed in company culture that leaders don’t even think about them. But if a company’s norms aren’t regularly revisited to ensure they align with the organization’s goals — and if leaders aren’t careful about how their behavior contributes to them — they can morph from a positive force to a destructive one. That’s why leaders need to periodically revisit the firm’s unofficial rules. Write them out, so that you and your employees can compare notes about what’s expected of them. Consider whether unspoken rules reflect the kind of behavior you want to promote. And when norms change, overcommunicate so that everyone is on the same page.