In many offices, IM policies are long and confusing, and no one reads them. Worse, they often sound like angry parents scolding naughty children. Adults bristle at disrespectfully worded statements, making compliance a battle. The reality is that the policy writers wanted to sound strict rather than disrespectful, but they paid more attention to the content than to the tone of voice. Ultimately, the tension created by poorly written policies has a palpable impact on employee morale.

In this session, you will learn how you might improve the conversation dynamic.

Takeaways:

1. Policies and compliance done right are a collaborative effort, not a power struggle.

2. The wording of an organization's policies can unintentionally reveal its internal problems.

3. We need to change the rule-making dynamic from Parent–Child to Adult–Adult, so that IM Specialists are seen as experts rather than enforcers.