Kaizen

The Three Rules for Rules

Avatar photo By Jon Miller Updated on April 24th, 2023

Many individuals view rules, standards, and policies as constricting, even at the mere mention of them. It is true that rules which are inadequately designed and implemented can be restrictive. Nevertheless, a complete absence of rules, standards, and order can also be stifling. In fact, rules serve as the basis for ongoing development and are indispensable to an efficient business. In the past, I wrote about Lean Enterprise Rules of Three, and now I would like to share another one:

The three rules for rules

  1. Rules must be Fair. Creating fair rules can be a daunting task because the individuals who typically establish rules are leaders who already possess some form of advantage or privilege. Unfortunately, these leaders may be tempted to create rules that benefit themselves while neglecting others or even designing rules in a way that exempts them from accountability. As a result, the most critical step in determining the effectiveness of rules, improvement, and lean thinking is to establish a fundamental consensus on the concept of fairness and to improve the system for all individuals, regardless of their rank or status.
  2.  Rules must be Followed. It is crucial to follow rules. Even if the rules are fair, their non-adherence may indicate a people problem, where individuals do not believe in fairness, or it could be that the rules are impractical to follow. In such cases, the rules may appear to be well-intentioned but may be unfair in practice, necessitating a revision. Whenever rules are not being followed, there is always a reason behind it, which requires identification.
  3. The subsequent rule to emphasize is that rules must be practical and achievable. Rules that are difficult to follow are likely to be ignored, leading to non-compliance. Therefore, rules should be designed with the input of individuals who will be required to adhere to them. They should be clear, simple, and enforceable. Furthermore, it may be necessary to regularly assess and revise the rules to ensure that they remain relevant and practical over time. Ultimately, the objective is to create rules that are both fair and practical to follow.
  4. Rules must be frequently improved. It’s crucial to regularly enhance rules. Taiichi Ohno, the father of the Toyota Production System, emphasized that standards were necessary for continuous improvement (kaizen). He also believed that rules could be subpar, as long as they were followed according to the current agreed-upon method, with the understanding that they would be provisional and improved upon soon. Ohno even went so far as to require managers and engineers to wash their hands multiple times each day to show their active participation in improving the workplace.                                         Incorporating frequent improvements into the rule-making process is vital to ensure that the rules remain effective over time. This involves periodically assessing, revising, and updating the rules to keep them relevant and aligned with best practices. This approach facilitates continuous improvement, which, in turn, ensures that the rules continue to serve their intended purpose effectively.

Creating Effective Rules for Continuous Improvement

Lastly, for those who argue that fewer rules are better than many rules, it is important to note that they are effectively creating new rules every time they deviate from existing rules or act in their own way. The desire for creativity and innovation should be channeled towards designing and re-designing rules that support these goals while fulfilling the purpose of the rules.

When the purpose of the rules is agreed upon and perceived as fair, individuals will focus their energy towards achieving the objective of the rules rather than evading or breaking them. The goal is to ensure that energy is directed towards achieving the desired outcome rather than focusing on the rules themselves. In conclusion, having a clear understanding of the purpose of the rules and their role in achieving organizational objectives is critical for ensuring that rules are followed and that continuous improvement is possible.

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Jon Miller

Jon has dedicated his 25+ year career to the field of kaizen, continuous improvement, and lean management. Jon spent the first eighteen years of his life in Japan, then graduated from McGill University with a bachelor’s in linguistics.

  1. John Hunter

    March 8, 2013 - 2:24 pm
    Reply

    One of the things I find silly is when an organization has rules that are not followed in general and then when something goes wrong they seek to blame the problem on the person not following the rules. That is a very poor way to manage. Thinking of a rule that isn’t followed as a rule is silly. The rule just serves as an easy way to scapegoat whoever is unlucky enough to have bad results.
    Standardized work isn’t about having a written standard it requires the processes are actually followed.
    Any time I hear the problem was some person not following a rule the next question I want to know the answer to is how that rule has been followed systemically.

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