11 Rules Every Manager Should Break – At Least Once

Go ahead, admit it. You’d like to break or bend a rule every once in a while.

Here’s the good news: There are quite a few well-established workplace rules and customs that every manager should try to break — at least once.

Breaking Rules, Breaking Barriers

We know, we know: Most people in leadership roles stay between the lines. You follow the rules.

But, once in a while, breaking the rules can help you become a better leader.

Of course, we aren’t suggesting you do anything unethical, immoral or illegal. And you may not want to actually break anything.

But if you bend one or two to test new boundaries now and then, you open up the potential to new possibilities, and greater opportunities and improve operations or performance.

Choosing the Right Rules

There are a lot — perhaps too many! — workplace and management rules. And most of them are in place to keep people safe and operations fluid.

But some are made to be questioned or tested. So here are 11 that are worth pushing the envelope on to achieve better things.

1. Pick One Thing and Do It Well

Sure, you can pick one thing and do it well … if your job is tap dancing. Or horseshoes.

But if your job is managing a team of people, it’s good to pick one thing and do it well and then pick six other things and do all those just as well. You’ll be better for it — and employed for longer periods at a time.

2. Big Risks Reap Big Rewards

What are you, a cliff diver? No, you’re a manager. Don’t be foolish. Come back in here off that ledge and help get your team through another successful day.

There’s a lot that can go wrong in a busy organization, and you’re not even going to see it coming if you’re too self-absorbed by the thrill of plunging off a sheer cliff just so you can fancy yourself a risk-taker.

3. Don’t Put Off to Tomorrow What You Can Do Today

That really depends, doesn’t it? Especially when it comes to sharing information.

You want to be sure to get the most impact from delivering it in the timeliest fashion. So, if it’s going to have a better impact in the morning, it’s best to put it off.

4. Squelch the Rumor Mill

It’s surprising that this bit of advice persists. You hear it all the time: How to stop the rumor mill. How to squelch the rumor mill. Put an end to the rumor mill, once and for all.

But you really can’t, so don’t try (unless, of course, it’s harmful, possibly a form of harassment or violates worker protections). You’ll just beat your head against the wall.

If people are going to gossip, by the very nature of the definition, there’s nothing you can do to stop it. But here’s the caveat: You can feed it with honest, useful, refreshing and insightful information. That way, you can help control the rumor mill, and move it in positive directions.

5. Never Let Them See You Sweat

While it’s true you don’t want to go around day after day appearing exhausted and stressed by all the work you do, there are times you want to be darn sure the powers-that-be get a good long look at you working very hard, even sweating it out.

And then see how well you handled it! You can’t beat that kind of exposure.

6. Trust Your Gut

We all hate admitting when we’re wrong. Hence, managers don’t always fully appreciate how many times they trusted their gut, and got it wrong.

So yeah, trust your gut, except when you shouldn’t. And if you don’t know when that is, well, it’s your gut so you’re on your own.

7. Always Play to People’s Strengths

It’s a good piece of advice, but there’s one issue: the word “always.”

Good people grow best when put in positions outside their knowledge base. It’s been said we are all prisoners of the familiar, right? So sometimes it pays to push people in directions they might not feel suits them.

8. Encourage All Opinions and Ideas

That can be a long day right there. And on the days you do have that kind of time to commit, by all means unleash your benevolent side, and sit and listen.

But there should be a point at which attentive managers know how various people on the staff feel about particular things that you can’t or won’t change. So in those cases, you should NOT be encouraging them by asking their opinions.

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9. Treat People the Same

Thought leader and advisor Susan Reilly Salgado said, “Your ability to fairly and deftly manage the particular needs of individual employees and provide a unique experience that leaves each team member feeling valued, is the ultimate goal.”

It’s also the opposite of treating everyone the same.

10. Don’t Take Sides

No? Don’t take sides? That’s hard not to do on important issues. Just ask the people who’ve run Switzerland over the years.

When there’s true injustice, you have to take sides.

11. Don’t Hire Friends and Family

There are strong opinions on both sides of this one, but you can go for it when the time is right. People close to you care about you and your success.

They’ll be more open with their opinions (which you’ll certainly need to manage) on things. But they’ll also be generally more trustworthy than outsiders. And while you are sure to have some contentious times, they should have your best interest at heart.