Most organizations (even society) publish a set of rules to guide how they want their people to act inside the organization. More often than not, most of these rules tell us what not to do. Don't lie. Don't steal. Don't use the copy machine after 8pm. Don't use company resources for personal use.
I think offering a set of rules is a good thing - they help maintain order inside an organziation. Understanding the value of such guidance, I recently issued a set of rules to my team.
But there's a catch. In our organization, there will be no rules to tell us what not to do. Rules that tell us what not to do hold people back. Instead the rules should help push people forward. In our group, the rules consist of a list of the things that are allowed.
It's called the Allowed List, and this is what it says.
You are allowed to:
1. Make the decision you think is the right decision to make
2. Start something that needs to be started to help advance the cause
3. Ask for help whenever you want it
4. Help others whenever you can (even if they don’t ask for it)
5. Take time off to do something that inspires, excites and energizes you
Everyone is expected to follow these rules and everyone is expected to hold the others accountable to them. Afterall, if we didn't follow the rules...there'd be chaos.