CGIC hosted a complimentary CPD Session with Lewis S Eisen. The webinar Break the Mold of Negativity Around Rules took place on September 22, 2020 via Zoom Teleconference.

A copy of Mr. Eisen’s presentation is also available:  Download PDF.

Session Description:

Often organizations claim to hold “respect for others” as a core value, but when you look at their rules documents the story is different. Whether they call them “policies,” “terms and conditions,” or simply “guidelines,” many of these rules read like angry parents scolding naughty children. The reality is that the policy writers wanted to sound strict rather than disrespectful; however, they focussed solely on the content and paid no attention to the tone of voice.

To succeed, internal policies need buy-in from everyone involved. Adults bristle at disrespectfully worded statements, making compliance an uphill road. Ultimately, the tension created by poorly drafted policies has a palpable impact on employee morale.

In this eye-opening session, Lewis shows you how you can make rules documents more effective.

Takeaways:

• The wording of an organization’s policies can unintentionally reveal its internal problems.
• Policies are more than simply extensions of contracts; using contractual language can lower their effectiveness.
• To be consistent with modern approaches to improving corporate culture, the rule-making dynamic needs to shift from Parent–Child to Adult–Adult.

Presenter Bio:

Lewis S Eisen, B.A., J.D., C.I.P. is the author of the international bestseller How to Write Rules that People Want to Follow: A Guide to Writing Respectful Policies and Directives. He has practiced law, been a technology consultant, and been a policy writer for the federal government. His approach to drafting rules that don’t sound bossy has been adopted by groups at organizations across Canada, the US, and the UK.