You make a decision.
You expect it to happen.
Sometimes it does.
Sometimes it doesn’t.
So you reach for a policy.
But here’s the truth about a policy.
You write it.
You send it.
People sign it.
People nod.
Little, if anything, changes.
If it’s going to stick:
Say what changes now.
Not the idea. The behavior.
What’s different starting today?
If it’s not specific, it won’t stick.
Use it immediately.
Don’t wait.
Next meeting. Next situation.
Point to it. Use it.
That’s when it shows up.
Correct it when you see it.
In the moment.
Not later. Not in a follow up.
That’s where credibility is built.
Watch how it gets carried.
What happens after it leaves you matters.
Does it get reinforced?
Or softened when it’s uncomfortable?
That’s the difference between a decision and a suggestion.
Don’t dilute it.
One exception is enough.
People won’t remember what you said.
They’ll remember what you overlook.
Come back to it.
More than once.
Call out what’s working.
Call out what’s not.
If you don’t, it disappears.
This isn’t about writing something down.
It’s about whether it sticks.
Walk the talk.
That’s the job.
