Lewis Eisen on Writing Policies More Effectively [Podcast]

By Adam Turteltaub

Lewis Eisen (LinkedIn) is the author of the book RULES: Powerful Policy Wording to Maximize Engagement, and he wants to change the way people think about and write  policies.

Too often, he observes, policies contain parent-child language, with a scolding tone that turns people off and keeps them from wanting to read the policy, or even follow it.  It also contains a great deal of complexity, laying out all the many processes and procedures.

Instead, he recommends that companies adopt policy statements that are simpler and can tie values that people can identify with.  All the other stuff – complex procedures, examples, backgrounds and so forth – belongs elsewhere he argues, for employees to see after they have had the opportunity to see the policy and buy into it.

It’s an intriguing approach.  Listen in to learn more about how to reimagine your policy-making process.