Trust people to break rules when it protects others
A night nurse heard the alarm change pitch and knew something was wrong. The chart said one thing, the protocol said another, and the resident was tied up two floors down. She started the IV and paged the on‑call, then stayed with the patient, describing each step softly. When the resident arrived, he nodded and said, ‘Good call.’ The coffee at the station sat untouched.
Hospitals run on rules for good reasons, but rules don’t hold the oxygen mask. People do. This unit had practiced judgment drills for months. The manager kept the purpose posted—‘Keep patients safe’—and the red lines were clear—no shortcuts on sterility, legality, or honesty. Nurses were told, ‘If you must bend a minor rule to protect the purpose within these lines, do it and tell us.’
They also met once a month to walk through tricky cases. Two minutes to read, five minutes to decide, and five minutes to discuss. No scolding, just learning. Over time, the staff got faster and calmer under pressure. Families noticed. So did the quality metrics that, frankly, mattered to the board.
On paper, it looked like a culture softening controls. In practice, it was a culture strengthening trust. When leaders praise principled rule‑bending that protects people, they teach judgment. Cortisol drops because staff trust they won’t be punished for doing the right thing, and oxytocin rises because they feel the team’s protection. I might be wrong, but when people know the point, they rarely break the rules carelessly—they break them carefully when it counts.
The principle is clear: rules guide normal, trust governs the abnormal. Define red lines, grant judgment, drill scenarios, and celebrate wise calls. That’s how you protect both people and performance.
Write your purpose in a single human sentence and post it where work happens, then list non‑negotiable red lines like safety, legality, and honesty. Tell your team they may bend minor rules to protect the purpose within those lines and to inform the team promptly. Run short monthly judgment drills on real cases and, when someone makes a wise call, praise it publicly so others learn. Do this and you’ll feel fear give way to calm action the next time things go sideways. Start drafting your purpose line today.
What You'll Achieve
Internally, increase courage and clarity under pressure. Externally, improve safety outcomes, faster response times, and higher trust scores from clients or patients.
Define red lines then grant judgment
Clarify purpose over procedure
Write one sentence that states the job’s first duty in human terms (e.g., ‘Keep patients safe’). Put it where people can see it.
Set clear red lines
List non‑negotiables (safety, legality, honesty). Say, ‘If you must bend a rule to protect purpose within these lines, do it and tell us.’
Practice judgment drills
Monthly, review two real scenarios. Ask, ‘What rule would you bend, why, and how would you communicate it?’ Learn, don’t punish.
Praise principled breaks
When someone uses judgment well, tell the story publicly. This teaches others when and how to act.
Reflection Questions
- What is the human purpose that sits above our procedures?
- Where do rules create delays that put people at risk?
- How will we teach judgment without blaming?
Personalization Tips
- In a hospital, allow nurses to skip a form to start an IV when seconds matter, then debrief as a team afterward.
- In a school, permit teachers to flex seating plans during a meltdown to keep kids safe, then document after class.
Leaders Eat Last
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