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Process or Rules - Language of Leadership

Ittela Umama
Ittela Umama

1. Processes are developed through participation from multiple teams and are meant to improve over time, whereas rules are enforced without opportunity for change and can discourage creativity. 2. Processes have reasonable goals that cater to needs from various sources, while rules can be based on personal preferences and overlook broader mandates. 3. The terminology used, such as processes versus rules, speaks to the culture of the organization - processes build a culture of trust and transparency through participation, while rules risk creating a culture of individualism and force based on personal preference.

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In modern-day corporate leadership style, where connecting, engaging and motivating are the keywords to succeed, where do Process and Rules repose in the day to day operations within a broader organizational spectrum? Now we all remember the famous and over- used quote of Shakespeare: I say, yes, a name is very important. In our case, "terms". The functionalities of these two terms and its packaging are crucial to its cause and effect within teams and to a business. The value of a company highly depends on the image and actions of its leaders. A leadership style is mostly understood by the language and terms used in management. No doubt, why the politicians are good speakers if not anything good at all (I'll admit there are recent exceptions). Choose the terms carefully and you'll make the best out of your capacity to lead. In this article, I have tried to enunciate the relationship between these two terms, their similarities, and differences, perceptions, behavior change/ action factors around these terms that are directly related to leadership impact. PROCESSES OR RULES? - LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP 2017 AUTHOR - ITTELA UMAMA What's in a name? that which we call a rose; By any other name would smell as sweet.
As a follower of inspirational leadership style, I always give importance to the first impression of a term within the group it is going to be used. When leaders talk about Process, we immediately imagine three words: STEP BY STEP. Which is way soothing and less stressful than the words that come to our mind when we hear the term Rules: CONSEQUENCES IF NOT FOLLOWED. Processes have a cycle of completion and often requires support and participation of several teams. Therefore, ownership is significant for a process to be successful at its goal. As processes are progressive in nature and mostly bound with layers of dependencies to reach the final stage, people are organically engaged to follow. Whereas, a rule at its nature is commanding and enforced without an opportunity to improve or change (remember, we are talking about the term). It creates a sense of enslavement and blocks ideas, creativity and potential innovation that could be an invincible asset to your business. 1. PROCESSES ARE DEVELOPED AND FOLLOWED TO IMPROVE WHEREAS RULES ARE ENFORCED AND FOLLOWED TO COMPLY
The fun part is when you say Processes, the people hearing you know that they have a guideline to follow. It is a support tool that is flexible depending on its major goals. A professional would be happy to find processes in place rather roaming around to match pieces of a puzzle. Processes are vetted by multiple key players whose actions will be responsible for meeting and losing business targets. That means a democratic approach will be followed to develop and improve processes which matters to me most whether I am a team member or the leader. Rules can be tricky. It sounds very linear within the portfolio of organizational management. I always fear to use it because it immediately discards the scope of change which in today's ever-evolving management world has no value. Also, the fear of negative outcomes if Rules are not followed can demotivate workers, thus disengage them from an actual task no matter how meaningful it is to their jobs. 2. PROCESSES HAVE REASONABLE GOALS AND CATER TO A NEED GENERATED FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES WHEREAS, RULES CAN BE BASED ON PERSONAL PREFERENCES AND OVERLOOK BROADER MANDATES.
What is your organization's culture? How do you want to incubate your company?. Many would say your company is like your family. Well, in this case, I'll disagree. We raise our family often in a nuclear environment (mom, dad, and children). In an organizational setup, imagine living with 200 families, each different in nature, culture, and beliefs. A complete chaos that it might seem, only processes can tie them together which will eventually create a culture acceptable to all within the organization and the industry it serves. The culture that is built on trust, transparency, and support will always thrive even in the most obscure situations. Because their core is based on a participatory model while making decisions. That is a Process...not a Rule. On the other side, Rules have this dictatorial essence which can seclude participation and build a culture of individualism and force based on personal preference. 3. PROCESSES AND RULES (AND ALL SIMILAR TERMINOLOGIES) SPEAK ABOUT THE CULTURE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION.

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Process or Rules - Language of Leadership

  • 1. In modern-day corporate leadership style, where connecting, engaging and motivating are the keywords to succeed, where do Process and Rules repose in the day to day operations within a broader organizational spectrum? Now we all remember the famous and over- used quote of Shakespeare: I say, yes, a name is very important. In our case, "terms". The functionalities of these two terms and its packaging are crucial to its cause and effect within teams and to a business. The value of a company highly depends on the image and actions of its leaders. A leadership style is mostly understood by the language and terms used in management. No doubt, why the politicians are good speakers if not anything good at all (I'll admit there are recent exceptions). Choose the terms carefully and you'll make the best out of your capacity to lead. In this article, I have tried to enunciate the relationship between these two terms, their similarities, and differences, perceptions, behavior change/ action factors around these terms that are directly related to leadership impact. PROCESSES OR RULES? - LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP 2017 AUTHOR - ITTELA UMAMA What's in a name? that which we call a rose; By any other name would smell as sweet.
  • 2. As a follower of inspirational leadership style, I always give importance to the first impression of a term within the group it is going to be used. When leaders talk about Process, we immediately imagine three words: STEP BY STEP. Which is way soothing and less stressful than the words that come to our mind when we hear the term Rules: CONSEQUENCES IF NOT FOLLOWED. Processes have a cycle of completion and often requires support and participation of several teams. Therefore, ownership is significant for a process to be successful at its goal. As processes are progressive in nature and mostly bound with layers of dependencies to reach the final stage, people are organically engaged to follow. Whereas, a rule at its nature is commanding and enforced without an opportunity to improve or change (remember, we are talking about the term). It creates a sense of enslavement and blocks ideas, creativity and potential innovation that could be an invincible asset to your business. 1. PROCESSES ARE DEVELOPED AND FOLLOWED TO IMPROVE WHEREAS RULES ARE ENFORCED AND FOLLOWED TO COMPLY
  • 3. The fun part is when you say Processes, the people hearing you know that they have a guideline to follow. It is a support tool that is flexible depending on its major goals. A professional would be happy to find processes in place rather roaming around to match pieces of a puzzle. Processes are vetted by multiple key players whose actions will be responsible for meeting and losing business targets. That means a democratic approach will be followed to develop and improve processes which matters to me most whether I am a team member or the leader. Rules can be tricky. It sounds very linear within the portfolio of organizational management. I always fear to use it because it immediately discards the scope of change which in today's ever-evolving management world has no value. Also, the fear of negative outcomes if Rules are not followed can demotivate workers, thus disengage them from an actual task no matter how meaningful it is to their jobs. 2. PROCESSES HAVE REASONABLE GOALS AND CATER TO A NEED GENERATED FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES WHEREAS, RULES CAN BE BASED ON PERSONAL PREFERENCES AND OVERLOOK BROADER MANDATES.
  • 4. What is your organization's culture? How do you want to incubate your company?. Many would say your company is like your family. Well, in this case, I'll disagree. We raise our family often in a nuclear environment (mom, dad, and children). In an organizational setup, imagine living with 200 families, each different in nature, culture, and beliefs. A complete chaos that it might seem, only processes can tie them together which will eventually create a culture acceptable to all within the organization and the industry it serves. The culture that is built on trust, transparency, and support will always thrive even in the most obscure situations. Because their core is based on a participatory model while making decisions. That is a Process...not a Rule. On the other side, Rules have this dictatorial essence which can seclude participation and build a culture of individualism and force based on personal preference. 3. PROCESSES AND RULES (AND ALL SIMILAR TERMINOLOGIES) SPEAK ABOUT THE CULTURE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION.