Rules for Fools

Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2008 by Frank Roche

Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.
–Henry David Thoreau

You know those HR rules that were created when we were all fat, dumb, and happy? They don’t count anymore. It’s time to challenge everything. To genuinely understand what motivates people, not just follow some stupid rubric about “people don’t work for money.”

In case you haven’t been reading the paper or watching TV, the world economy is in Holy Crap Mode. If you’re clinging to old HR rules because it’s the only thing you know, it’s time to practice this phrase: “You want fries with that?”

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User Comments

  1. Nick

    Nov 16th, 2008

    Yep, and it is time for every manager — not just HR managers, but people managers too, to re-prioritize what's important, and to speak to employees like real humans. Not ” my direct report” or “employee badge 127″, but a person like you and I. There is not going to be a miracle answer to the economic situation, it will have to work itself out and this will take a few more months. To everything there is a positive side. Crises give companies the opportunity to take the non-sense out of work. Let's do it.

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