What’s Your Policy?

Ever been to a store that tells you for some reason it’s not their “policy” to do something that seems perfectly reasonable? It’s almost as if they’re saying “It’s our policy to treat customers badly.”

It can be frustrating, and your only recourse is to make it YOUR policy not to go back there again!

Yes, businesses have policies, but you have “policies” too, and you express them every day.

For example, what’s your policy on how you treat donors? I’ll bet it’s your policy to treat donors nicely … or at least with respect.

It could be that the only difference between your policies and the store’s policies is that they write theirs down … and you just know yours.

Right now, take a few minutes to write down your personal policies for dealing with people. What’s your policy on treating people who treat you poorly? Do you respond with revenge? Indifference? An apology? How about people who help you? Do you help them, or do you take the help and go? My guess is that you have policies that you don’t even realize you express. My guess is that you’re pretty inconsistent with them, too, depending on your mood and place. I know I am.

How is this a career move? Because like a business, people know you for your “policies.” Like a business, your policies build your reputation among the colleagues you know and especially among those who have only heard of you … and could offer you, or connect you, to your next job.