Tips for Real World Information Governance Policies

Let’s take a moment to address the importance of keeping policies grounded in the real world.

When an organization adopts new policies that set the bar too high without adding resources or adjusting deadlines, the result is rarely excellence. It is quiet workarounds and heads buried in the sand.   

A few tips:

• It’s ok to dream: Policies should be aspirational. After all, they set out an organization’s goals.  A policy that says “we comply except when we can’t” may be accurate, but it provides no direction. Policies don’t need to be snapshots of where the organization is now; instead, they can and should provide a roadmap for where an organization wants to be.
• Also, be realistic: However, policies must also be realistic.  An aspirational policy unsupported by resources, infrastructure, or leadership undermines credibility.   It is unfair to employees and will foil attempts to create a culture of compliance.  Eventually, the impossibility of compliance will become an open secret.  Enforcement becomes selective at best, and everyone hones their “surprised to hear that” faces for when the compliance team comes calling.
• Remember why we’re here: Policies are not obstacles; they are tools.  Whether driven by legal or regulatory obligations or good business sense, policies (and compliance with them) help move the organization in the direction it needs to go.  A clear statement of a policy’s purpose can go a long way towards helping employees internalize the goal.  This is an opportunity to frame the policy as a shared direction rather than a warning not to step out of line.
• Timing is everything: A timeline for compliance with new policies is another chance to align with reality.   Recognize that change is not instantaneous, but a process, and demonstrate support for that process. Even the most dedicated teams can get only so far on enthusiasm and a killer kickoff meeting.
• When to let go: There will be situations when compliance with a policy as written is simply not possible. Including an exceptions process allows the flexibility needed to keep pace with changes without rendering your policies pointless.  Governance is herding cats, and you need to know when to let a kitty roam. 

Just remember: when it comes to policies, keep it real (as the kids say here in 1990).