I know I do. We all have issues with authority, “the man,” or management.

In the ‘Managing Organizational Complexity Class,’ the idea of determining individual capacity to work with ambiguity and the amount of ambiguity within the work role are discussed and evaluated for better organization development.

This applies to our view of management. How we view management informs how we work and need more or less complex / clearly defined rules.

How you see management and their part in making the rules will inform your response to the rules and your comfort with ambiguity.

On to the inquiry:

How do you view rules?

Think about how you view the rules of your work. These may be policies and procedures, local or standard operating procedures, or arbitrary rulings that come out of someone’s authoritarian fantasy…Now think about how you respond to management when faced with these rules.

  • What is your response?
  • How much control do you feel management has over the rules?
  • What role do you see management playing in those rules?
  • How does your manager respond to you when you question or challenge the rules?
  • How has your manager been able to change or adjust the rules?

This is an important concept in organization development, teams, and managerial-leadership…Understanding how different people view rules and management’s role in the rules informs our work ethic and the idea of control over our work.