Principles

    
 

When we say that a person is "principled," we generally mean that they live their life based on a strong underlying ethic -- a set of beliefs about proper behavior toward other people, and a commitment to stick to those beliefs even when tempted to act otherwise.

But what does it mean to say that an organization is principled?

Organizations are merely a system of agreements among people. Some of those agreements are defined legally, some are procedural, and some are merely implicit. It follows then that an organization is principled if and only if:

  • Its system of agreements is a clear reflection of an underlying, common set of beliefs that are viewed as having strong ethical content,
  • Includes unequivocal commitments to keep its agreements, structures, policies, etc., aligned with its set of beliefs, and
  • There are consequences for individuals who violate the agreements, and support for those trying to strengthen them.

Principles of Organization

The principles that have the highest potential for organizational design lie at the intersection of two questions:

  1. What works best when people are trying to get things done together?
  2. What does a community agree is principled behavior when they work together?

The first question emphasizes the practical, the second emphasizes the ideal.

More Than One Right Answer

Principles are not rules. They set broad parameters, which can be honored in more than one way. Reasonable people can agree that a principle is sound but disagree about how it should be honored.

Any principle, if taken to an extreme, will lead to disaster. Principles often balance and inform each other. They moderate each other in ways that takes an ideal and makes it practical.

Useful Principles

Characteristics

  • Sets, not stand-alone
  • What works
  • What already believed

Drafting Principles

  • Meanings, not words
  • Essential to success
  • Balancing

Example Sets