Because my Perfect Policies™ approach to policy drafting is so radically different from the traditional model, some people ask for proof that it works.
Unfortunately, “respectful tone in internal governance documents” hasn’t exactly topped the research funding charts. But that doesn’t mean we can’t measure the effects. Here’s how:
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Organizations often assess the success of a policy by looking solely at compliance rates. While those are important, they’re just one piece of the puzzle.
When you shift how you draft policies—toward clearer language, cleaner structure, and a more respectful tone—the effects show up during both:
- Policy development — i.e., up to the point of approval
- Policy implementation — i.e., once the new policy is in place
Although hard metrics can be elusive, both areas can be evaluated using a combination of quantitative (e.g., timeframes, revision cycles, participation) and qualitative (e.g., tone, clarity, alignment) indicators.
A. Efficiency of the Policy Development Process
Policy development doesn’t have to drag on. Progress can be measured by comparing past and current drafting experiences:
- Has the time from first draft to approval gone down?
- Are there fewer revision cycles or rewrites?
- Have we eliminated duplicate statements across instruments?
- Are fewer items being escalated to the highest-level approvers?
- Are drafts getting returned less often for clarification?
- Have we reduced policy silos?
- Do we observe more cross-departmental cooperation?
B. Language Use: Clarity, Succinctness, and Respect
Effective policies are unambiguous, concise, and aligned with organizational values. They experience faster uptake and generate less resistance. Most of these indicators are qualitative:
- Is the reception of approved policies more positive?
- Are there fewer objections that the text is unclear or vague?
- Does the tone reflect values like respect and collaboration?
- Are the internal auditors and reviewers more satisfied with the product?
B. Post-Approval Impact
1. Compliance
While it may be only one piece of the puzzle, compliance remains a critical to measure, both quantitively and qualitatively.
- Have we reduced the amount of time we spend on policy enforcement?
- Have we seen a reduction in either active or passive resistance?
- Do we have examples of more proactive compliance or the adoption of good practices without oversight?
2. Cultural Alignment and Sentiment
In many organizations, people hate rules. Instead of being seen as positive tools to help the organization, an aura of negativity surrounds policies and rule-making. The long-term goal is to change that perception. Here are some qualitative measures of that:
- Are rules being seen in a more positive light?
- Are we developing or strengthening our culture of following rulescooperatively?
- Is the respectful tone of our policies showing up in other areas, such as enterprise-wide communications and day-to-day interactions?
Conclusion
We don’t need a double-blind study to know when our policies are working — but you do need to know where to look.
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Looking for training? Check out the next policy drafting workshop.