What has no place in your organisation?

I listened to a radio programme earlier this week about the proposed ban on bullfighting in Mexico City.  It's apparently a big and very contentious issue as it has been popular throughout the country since the conquistadors introduced it more than 500 years ago and for many people is part of Mexican culture.  Although Spain is still recognised as the home of bullfighting, Mexico City has the largest bullring in the world and the sport (I know some argue it isn't a sport) is a popular pastime in the country as well as being a source of employment for thousands.

But in recent times its popularity has been waning and a growing number of Mexicans now actively oppose it, regarding it as both barbaric and an unwelcome reminder of Spanish colonialism.  And legislators in will soon vote on whether to ban it in the city.

In the programme one objector said that "it should have no place in modern day Mexico."

His statement made me think.  I wonder how many organisations have leaders who have thought about and communicated for their people what has no place at work - what behaviours and actions are totally unnaceptable?

Many do of course have a set of values which are intended to provide guidance for how people should behave at work.  I often hear leaders in organisations talking about how important theirs are and, providing they're not simply posters on a wall, they provide employees with guidance about what things they should do.  But far fewer provide the same level of guidance about things they should not do. 

And yet in organisations who do, employees often tell me that the clarity about unacceptable behaviours is as useful, if not more so.  The negatives can provide a clarity that's sometimes missing in the positive statements which by their nature are usually examples of the type of desired behaviours.  In contrast the negatives are often more specific and draw out explicit examples of what does indeed have no place in the organisation.

Is it clear what has no place in your organisation?  And if so, would it be clear to everyone?  Thinking about and clearly communicating this is a useful way of steering behaviour providing there are supporting measures and consequences for anyone who ignores the 'rules'.

I wonder if some of the highly publicised scandals in recent years would have happened if the companies involved had communicated what had no place in their business?

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