Clubhouse rules

I've written before about the lessons that other managers can learn from the Boston Red Sox (see "Division-leading employee management"). In today's Boston Globe Magazine, Charles P. Pierce profiles Terry Francona, the most successful manager in the history of the Red Sox. One of the recurring themes in the piece is how Francona strives to maintain an atmosphere of normality in the clubhouse: not to get too up after wins, not to get too down after losses.

Here's the money quote, which has a strong message for managers in any industry:

“That’s a big part of it,” Francona admits. “I want there to be an atmosphere where they want to show up every day and do the right thing. We can have rules out the [expletive], but if they want to do the right thing, we’ll be a better team. It’s about consistency. If they win the other night or if they don’t, they don’t need to come in here and see me either bouncing off the walls or dragging my tail. It doesn’t work. It’s got to be the same every day."

Too many managers in today's workforce seem to think that you need to have "rules out the [expletive]." Rules about sick days, rules about social media, rules about bereavement leave. Forget all that. As with the Red Sox, it's better to create "an atmosphere where they want to show up every day and do the right thing."

What do you think? Does your workplace need rules out the [expletive]? Or do you try to create a certain atmosphere? Sound off in the comments.