Kids have a way of reminding us

I was watching television late at night on Friday and my daughter came and told me "Papa the police man will come and catch you if you do not go to sleep" and forced me to switch off the TV and go to sleep. This is the line that I used on her to get her to stop watching TV and to go to sleep. What I found very interesting is how she has figured out that, things that apply to her apply to others too.

In software we have a term called "Eating one's own dog food" which wikipedia defines as "To say that a company eats its own dog food means that it uses the products that it makes." In the same way the rules that you make for others applies to yourself too and in the uncomplicated mind of my daughter this seems like something basic.

When one makes rules it is good to use it on oneself to understand the effect and the benefit of the rule. The rule should apply to you as much as it applies to everyone else. It is a proven management philosophy that in flat organizations where everyone is equal and the same rules apply to all are very successful. Each one plays a role in the organization and as long as all the roles are played competently things will get done.

The lesson I am trying to drive here is that if you make rules for others be ready to follow the rules yourself. If you are trying to impose a restriction on someone else be ready to apply the same restriction to yourself. If you can do this then you will never have any problem in administering or controlling situations that arise out of implementing a rule or a restriction.