From Repeated Problem to Written Rule

Think of the question you have answered most in the past week. Open a document right now and write one paragraph that completely answers it. That is your first written rule.

Repeated questions are not always people problems. They are often signals that guidance is missing.

A written rule gives the team a clear path and reduces repeated dependence on the founder.

The goal is not to build a full operations manual today. The goal is to create one small system asset that can be tested.

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The founder needs to understand this lesson because it reveals where the business is still relying on hidden knowledge, repeated founder judgment, or informal habits. The goal is not to add pressure. The goal is to make one part of the business visible enough to improve, teach, transfer, or review.

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Planning Activities: List the questions, approvals, or problems that keep returning to the founder.

Choose one repeated question that would create relief if answered once in writing.

Turn the answer into a when/then rule with a standard or limit.

Send the rule to the person who asks the question most often.

Elgin’s note: “The instinct here is to write down every rule at once. Do not. Pick the one question you have answered most this week. Just one. Write a simple rule — a paragraph or a checklist — that answers it completely. Then the next time someone asks, send them the rule instead of answering. I promise you, the first time you do this and the conversation resolves without you having to re-explain everything, you will feel a weight lift that you did not even know you were carrying. One rule this week. That is all.”

You have identified one recurring question or problem, written a simple rule or standard that addresses it, and shared it with your team to test this week.

1. When was the last time you heard the same question from a team member or client for the second time, and what rule could you have written to prevent the repetition?

2. Identify the specific question you hear most frequently in your business. What one-sentence rule, formatted as "When ___ happens, do ___ unless ___," could you create to address it directly?

3. Who is the person who asks the question most often in your organization? What step will you take to send them the rule you've written, and how will you ensure they receive it promptly?

4. Reflect on a recent instance where a repeated problem indicated a missing rule in your system. What action will you implement to turn this repeated problem into a written rule for future prevention?