I’ve come to believe that one of the most overlooked levers in leadership is the use of standards—not as rules, but as shared agreements for how we operate. This came into sharp focus recently while working with a manufacturing company that had strong values and great people—but struggled with inconsistency across locations. One plant had exceptional performance, while another had daily fire drills. When we dug into the difference, the answer wasn’t people—it was the way leaders used standards.
The high-performing plant had clear, simple process standards for all the critical work in the plant. Everyone knew what was expected. When problems came up, they didn’t wing it—they returned to the standard, made corrections or identified necessary changes, and updated the known standard for the next person. It wasn’t just documentation. It was discipline. And that discipline made them agile.
The other location had passion—but no shared standards. So, every issue became a one-off conversation. Every fix was a custom job. And as a result, they worked harder, not smarter.
Here’s what I took from that:
Standards Build Shared Ownership
When teams help define the standard, they buy into it. It’s no longer “management’s rulebook”—it becomes our way of working. The job of leadership is to make sure everyone understands the standard and believes it makes their work better, not harder.
Standards Are the Foundation of Improvement
You can’t improve what you haven’t defined. Standards create a baseline for measurement, feedback, and innovation. Without them, you’re just reacting. With them, you can systematically get better—together.
Standards Create Trust in the System
People don’t need to guess what success looks like. They don’t need to reinvent the wheel. A strong standard allows them to trust the process, focus on the task, and know they’re not alone. That’s where confidence comes from.
Two Simple Practices to Start Today:
- Name the Standard – When reviewing a project or solving a problem, say out loud: “What standard were we following here?” If there wasn’t one, make it together.
- Review & Renew – Choose one process each week to revisit with your team. Ask, “Is this still working?” If not, revise the standard and document the update together.