Early on in high school English 10, our class asked Mr. Robertson how we should handle a particular assignment. His response was simple:

“Do what you think an ‘A’ student would do.”

It was a frustrating answer for those too used to the rigid structure of the public school system. For others - those with a little imagination - it was freedom. It was the open road, but with guardrails to keep us from dropping off the side of a mountain.

I was reminded of that 33-year-old memory when I read about the employee handbook at Manager Tools. Allegedly, the employee handbook is one page long and reads:

“You work here. We trust you. Do what you think is best.”

The trust involved here is deep, on both sides. It assumes the employee makes wise choices: having good stewardship of the company’s resources and making decisions that benefit the organization. Also, leadership needs to show employees they are trusted implicitly, even when they make a mistake.