In each of the institutions there are two types of policy: “Declared policy” is that policy written on paper or by which the director of the institution speaks about his institution in front of (others) and “applied policy” is the set of actual values and practices that the members of the institution live hour by hour and day by day. The most important chronic problems that institutions suffer from, which reduce their effectiveness and charge their atmosphere with negative emotions, is the difference between the “declared policy” and the “applied policy”, as the “declared policy” written in the institution’s letter hanging on the walls or in the periodicals issued by the institution may speak about (encouraging initiatives) as a basic value of the institution, while the “applied policy” is not appreciating and not rewarding the initiators, The “declared policy” may talk about “cooperation” while the “applied policy” is to hide information, catch lapses, and not lend a helping hand to anyone. The “declared policy” may talk about (team work, consultation and empowerment) while the “applied policy” is exclusivity in decision-making, disempowerment, collecting all powers in the hands of the manager, and so on…

The wider the gap between the “declared policy” and the “applied policy”, the less effective the institution is, the lower the trust among its members, the fewer initiatives and innovations there are, and the institution turns into a stifling place that restricts those who work in it. The narrower the gap between the “declared policy” and the “applied policy”, the more effective the institution becomes, the higher the trust among its members, the more initiatives and innovations abound, and the institution turns into a fertile soil that unleashes the energies of those who work in it and develops their potential.

Any manager can choose (depending on his way of management) the size of the gap between the “declared policy” and the “applied policy” in his organization, and these are the three steps that reduce the size of this gap:

First of all In the event that there is a difference between the “declared policy” and the “applied policy”, the manager must acknowledge the existence of this difference and not fall into the trap of denial, so this difference is considered a natural thing that always occurs (when moving from theoretical to practical), this justification logic absorbs any will to improve and develop and spreads a negative culture in the institution and achieves a kind of coexistence with the state of contradiction between word and deed, as it makes it a (legitimate) situation instead of being a disease that everyone seeks to get rid of.

secondly Develop a feedback system in which everyone in the organization is asked about their assessment of the conformity between the “declared policy” and the “applied policy” in the organization, where the defect exists, and what are their suggestions for correcting the defect. Feedback can be done formally either in writing through a questionnaire filled out by employees or orally by interviewing each employee individually and asking them what they think of the correspondence between the “declared policy” and the “applied policy” and what they suggest to achieve that match. Feedback can be done informally through suggestions that the manager hears during his daily contact with employees, It is better to combine formal and informal forms because each fills gaps that the other does not. It should be noted here that feedback must be done periodically because the pursuit of conformity between “declared policy” and “applied policy” is an ongoing process and not a one-time procedure.

thirdly There is a rule in management that says “the regulations and laws in force in an institution determine the results reached by this institution” If the “declared policy” is to encourage initiatives, there must be a law in the institution that rewards the initiators, If the “stated policy” is to encourage collaboration, there should be a law in the institution that rewards the entire team rather than the best person on the team. If the stated policy is to encourage (exchange of views), the work should be organized so that periodic meetings are held between people who need to exchange views and so on. Therefore, the manager should put in place laws and regulations that facilitate the transformation of the “declared policy” into “applied policy” and not just blame his employees for not applying the declared policy.

In conclusion, The difference between “declared policy” and “applied policy” is a common disease from which an organization rarely survives, but it is the recognition of the existence of this disease and the sincere pursuit of its elimination that differentiates the superior manager from the average manager.

Yasser Al-Aiti