How to work with Rules from HELL

Have you recognized some—or even many—of these rules? Do they reflect your own experiences within your team or company? And do you also know, or at least feel, that this isn’t the best way to run an organization?

Then the obvious next question is: How do we change this?

Step-by-Step Guidance: Facilitating the “Rules” Module in a Workshop

Here’s a suggested approach to working with these rules. Use it as a guideline—but feel free to adapt it to your context. If you’re unsure how to proceed, consult with an organizational development expert—or reach out to us.

Select relevant rules

Choose the rules that resonate with your experience and that you’d like to explore further with your team. We recommend to limit the number of rules to max 20.

Prepare two print versions

A full list of selected rules (on paper or as a slide)
Each rule individually printed on cards

Introduce the topic with a story

Present the rules to your team through a short narrative to create emotional and cognitive access. We suggest this framing:

A new employee joins the company. In addition to the official onboarding, they begin to notice the unwritten rules—the things that really matter in the organization. To make sense of it all, they start writing them down. You found their notes—and now you’re looking at them together.
Also explain: Each of these rules originally came from a good intention. But even good intentions can turn into something harmful when taken too far or applied without reflection.

Give time to read & observe reactions

Allow participants to read the rules silently. Watch how they react—there may be laughter, surprise, discomfort, or even disbelief.

Evaluate how present the rules are

Ask the team to assess how often they experience these rules in daily life. Use a 5-point scale ranging from “not at all” to “every day.” Any digital survey tool will do (e.g. MS Forms, Netigate, etc.).

Go for a walk in pairs

Send participants out in pairs for a reflective walk. Offer guiding questions, such as:

How did you feel while reading the rules?
To what extent do these rules reflect behaviors you see—in others or yourself?
Are there any rules you would add?
How do these patterns affect collaboration and performance?

Debrief the walk

Back in the room, ask them to share key insights or observations from their walk.

Small group work

Divide into small groups (3-5 people). Each group randomly draws 5 rule cards and works on the following:

Collect concrete examples Note real-life instances—big or small—where this rule seemed to apply. These could be subtle signs, obvious moments, or repeated patterns. Use sticky notes to document them. If a group can’t think of any real examples, invite them to imagine plausible scenarios and mark these with an “i” for “imagined.”
Reflect on the impact How does this behavior affect team collaboration and performance?
Explore the good reasons Discuss the possible positive intent or underlying need behind the behavior.
Redesign the behavior How can the positive intention be preserved, while replacing the toxic behavior with a healthier, more constructive one? Also discuss how to keep the new behavior balanced, so it doesn’t flip into something negative again.
Document findings Use a shared board or flip chart to record the group’s reflections and ideas.

Each group presents their findings. Invite others to add comments, share similar examples, or ask clarifying questions.

Set short-term focus

Identify 1-3 rules that the team wants to focus on in the next few weeks. Define clear actions to reduce their negative impact or transform them into something positive. Schedule a check-in or retrospective to reflect on progress and adjust as needed.

Continue the process over time

This isn’t a one-off activity. Continue working through more rules in the coming weeks and months.

Need support?

A complete facilitation guide
Survey templates
Rule card templates
or any other support We’re happy to help.