We have undertaken a lot of work this year where organizations have benefited significantly from using our collaborative policy formation approach. It is very simple, but still all too often senior managers write a policy, and then seek to have it adopted ‘down through the ranks’ and wonder why there is a low ownership rate.

The process we use is as follows:

• Gather all relevant people together and rough out the key elements
  of a first draft. Make sure that you canvas widely the key elements of
  the policy and gather all people’s ideas on the detail of each element.
• This is then given to a small group to support through to adoption.
  The group is selected at this first meeting. They write the policy up in
  a first draft incorporating any other additional information required -
  such as legislative requirement or broader organizational policy.
• This is then taken back to the original participants for feedback.
  You may be surprised how few drafts needed - because of the ‘magic’ of
  having all people involved in the first round!