Break the rules!

Belgian novelist Georges Simenon is a giant of European literature. Known for the creation of the legendary Commissaire Maigret, Simenon wrote tens of novels and is one of the most popular authors of the 20th-century.

As he once shared in an interview, his extraordinary success was significantly influenced by several people who helped him during his formative years. Among the stories he told, some particularly stand out.

The first is about a librarian in his native town of Liège, Belgium. When the very young Georges visited the public library, the librarian allowed him to take more books than the standard allowance—sometimes nine or ten instead of the usual two per week. Moreover, the librarian permitted him to borrow books typically deemed ‘unsuitable’ for a child, such as Russian novels by Tolstoy or Dostoevsky. 

This act of bending the rules marked the beginning of Simenon's extraordinary career.

Stanford GSB Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer mentions breaking the rules as one key way to gain power. In his book "7 Rules of Power," he suggests how breaking established norms, rules, and social conventions can make individuals appear more powerful and grab others' attention.

Breaking the rules can mean different things and lead to multiple actions: from doing something unexpected, to doing something without asking permission, to asking for unexpected things. The common point is that by breaking rules, it is possible to change the power relations in place. As Prof. Pfeffer says, ‘Rules tend to favor the already strong.’ That is why breaking the rules can be empowering.

A story from another legend, director Francis Ford Coppola, illustrates the benefits of rule-breaking. During the casting of "The Godfather," the studio opposed Coppola's choice of Marlon Brando for Don Corleone. To convince the production, Coppola recorded Brando performing as Don Corleone and bypassed the usual channels, taking the tape directly to the highest authority in the studio. We all know how that turned out…

Back to Liège...

Let's come back to young Simenon in Liège. There is an intriguing lesson in the librarian’s approach to Simenon. While the librarian clearly broke some rules, he did not do so for personal gain. Instead, he broke the rules to benefit someone else. 

Did he spot an unusual interest in literature in the young Simenon? Probably. Was he able to detect a rare talent in that little kid? Maybe not. Regardless, his willingness to bend the rules empowered Simenon and contributed to his future achievements.

Is there anything we can learn from this story and apply to our lives? I think so, and this is extremely relevant especially for those in a leadership position.

Leaders must empower their teams and allow them to thrive. When in leadership roles, we should ask: what is constraining my team from unleashing their potential? Is there any unnecessary rule that we can remove for them to succeed?

Of course, not all rules should be broken. We should target those that are ineffective. When a rule creates unnecessary friction, it is better to eliminate it. 

Removing such rules can be an act of generosity and a demonstration of leadership.

Luckily, there are some simple and actionable steps to detect unnecessary rules and empower teammates:

• Listen carefully
• Exercise perspective-getting
• Observe attentively
• Ask many questions and seek diverse perspectives
• Ask ourselves: is there anything I ignore? 
• Suspend judgment
• Trust others

Should we look at rules as irritating roadblocks or consider them as opportunities for us to unlock our or other people’s potential and provide opportunities? 

Breaking the rules as way to unleash potential resonates with my vision of coaching as a path to discover the multitudes we contain.

What rules have you broken for you or for others? What rules can we break to unleash people’s potential?

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My name is Matteo. As all of you, I contain multitudes.

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Matteo