Policy Versus Procedure: Know Which Problem You Are Solving
Distinguish policy from procedure and explain why mixing them weakens accountability.
A policy is the rule. A procedure is the route. You need both, but they do different jobs. Policy answers what must happen and who is accountable. Procedure answers how the work gets done in the current operating environment. Mixing the two weakens governance. When a mandatory control is hidden inside screenshots and workflow notes, people forget which lines are negotiable. When procedures are treated like untouchable policy, teams keep brittle steps long after systems change. The clean split is also useful during audits. Reviewers can test whether the rule is clear, then test whether the procedure achieves it. That…
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