Remove the exception.
Standards do not collapse through rebellion. They erode through permission.
One small deviation feels harmless. One overlooked misalignment feels efficient. One rule bent “just this once” becomes precedent.
Exceptions compound. What begins as flexibility becomes instability.
Structural consistency requires eliminating the smallest deviation before it scales.
Remove the exception by enforcing the rule evenly, without commentary. A standard that moves is not a standard.
Maintenance Action: Identify one rule you have allowed to flex. Reinstate it today without revision or negotiation.
Consistency protects stability. Exceptions dissolve it.
