management-issues discusses the need to have a Prevailing Management Philosophy:

Whether people watch you fall or rise is down to your Prevailing Management Philosophy.

So, what is the PMP's purpose? What does it look like? How do you get one?

The PMP is needed to help you make quick and useful decisions based on your chosen management style and to act as a rudder towards fulfilling your ambitions. It will ensure that you are always in control when the unexpected happens.

Your PMP is the third thing, after a short-term and long-term plan, that you can turn to when things happen that are not accounted for in the short-term and long-term plan...

Think of your PMP like a management religion. It is an arc that covers all possibilities, with a specific start and end point not written in specifics but in philosophy. You can't anticipate a divorce, but you can have a rationale that deals with what is more important, work or family. [...]

Think of your PMP like your 10 Commandments. Something that aids decision making in a few short easily remembered phrases. However, this religion is just about what you want, your strengths and your ambitions - your personal management morality handbook. Its purpose is to serve you in times of doubt to act decisively and confidently.

OK, OK, I'm thinking about my PMP already...  now to codify it.

Tags: management philosophy, planning, pmba