The digital world is growing rapidly, and this can be overwhelming for businesses when managing issues such as accessibility, cookies, copyrights, social faux pas, data breaches/privacy, spam, and online piracy. However, the timely new book by Kristina Podnar, The Power of Digital Policy: A practical guide to minimizing risk and maximizing opportunity for your organization, helps businesses develop smart and sound digital policies through actionable, field-tested guidance.

Based on more than two decades as a digital-policy consultant, Podnar urges companies to create and maintain digital policies (regulatory compliance plus internal digital practices and standards) to achieve a competitive advantage, reduce risk, unlock opportunity, shorten approval cycles and liberate employees.  Launched with the handbook is a new Digital Policy Resource Center, a tool where companies and organizations can identify and learn about the types of digital policies and practices they should consider based on digital maturity, industry and team focus.

“Many think of digital policies as restrictive, bureaucratic red tape that slows things down and makes their jobs harder. It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, digital policies are liberating! Once everyone knows the rules, they can stop worrying -- and focus that energy on being creative and productive within the established guardrails,” said Podnar.

Effective digital policies are simple, clear statements how a business or organization will conduct its digital operations based on culture, beliefs, goals and objectives, addressing all applicable laws and regulations, incorporating detail that translates the digital strategy into actions and providing guidance to support all digital workers— employees, vendors, contractors, etc.

“Organizations today operate in a world where mistakes are easy to make, are hard to hide and can lead to serious consequences. My step-by-step roadmap meets the company or organization at its stage of policy development – starter, intermediate or expert. Unleashing the Power of Digital Policy will add clarity, freedom and value to any business or organization,” Podnar concluded.

Sound digital policies help to manage financial and legal risk from issues like data breaches, but they also can streamline operations, reduce redundant content and produce financial value. When created properly, they are the antidote to what can go wrong when organizations make up the rules as they go. The Power of Digital Policy also provides:

• Detailed instructions to develop digital policies for small, intermediate and large businesses/organizations.
• Examples and samples for entrepreneurs, freelancers and small businesses
• Guidance how to structure the team to create the digital policies.
• Reasons why CEOs and Board of Directors should be worried about digital.
• A starter guide to digital policy, as well as chapters for intermediate and expert approaches.
• A how-to guide to embed digital policy into your organization.
• Digital policy assessment tools.
• Policy samples.
• The five-day agile digital policy development approach.