The standard can be to admit the existence of a standard

According to LessWrong, a useful strategy for managing groups with mixed standards is to separate what members must believe from what gets them punished. The core idea: require members to acknowledge that high standards are real and worth pursuing, but don't penalize them for falling short—only for being dishonest about failure. The post argues that consistent follow-through on this approach builds trust, encouraging people to admit mistakes instead of defensively redefining reality, which ultimately preserves the group's ability to see clearly.

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