Wig Wag, w.r.t. sticking to the Ops Manual.
A wise old FltOpsDir once told me to never forget that Ops Manuals are usually loosely worded in order to allow, if needs be, for the Captain to exercise maximum lattitude in his/her aeronautical deliberations ( err, normally to provide the best Commercial outcome ? ) but where however the primary purpose of the Manual is to protect the company's arse, not the pilots; Veritably damned if you do, and if you don't.
He then told me to know the OpsManual both inside out and backwards and forwards, and always ask yourself why certain things within it are written as they are - and what that really mean to you !