Enough with the paperwork. Bloated bureaucracies stifle creativity, suppress ingenuity, slow down responsiveness, and crush aspirations. In organizations that are heavily bureaucratic, procedures are designed to meet internal requirements rather than the needs of the customer; politics—who said what to whom, who is gaining power, and who gets the credit, who the blame—overshadows everything, from clients’ needs, to inroads made by the competition, to overall organizational performance. When promotions are earned through political savvy rather than performance, people choose the political solution rather than the best answer; the “show” becomes more important than content; and rumor becomes the primary form of communication. The result is an organization that focuses inward, losing touch with reality.

To succeed, bureaucratic obstacles must be eliminated, and speed, simplicity, and continuous improvement emphasized. Operational units must remain small. People must get out of their offices and in front of customers. Ad hoc task forces, composed of multifunctional groups, should be set up to tackle issues; ideas should be chosen based on merit rather than on an individual’s place in the pecking order; and activities that do not add value to the client should be eliminated.

Have You Had It with Paperwork Demands?

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Additional Reading:
What Works Better — Obedience or Commitment?
When Rules Outweigh Common Sense
Attention Control Freaks: It’s Time to Delegate
5 Qualities of Great Leaders
It’s Time to Eliminate Bureaucracies
What Does Red Tape Cost Your Business?
Simplicity Wins. It’s That Simple.
It’s Time for a New Style of Leadership
50 Shades of Waste

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