Head Banging?

I use this picture in every presentation I give about dealing with government. The picture never fails – heads nod, eyes roll and I even hear the occasional laugh. I’m never sure whether the laughs are saying “that’s funny”, “if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry”, or even “if I don’t laugh, I’ll start banging my head right now.”

Dealing with any large bureaucracy is often hard work. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a company, a charity or government. Partly because large organizations tend to attract risk-averse employees. People who want to know the limits of their role and what they will be doing each day.

Entrepreneurs who have to deal with government, on the other hand, enjoy the freedom of forging their own paths.

Navigating between risk-averse employees of large organisations and entrepreneurs is like having a foot each side of a moving chasm. Personally, I enjoy it, but then I also enjoy mountaineering, where I actually traverse chasms in glaciers.

There are a few things to keep in mind when dealing with large organisations:

·???????????? they move slowly (but will paradoxically allow you very short timeframes to respond to them)

·???????????? they are rarely “out to get you”

·???????????? their individual cogs, or sections, each view themselves as a distinct microbusiness, rather than part of a whole.

·???????????? the decision that is hurting you, or your business, right now was probably made because they just didn’t think of you – you’re not on their radar

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The solution? Patience, persistence and professionalism. Politely explain to them the impact their decision is having on you, have a solution ready, and keep at it.

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This article comes from my column entitled "Here to Help" in Hunter Local, July 2024. If you have an everyday problem just begging for a simple, real world solution, send it to "Here to Help" and let's see what we can achieve.

Elaine Abery has a closet full of great ideas and empowering solutions. She’s also the Director of Unravelling Red Tape, a company dedicated to helping everyday people, not-for-profits and companies change the world through improved decision-making and legislation.

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#redtape, #governmentrelations, #flood, #government, #simplesolutions, #regulation, #governmentconsultation

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