How to Sabotage Productivity

During World War II the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of today’s CIA, distributed a secret pamphlet titled the ‘Simple Sabotage Field Manual’ which provided instructions for how everyday people living in Germany or occupied areas could help the Allies weaken their Axis-run country by appearing to be working hard but actual hinder production in factories, offices, and transportation lines.

These were designed to intentionally slow down or limit production and undermine productivity; things the OSS wanted done to sabotage the enemy. The list is a great reminder of how easily productivity and order can be undercut by things that seem like legitimate work. As leaders we have to be ever watchful that we aren’t unintentionally sabotaging our own productivity through some of these behaviors.

Below are some highlights taken from a Business Insider article on the methods used by the CIA to sabotage productivity. ?

Any of us working on Continuous Improvement, or in Corporate America for that matter, have seen these behaviors or ones like them practiced routinely at all levels of organizations and types of companies.

How to be the worst possible leader

• Insist on doing everything through "channels." Never permit short-cuts to be taken in order to expedite decisions.

• When possible, refer all matters to committees, for "further study and consideration." Attempt to make the committee as large as possible —never less than five.
• Haggle over precise wordings of communications, minutes, resolutions.
• Refer back to matters decided upon at the last meeting and attempt to re-open the question of the advisability of that decision.
• Advocate "caution." Be "reasonable" and urge your fellow-conferees to be "reasonable"and avoid haste which might result in embarrassments or difficulties later on.

How to be a terrible manager

• Hold conferences when there is more critical work to be done.
• Multiply the procedures and clearances involved in issuing instructions, pay checks, and so on. See that three people have to approve everything where one would do.

How to be a bad employee

• Do your work poorly and blame it on bad tools, machinery, or equipment. Complain that these things are preventing you from doing your job right.

• Never pass on your skill and experience to a new or less skillful worker.
• Contrive as many interruptions to your work as you can.