How to survive office bureaucracy and politics
I was invited by Stylist to collaborate on their article '7 time sucks that are keeping you late at work' which is where the kernel of this newsletter began.?
Terry Gilliam's dystopian masterpiece Brazil depicts a society suffocated by bureaucracy, where responsibility is endlessly deferred, and nothing can happen without the right paperwork.??
The infamous "Form 27B/6" looms large—a seemingly essential document that's impossible to obtain, leaving characters trapped in a web of inefficiency and red tape.?
Sometimes modern work feels like a lot like tracking down a 27B/6...
Systemic and cultural complications
Unclear hierarchies, untamed politics and unnecessary bureaucracy drain people's time and energy.
But it's not always clear how to untangle the mess.
When we're working with companies we like to think about there being two different types of complications: systemic and cultural.?
Systems are the way things should get done, culture is the way things actually get done.
Systemic complications are related to structure, hierarchy and process
e.g. Formal approval processes, PO forms that must be filled, roles and responsibilities.?
A good system ensures everyone knows what to do, how to do it and makes everyone's life easier. Too much structure however can be stifling.?
When the system hasn't been set up effectively we're left in limbo waiting for simple things to be approved, sent round the houses to get something signed, or left confused by who is actually accountable for what. (Remember, when everyone is accountable, no-one is accountable!)
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Cultural complications are related to norms and expectations
e.g. "Right Way to Ask" dynamics, fear of challenging the status quo, shirking and blaming instead of taking accountability.?
The culture will impact how safe we feel to challenge the systems and processes, to voice concerns or propose improvements, and to take ownership of decisions without fear of reprisal or judgement.?
As such we might not know who is the right person to ask or take action when we know we should
In an ideal world, the system and culture are in sync, but in reality they are at odds with one another. There might technically be a formal process to getting something signed off, but actually you really need to get so-and-so's approval.
Navigating this is not only time consuming but energy draining.
So what can you do?
As a company leader
If you have some control over the culture, you need to root out any discrepancy where the system is telling employees one thing and the culture is telling them another.
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You can't have invisible gatekeepers with informal power.
You can't say that people are treated equally but bend for the people that shout the loudest.
And you can't tell people they need to follow processes but reward them when they "take the initiative" and break the rules.
You need to make sure that the system and culture are giving the same signals.
If you need help on this, hit reply.
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As a manager
Your 121s are an opportunity to build psychological safety with your team and ask them candidly about what is getting in their way and sucking up their time.
You might be able to provide clarity on who actually has jurisdiction over what; which tasks they can own and get on with and which they should prioritise; and you may need to have a conversation on their behalf.
Use your position to unblock some of bureaucracy which would be more challenging for them to address.
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As an employee
Whilst this is far from ideal, the reality is that understanding the cultural norms is more important than following the systemic processes.??
You need to find out how things actually work, whose favour you need to curry and even how much trouble you'll get in for not following the rules.?
If the culture values entrepreneurialism you might be okay to make the decision without technically having checked. But if you're in a heavy blame and shame culture, you'd best wait for that signature.
That's the important first-aid survival step.
The practical advice is to chat with your manager and get them on board to help protect your time (and sanity) by asking them to follow the above.
All this is to say that whilst it's important to know how things should get done - the forms, hoops and processes you need to follow - you also need to understand the culture and how things actually get done.??
And remember most processes are created for a reason - I don't want any of you to land in prison for not filing your taxes...
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