Slay the bureaucratic dragons

What’s wrong with these two pictures?

Picture #1: In Pennsylvania, we’ve got antiquated liquor laws, and the state runs all the retail outlets for wine and liquors. A few years ago, state legislators finally cracked open this door and allowed for beer and wine to be sold in grocery stores.

However, grocery stores are not a place most of us wants to go these days. 

Yet the liquor stores are all closed because of coronavirus. Its online attempt failed.

At the same time, state and local governments are hemorrhaging money with almost no tax revenue (their main source) coming in. If you pay close enough attention, you hear signals that government services will be reduced. Very soon.

Wouldn’t it make sense to open up these stores? Or resolve online or grocery store bottlenecks?

Picture #2: I reached out to several collaborators about the complimentary webinar I’m offering  today. One state association—for whom I’ve spoken and extended myself a few times and who would be serving members with a mention about the valuable content—decided instead to create a barrier. 

In order for their members to learn about this free webinar, I would have to buy a membership.

What these pictures mean for you.

It’s more challenging right now to keep your finger on the pulse of what your team is doing. Policies that made sense before the quarantine now may not make sense. And our circumstances today might need new or different policies.

If you’re role is to lead a department or an organization, take the time to walk through what your service is like in today’s environment. How do you want your customers to experience your organization?

I just wrote this article while on hold with my bank for 39 minutes, in what was pledged to be a 20-minute wait. I finally realized that they are not answering the phone. No one is home at my bank. But they haven’t updated the voice mail system.

Many of us will be forgiving. At the same time, bureaucracy-driven organizations’ bureaucracy will stand out unfavorably at this time. 

Here’s your challenge this week.

• Where do you have bureaucracy in your organization?
• Where do you have nonsensical policies steering the ship?
• Do these policies make sense right now? 
• Do they need to be updated?
• What is the impact of this bureaucracy on your customer or client relationship?