Exactly! Organizational slack - non-allocated capacity of whatever sort - is critical, especially for complex orgs like government. It absorbs shock, provides the materials for creation, and allows for preparation and response to emerging changes. It’s essential stuff! Optimization is the real enemy of effective. More waste, indeed!
I have an excellent example of the stagnation problem.
When I started working for the state in which I live (less than 10 years ago), their "direct deposit" consisted of figuring out how much was going to be deposited at each bank across everyone who worked for the (very large) department. And then cutting and mailing a check for that amount. A process, which, I'm sure, never resulted in any paychecks going into the wrong similarly-named-employee account, nosiree.
Also, a process that, in order to get signed up for, you had to have a form-in-triplicate-on-carbon-paper filled out and signed by the bank.
When I explained this to the customer service agent for the out-of-state credit union where I bank, she got real quiet for a moment, then said "we're just going to waive the direct deposit requirement for the rewards program for your account."
Exactly! Organizational slack - non-allocated capacity of whatever sort - is critical, especially for complex orgs like government. It absorbs shock, provides the materials for creation, and allows for preparation and response to emerging changes. It’s essential stuff! Optimization is the real enemy of effective. More waste, indeed!
This is encouraging me to write my “against heroes” piece
<stamping feet rising to a crescendo>
do it, do it, DO IT!
I have an excellent example of the stagnation problem.
When I started working for the state in which I live (less than 10 years ago), their "direct deposit" consisted of figuring out how much was going to be deposited at each bank across everyone who worked for the (very large) department. And then cutting and mailing a check for that amount. A process, which, I'm sure, never resulted in any paychecks going into the wrong similarly-named-employee account, nosiree.
Also, a process that, in order to get signed up for, you had to have a form-in-triplicate-on-carbon-paper filled out and signed by the bank.
When I explained this to the customer service agent for the out-of-state credit union where I bank, she got real quiet for a moment, then said "we're just going to waive the direct deposit requirement for the rewards program for your account."
This description is so bafflingly foolhardy as to be ... entirely believable. My goodness gracious.