The Busting Bureaucracy Hackathon

Phase 3: Ideas for Busting Bureaucracy (Part 1)

Implied Positive Consent - Flip bureaucractic mindset on its head

By Prashant Desai on July 14, 2021

As many of you are aware that traditional bureaucracy operates as "permission to act". Employees are conditioned by management to always seek permission/approval before they act. In order words, there is implied negative consent and positive consent has to be explicitly sought.
One of the approach to bust this is to flip this mindset on its head.

Promote a culture of implied positive consent where employees will always act as appropriate. Management or approver can explicitly negate and rollback the action if needed. I think this will bring out a pattern wherein negating actions will not be readily taken unless the action taken is detrimental to the organization's well being. This approach will free up lot of management cycles wasted in bureaucracy and empower individuals at all levels in the organization.

First Steps 

Create a tracking system to log actions. Initiator will log the action needed and executer will execute on the action.
Auditors/Approvers can review this action log and negate the action if needed.
This approach will remove approvers from critical path and make them effective course correcter. Thereby empowering all members of the organization promoting enjoyment and eliminating waste.

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