Taming the red tape

The air at our client, a leading distributor of engineering and project management software solutions, was thick with frustration. Legacy processes were dragging the company down, forcing employees to jump through hoops just to get simple tasks done. That’s when we introduced #RuleSafari—a methodology designed to help teams track practices, wrapped in bureaucratic red tape, that are likely stifling innovation and killing morale and then work to eliminate it.

In an eye-opening workshop, cross-functional teams embarked on this safari with one mission: identify and challenge the rules that no longer served them. The team was encouraged to list existing rules, policies, and practices, including unwritten norms & habits within the organization that they believe are outdated, unnecessary, or counterproductive. Complex approval processes that turned simple policy updates into month-long sagas were exposed. Inefficiencies that were crippling lead generation and delaying critical software installations were also brought to light. The group then evaluated these rules based on their impact on the business and the work environment.

But here’s where the real magic happened— The Rule Safari didn’t stop at just exposing the wild animals in the corporate jungle. They were acted upon and simplified by slashing layers and cutting decision times drastically.

The employees realized they weren’t just tweaking processes—they were revolutionizing the way things worked. The Rule Safari didn’t just fix problems; it unleashed a wave of empowerment. Employees felt a renewed sense of ownership, and collaboration improved.

The company now strides forward with its teams aligned, energized, and ready to conquer new challenges.