In history, no one has successfully gone around bureaucracy without being burdened by new rules. Instead of hating it, learn how it works to make it work for you. Marina and I have both found ways to use bureaucracy to our advantage. In high school, I discovered I had enough credits to graduate early and presented that to the school. They agreed and gave me my diploma a year early. In college, I used loopholes to transfer credits and was admitted as a junior.
Bureaucracy exists to provide consistency and structure, but it often stifles creativity and productivity – and breeds misery. In this episode, Adam investigates why we wind up with stupid rules, how to cut red tape without creating chaos, and what it takes to hack bad policies for a greater good. Available transcripts for WorkLife can be found at go.ted.com/WLtranscripts