You’re speeding toward a goal when you hear sounds that make the brakes squeal: “The procedures don’t allow this.” “It will take months to process.” “Submit more forms.” Or worse, you request cooperation but don��t get a response. You curse petty bureaucrats for causing the screeching halt. You wonder if you should offer favors or pull strings to get things moving again. But if you call on cronyism, you perpetuate the problem: a vicious cycle of powerlessness that undermines organizational effectiveness.
A version of this article appeared in the July–August 2010 issue of Harvard Business Review.
