There is a tendency in organizations to associate quality with rigidity—the more control, the better the outcome. But experience tells us otherwise. When detailed reporting steals time from value creation, when internal communication must follow unnecessarily strict formats, or when approval processes drag on, we lose focus on what truly matters. Instead of leading people toward goals, we become trapped in the process itself, treating it as an end rather than a means.
This problem is not new. When we cling to old processes out of fear of losing control, we simultaneously limit the freedom of those we rely on to achieve results. The same principle exists in Zen Buddhism, where attachment to the existing—whether it’s ego, rules, or systems—often leads to suffering rather than growth. Just as a river finds the easiest path through the landscape, we should allow work to find its most natural flow within the organization.
Control Provides Security
So why does this happen? One reason is that control gives a sense of security. When leaders have full oversight of how things are done, we feel comfortable. It creates the illusion that we have control over the outcome. The problem is that micromanagement often removes employees’ ownership of their work. And when people aren’t given the opportunity to use their own judgment, much of their engagement and innovation disappears.
Just as a river finds the easiest path through the landscape, we should allow work to find its most natural flow within the organization.
Many organizations also carry rigid systems from a time when hierarchy, stability, and predictability were more important than agility and adaptability. We know the world is changing faster than ever, yet we continue to follow rules and procedures designed for a different time and a different reality.
When Reporting Becomes an End in Itself
The result is that we spend time and energy on process rather than on what actually creates value. One of the clearest examples is excessive reporting. In many companies, employees spend a significant part of their workday documenting their tasks, often in systems that no one actually reads. Reports are important, but when they become an end rather than a tool for learning and improvement, we have lost our way. A simple question we can ask ourselves as leaders is this: What do we actually use this information for? If the answer is unclear, it may be time to reconsider our reporting requirements.
Another issue arises when organizations impose strict requirements on how employees communicate. We’ve all seen cases where an important message is rejected or delayed because it wasn’t written in the correct format or didn’t use the right template. When leaders focus more on form than content, we contribute to a corporate culture where employees are more concerned with avoiding mistakes than thinking independently. Again, we should ask ourselves: Is the goal clear and effective communication, or rigid adherence to procedures?
The third major obstacle we create is unnecessary decision-making hierarchy. Many employees experience that they must go through multiple layers of management to get approval for initiatives that could have been implemented immediately. When processes become so cumbersome that approval takes longer than execution, we risk slowing down both innovation and motivation. For an employee, it is demotivating to know that a good idea will be stuck in a queue with leadership. In such a situation, we as leaders should ask ourselves: Why does this decision need to be made by me? Could the responsibility be closer to those actually doing the work?
From Gatekeepers to Bridge Builders
The solution lies in shifting from control to trust. Instead of being gatekeepers of process, we must become bridge builders for results. This means defining clear goals but allowing employees to determine the best way to achieve them. An organization that trusts its employees gives them the freedom to use their skills and experience to solve tasks in the most effective way. This doesn’t mean eliminating all processes, but ensuring that the processes we have truly serve their purpose.
What is not useful is a burden.
—Marcus Aurelius
As Marcus Aurelius wrote: “What is not useful is a burden. Let it fall away.” This is an insight we should apply to our own leadership. We must continually evaluate which processes create value and which exist simply because “they have always been there.” When we prioritize people over procedures and results over rigidity, we don’t just create better workplaces—we create better outcomes.
TL;DR
If we as leaders insist on rigid processes, we risk standing in the way of the very results we seek to achieve. When we spend time on unnecessary reporting, complicate internal communication more than necessary, or create cumbersome decision-making processes, we weaken our organization’s ability to deliver value. It’s time to challenge this mindset. We must dare to let go of what is not useful, trust the people we lead, and let results be our measure of success.
