When was the last time you were confronted by someone who said, “I’m sorry. Our policies don’t allow that?” I’m sure you’ve found yourself agreeing to a long set of terms and conditions just to use some organization’s website. Then there are companies that say, “We’re here to help you in any way we can,” as long it’s on their terms. If you were an alien landing on earth, you might conclude that nothing was allowed unless there was a rule permitting it.
Sadly, we have become a society of rules that try to anticipate every possibility and exception. This, of course, is a losing battle, but one that the bureaucrats enjoin by creating a new policy every time an exception arises. All of this, of course, discourages the sense of reason and critical thinking we humans were born to use.
So what did we do before this present environment of rules for everything? We used our common sense. Chances are, you’ve thought to yourself any number of times, “Well that’s just common sense,” especially when the solution seems obvious. This is true regardless of age or experience. Yet we are still stopped by rules and regs that seem to defy logic. Fact is, I find that the least consequential situations have some of the silliest rules.
Some people argue that there is no such thing as common sense. But there are established principles which have come to be known as “rules of thumb.” No one knows the exact origin of this term. But if you search for it on Google the first definition you’ll find is “an approximate method for doing something, based on practical experience rather than theory.” Note the word approximate. There is no perfect solution for most problems. But we all generally come to the same approximate solution for common challenges. If 99 people solve a problem basically the same way, then that solution is considered a rule of thumb. Right?
So, what is the solution to battling the gauntlet of rules that confront us daily, especially when a rule of thumb approach seems obvious but is blocked an illogical policy? I have three strategies that work for me quite well.
First, ignore it. I am basically law-abiding citizen. This means I generally follow the rules if they are reasonable. (I stop for red lights in the middle of the night, even if there’s no one within three miles.) Even when a rule or policy doesn’t make immediate sense, I try to give the organization, or the person enforcing it, the benefit of the doubt. But we all have a threshold of what we consider reasonable. When I pass that threshold, I ignore the rule, provided it is not going to impact anyone else. If it might, I will announce my intentions to those around me. You’d be surprised at the number who follow my lead.
Second, ask “Why?” Little kids are famous for asking an endless series of “whys” when they are told they can’t have something they desire. The adult version of this is not that much different. When a rule or policy seems to be illogical, I will ask the person enforcing it why I can’t obtain the service or product or participate in the activity. Most times I get a boiler-plate explanation such as, “It’s for your safety,” or “We’re trying to be fair to everyone.” Interestingly, most people will accept this explanation with an, “Oh,” and then go away brooding about how it doesn’t make sense. I, on the other hand, tend to look at this as a challenge, even a form of entertainment. If you ask “why” in a nice way and show the person some respect, you’ll find a surprising number of people will relent or even show you a work-around you didn’t know about.
Asking “why” also avoids challenging the rule enforcer’s authority. Depending their level of confidence and self-esteem, some of these people can get rather cantankerous. (Picture the so-called rent-a-cop.) Saying something like, “That’s a stupid rule!” does not win friends. The rule enforcer is more likely to dig in his or her heels if you say something like that.
Finally, offer an alternative. If you can think of a creative way to get around the rule and still obtain your objective, why not try. Some people think of creative ideas and then discard them with the assumption that, “They’ll never go for that.” But the best thinkers know it never hurts to ask.
Try these three strategies and see if they work for you. You have my permission, although you really don’t need it. Comment below on what you do to deal with illogical rules and policies. The rest of us would like to know.