The process approach in daily life, or, "Use this one weird trick!"

We all know that the "process approach" is central to the modern Quality business. But is it good for anything else? Does it help you address situations that come up outside the office?

It's helped me. Let me tell you about it.

First, I have a question. How many of you have ever been frustrated by officious bureaucrats? I'm talking about when you are asking some agent in a large organization for something that is perfectly reasonable, and he or she just keeps repeating back, "I'm sorry, I can't do that. I'm sorry, that's not our policy." How many of you have experienced exactly this situation, where you are brought to a dead stop by someone who refuses to do the reasonable thing to help you out? Can I see a show of hands?

Thanks. That's what I thought.

And I've found a way to avoid being stopped, to move forward. All I have to do is to ask my question using different words. Instead of asking, "What's wrong with you? Why can't you just do X, which is the obvious way to handle my situation?" I rephrase the exact same request and ask:

"What's your procedure for doing X?"

The key was when I realized that all the people in this position—all the unhelpful agents, all the officious bureaucrats—are saying "No" because they are following a procedure. They are, in fact, probably following a script that they are required to stick to. So instead of yelling at them, or insulting their organizations, I go on like this:

"I know that your organization must have a procedure for this kind of situation, because obviously it's going to happen from time to time. I know I can't possibly be the only person who has ever needed this. So you have a procedure but I just don't know what it is, and I don't know whom to ask. I'm sure it's some other department, and I'm sorry that I'm taking your time when it's not your area, but I don't know where to go instead. Can you please connect me with the person who normally handles my kind of situation? Thank you very much."

This approach does two things. In the first place, since I'm not attacking, the agent doesn't feel defensive and is more likely to help. In the second place, I have basically promised to go away and become someone else's problem. This is a powerful motivator. Before you know it, the clerk is telling me, "You need to talk to Mrs. Ipswich about that. Here, I'll connect you."

And I'm on my way.