Opportunities or Constraints

How do you look at the rules and regulations you are subject to on a daily basis in your work environment? Do you see them as constraints restricting your ability to achieve great things or opportunities to do great things within the boundaries of the rules and regulations?

It doesn?t really matter whether you are working in the private sector or the public sector or an entrepreneur or a single shingle performer there are always rules and regulations. You are never in an environment that doesn?t have rules and regulations that you need to be aware of. Where do all these rules come from and are they locked in stone? All rules and regulations have been created by humans. The good news is that if a human created a rule or regulation a human can also change that rule or regulation. Some rules and regulations are much more difficult to change than others. If, for example, you want to change a public law there is a specific way to do that and it may be more trouble than it?s worth but still changeable.

What about all those rules and regulations at work, are they changeable? You may find that the rules and regulations at your place of work seem locked in stone but they are not, there is always a process to go through to try to make changes. However, let?s look at this from a different viewpoint. I suggest that just to see how much room you have to achieve great things in your organizational setting take the following steps:

???????Make a list of all the things that you want to do to achieve great things in your organization but are unable to do because of rules and regulations.

???????Make a list of all the things you can do to achieve great things in your organization within the constraints of the rules and regulations.

Which list is longer?

The point of taking a good look at what you have been seeing as constraints is that when you take this closer look you may find that there are actually more opportunities than constraints.

If we are not careful we can get acclimated to all the rules and regulations and focus on what we can?t do when in fact in most organizations, there is plenty of room for innovation and plenty of room for each of us to make significant contributions. Remember also that the rules and regulations were established by a human and can be changed by a human.

I encourage you to always look at what can be done within the constraints of your organization as opposed to what can?t be done and get on with achieving your dreams.

Look for possibilities and let me know if you need help.