Smithsonian.com

Q: How many middle managers does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Let me check with my boss.

Making decisions in corporate environments is a human Rube Goldberg devise. Messages get passed up and down the chains (shackles, if we’re being honest with our terminology) of command, an endless game of political telephone. All the while, time, talent, and money is thrown at the many extraneous moving pieces.

I think this is one of the reasons so many people dream of going out on their own: so that they can make a decision all by themselves, without any memos or CCs or scheduled meetings. Sweet freedom is the ability to change your own silly light bulbs.

(c) Jessica Hagy, 2012