Capt. Sloan: Now, the business at hand is an incubator…”Device
for developing bacterial cultures at constant
suitable temperatures.” Uh-huh, I see. That
certainly makes sense. You can’t have one.
Hawkeye: Beg your pardon?
Capt. Sloan: I checked your BEL (Basic Equipment List). This
unit has everything it’s supposed to have;
you’re not entitled to an incubator. That would
be…a luxury.
Hawkeye: We’re not asking for a jukebox or a pizza oven.
Capt. Sloan: Oh, those I can let you have.
Hawkeye and Trapper challenge Army bureaucracy to try and obtain an essential piece of medical equipment. When all efforts fail, they gate crash a press conference to pressure the general in giving their unit an incubator.
There is a perpetual frustration faced by leaders in organizations where red tape or bureaucracy gets in the way of common sense. While we all recognise the need for effective systems and structures, there are times when they become the master and not the servant of mission. I have found during these times that I have fundamentally three choices: Stay frustrated, fight the system or find creative solutions. I am rarely satisfied with “it can’t be done” or “that’s just the way it is” and will constantly endeavour to be a part of the solution, rather than feeding or fighting the problem. I think the most effective way to deal with bureaucratic red tape is not giving into what is, but discovering creative solutions and working towards what could be.
