Some tell-tale signs could be things like team leads or 1st-line managers who are unauthorized to instigate minor equipment purchases, travel, or staffing changes. Consider the overhead associated with drafting, implementing, maintaining, and administering these policies. Is this overhead contributing to the customer experience or the bottom line?
Doubtful.
These restrictive policies would be unnecessary if your staff was genuinely accountable for their actions, or inactions. Replacing these restrictions with accountability would create an environment more conducive to nimble decision-making and would free up resources that could be used to enhance your product line or your customer experience.
