When I Respected Everyone's Opinions, Operations Became Chaotic!

We should respect what people have to say.
In the context of human rights, there is hardly anyone who would deny this (though there are quite a few who just pay lip service to it).

However, in the realm of operations, once you start respecting what people have to say, work becomes complicated. This is because for an organization—or more specifically, for each individual—what they want to do is different.

For example, suppose there is an operation to transport luggage by train from Tokyo Station to Shinjuku Station, and the start and end points are fixed.

Here, a suggestion was made: "Since we're passing through on the way anyway, wouldn't it be efficient if we could carry other luggage too?"
That is a very good idea.

Then Person A speaks up: "It would be a huge help if you could take the luggage I have in Ikebukuro with you!"

And Person B also said: "There is luggage at Shinagawa Station for our company's most important client, so I want you to pick that up and go to Shinjuku!"

The requirements have become diametrically opposed. One of them needs to give up. However, neither will back down. Both of them say, "My luggage is more important!!".

Person A's luggage is for "delivering a finished product to Ikebukuro."
On the other hand, Person B's luggage is for "receiving product materials at Shinagawa."

Because the objectives and the way of thinking about priority are completely different, it is impossible to judge which is more beneficial for the company. And the troublesome part is that both requests (= the "opinions" referred to in this topic) are indeed things that should be respected.

Then Person C said:

"In that case, why don't you go to Ikebukuro first, then head to Shinagawa on the Shonan-Shinjuku Line, and finally return to Shinjuku? The Shonan-Shinjuku Line only stops at major stations, so it shouldn't take that long!"

Oh, nice idea!! Yay, yay.

And six months after that operation began...
Person D says:
"If you've gone as far as Shinagawa, go get the invoices and receipts from the branch office in Aomono-yokocho too! It's close, so it shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Uh... isn't that a back-office job? Are we supposed to do that?

Then Person D continues, looking slightly angry: "There are only two people in General Affairs. Plus, the accounting deadline is so early that we're always barely making it to Aomono-yokocho to pick them up. Try to understand the situation!"

I see... Well, it seems like it would be better to respect that situation (= opinion). So, while we're at it, we decided to stop by Aomono-yokocho on the Keikyu Line when going to Shinagawa.

And, one year later—.

Person E says with an apologetic look:
"I heard a rumor that the 'train tour operation' is going as far as Aomono-yokocho now, right? In that case... could you stop by Haneda too? Actually, my department always has trouble with the handover of luggage for overseas business trips... it would be a huge help if we could pick it up at Haneda."

No explanation is needed anymore.
If you keep respecting everyone's individual circumstances, work doesn't just become complicated; it becomes the height of inefficiency.

And this is no joke. This kind of situation inevitably occurs in every company. That is because the modern atmosphere of trying to respect opinions (requests) as much as possible lies at the root of it.

In that atmosphere, if you try to rationally dismiss it by saying, "Isn't it a waste to go from Ikebukuro to Shinagawa!", you could easily end up being accused of harassment.

So, what should you do?

You should periodically check whether the work is in a state that can be intuitively understood.

The initial work was very simple.
"Transport luggage from Tokyo to Shinjuku"—anyone can understand the content in a single phrase.

However, as a result of continuing to respect opinions and complicating things, the work name became known as "Train Circuit Operation."
By now, the means have become the work name itself, and "what this job is actually doing" can no longer be intuitively understood.

And so, the "ghost task" created by adding requirements and opinions one after another eventually becomes untouchable.
No one can explain the contents, no one can oppose it, and no one can stop it. That is precisely why, before it reaches that point,

a periodic inspection of "Is this work intuitively understandable?" is necessary.

What, it's already become untouchable and there's nothing you can do?
—My condolences. There is no prescription. Only surgery will do.

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