Quote of the Day - Problems

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong. – H. L. Menken

We have seen this illustrated daily over the last week in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Recovery involving the rescue of thousands of people in remote mountain areas is a complex problem. Yet government - on most levels, from federal to county - all offer the same clear and simple answer to the problem: let us run everything. Do not assist without prior permission and clearance from us. Most of all, respect my authoratah!

That this delays response matters not. Process uber alles. It may cost lives, but better a few people be rescued properly than many get rescued in an unseemly manner, without procedures being followed.

This bureaucratic ineptitude is not universal. In Texas and Florida, the government knows enough to get out of the way of helpful volunteers. They even facilitate them. Apparently not so much elsewhere, especially on the federal level. I would say FEMA is turning in a Keystone Kops performance, only that is unfair to the Keystone Kops.

While disaster relief is a complex problem, some straightforward guidelines exist.

• Do not micromanage. That is counterproductive in a dynamic environment.
• Guide rather than dictate. People on the ground have the closest view of what is happening, not someone in a command center.
• Be adaptable. The rules may not apply in extreme situations.
• Lead people, don't drive them. Most folks can figure out the right thing to do once the direction is pointed out.

Finally, embrace "the suck." Accept the fact that things are going to go sideways regardless of your actions. Do not let that discourage you. Instead accept the challenges and complexity that a disaster entails. Own it and look for solutions, not problems.