The Perils of Petty Priorities: Parkinson's Law of Trivialities

I believe it was one of my friends at AMSOIL that first told me abut Parkinson's Law. Parkinson's Law of Trivialities, also known as the "bike-shed effect," is a concept articulated by British naval historian and author Cyril Northcote Parkinson in his 1957 book "Parkinson's Law, and Other Studies in Administration." This law suggests that organizations give disproportionate weight and attention to trivial issues while neglecting more complex and significant ones. 

The metaphor of the "bike-shed" comes from an example where a committee spends an inordinate amount of time discussing the relatively simple and inexpensive task of building a bike shed while glossing over more critical and complex projects, like constructing a nuclear power plant. I'd been in a meeting that derailed like that, and it was nice to have a name for what had happened.

This phenomenon occurs because individuals feel more comfortable and competent discussing simple, familiar issues where they can easily offer opinions and suggestions. In contrast, complex problems often require specialized knowledge and carry higher stakes, leading to discomfort and reluctance to engage deeply. As a result, trivial matters receive excessive attention and debate, while significant issues may be insufficiently addressed or sidelined altogether.

The implications of Parkinson's Law of Trivialities are profound for organizational efficiency and decision-making. What's needed are leaders aware of this tendency who can actively steer discussions toward defined objectives. Complex issues take time and expertise to unravel. Effective leaders will notice when trivial distractions are overshadowing more critical matters.

In practical terms, the bike-shed effect can be blunted by setting clear agendas and prioritizing issues based on their importance and impact. By recognizing and addressing Parkinson's Law of Trivialities, organizations can waste less time while improve decision-making processes. 

Parkinson also proposed a rule about the efficiency of administrative councils. He defined a "coefficient of inefficiency" with the number of members as the main determining variable. This is a semi-humorous attempt to define the size at which a committee or other decision-making body becomes completely inefficient, a notio that brings to mind a G.K. Chesterton ditty that David Ogilvy shared in one of his books:

     "I've searched all the parks in all the cities
       and found no statues to committees." 

Related Links

The Bus to Abilene

Wiki List of Eponymous Laws