Jumping Through Hoops of Red Tape


Small Business Cartoon: Business Acquisition: Didn't You Hear?

Every company has those rules or policies that just make no sense.

I was in sales and wanted to send some promotional items to a promising potential client. I grabbed some golf balls from the supply room and was heading back to my desk when I met my supervisor in the hallway.

Excitedly I talked up my great lead and was immediately rebuffed. “Are you crazy?! Do you know how much those cost? We can’t send those out!”

I persisted, and after 20 minutes was told I’d have to fill out some paperwork. I’d know in a few weeks.

After muttering about jumping through a hoop made of red tape to a co-worker later, I sketched the above cartoon and put it in my bag to be drawn that night after work.

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Mark Anderson, professional cartoonist

About the Author: Mark Anderson’s cartoons appear in publications including The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review. Anderson is the creator of the popular cartoon website, Andertoons.com, where he licenses his cartoons for presentations, newsletters and other projects. He blogs at Andertoons cartoon blog.

8 Comments ▼

Mark Anderson Mark Anderson's cartoons appear in publications including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review. His business cartoons are available for licensing at his website, Andertoons.com.

8 Reactions
  1. Mark,

    What’s your golf handicap? How about jumping through a hoop of red tape and at the same time juggling a bunch of golf balls?! 😉 It sounds like a perfect act for a circus!

  2. Another marvelous Friday chuckle!

    I’m always amazed how human nature finds ways to stunt creativity and stop things tha are “discovered” in advance. More time is spent finding the negative vs. trying to extend the idea with positive thinking.

    Often I have found the stronger the “you can’t/shouldn’t do it” attitude is, the better the idea usually is (and should be done).

    Cheers, Grant

  3. Martin – My only handicap is in bowling, and to be honest I forgot what it is. But juggling bowling balls would be even cooler!

    Grant – Thanks so much. And I totally agree!

  4. Oh, that’s a good one I think we all can relate to! 🙂

  5. Simply a marvelous piece! It’s all about how your sub-conscious mind is programmed to believe things. Almost all of us receive idea’s on a daily basis but we do not take any action, by casting doubts from Society and Limited Beliefs. It’s about time we took a new approach.

  6. If only laughter and humour could be found around red tape!!
    Thanks for at least giving it a go

  7. Online Bowling Games

    I’m telling you…being a small business owner is probably more hassle than running a Forbes 500 company with all of the BS the state and other agencies make you deal with.