It is curious that in Chess, the least powerful piece that is, the one with the fewest degrees of freedom (i.e., directions and distance in which to move), is the one capable of ultimately achieving the most power! A pawn that has successfully crossed the board, overcoming obstacles in its path, may be exchanged for a queen, which is capable of moving in any direction in order to achieve its goal– checkmate.
The Law of Requisite Variety is that in any system, man or machine, the element with the greatest variability is the controlling element. This means that the more choices of behavior you as an individual have in a given situation, the greater the likelihood of succeeding in that situation. If you are driving toward a destination and a tree falls in your path, the likelihood of your arrival directly depends on whether or not you are aware of another route to travel! If you are changing or repairing an object or system, and fail at some point, it is useful to be able to try another application.
When trying to persuade someone as to the value of your position, it helps if you have a variety of “convincer” tools handy. Each success represents the formation of resources you can use to form new understandings in totally different situations. Learning addition gives a child a tool for multiplication. Assembling toys helps develop decision strategies that may be important in other contexts. Listening and responding to others may lead to the development of negotiating skills; and ultimately, powerful persuasive techniques.
Use your resources at work to increase the choices available to you. What resources, you say? I don’t think I have any, you say? People already have the resources they need to effect change. The task is in recalling them; and organizing and using them effectively! When was the last time you were able to achieve something of value that you deemed important or satisfying? What did that look like, then? Sound like? Feel like? Take all the time you need to allow yourself the opportunity of fully having this experience. The Chess pieces with their respective values and degrees of freedom are only useful when organized to produce a successful outcome, checkmate!
Remember, a bureaucracy is actually a collection of individuals, each one a “pawn” in his own right. Some have already mastered the skills necessary to cross the board and become “queens.” Personal conflicts, managerial power plays, disputed work assignments, procedural red-tape which prevents the completion or correction of an issue, even requests for promotions, all can be treated from more than one perspective.
So instead of just sitting there with the rest of the pawns waiting to be taken, consider any moves that occur to you as worthy of playing.