The "Authority" Problem

I've noticed a disturbing trend in the past few years-- people in "authority positions" fabricating regulations, laws and the like.

Case in point: I was unhappy in a prior job and took steps to get another job elsewhere in the same organization. As a professional courtesy, I shared my intention with my supervisor-- so he'd know to start looking for a replacement candidate. This supervisor informed me that he had the right to prevent me from transferring to another department, thanks to a regulation in our organization, but that he wouldn't invoke it because "he was a nice guy."

I decided to follow up on that with our Human Resources department. Imagine my surprise when I learned that there was NO SUCH REGULATION. Not EVER.

I won't call this person a liar (because, like him, I'm a nice guy)-- but clearly he was repeating incorrect information he'd received from another authoritative source.

That's a serious problem, see?

Someone with "authority" over us tells us a "fact." We should independently verify such statements, but for some reason we don't. Maybe we're rushed for time and lazy-- or maybe the last time we tried to independently verify the "fact" we got accused of insubordination-- or maybe our brains just short-circuit and we confuse "authority" (as in, someone who has the right to give you orders) with "authority" (as in, Bob is an authority on Chinese mythology).

In the `60s, it was "QUESTION AUTHORITY." Today, in light of pervasive growth and changes in the field of Information Technology, I'd say "VERIFY AUTHORITY" is a more appropriate statement.