THE EASIEST ANSWER

Once upon a time, a foreign med-tech company was looking to move into a bigger office. After months of viewings, they finally found one that seemed perfect — right size, right floor, right price.

The lessor was thrilled. A multinational in the med-tech space — stable, recession-proof, and punctual with rent — what more could you ask for?

But there was one tiny wrinkle.

A small portion of the office was going to serve as a product showroom. Some of the machines they wanted to bring in used a small amount of gas for testing and demonstration. Nothing industrial — just tabletop analytical equipment, no larger than a photocopier.

The tenant came prepared. They explained, in writing and in person:

The equipment had no manufacturing capability.

It produced no noise, waste, or vibration.

The gas was used only for demonstration purposes, for a few minutes at a time.

Their current office — in another first-class building — had already approved the exact same setup.

They even invited the building admin to visit and see the setup themselves.

The admin declined.

The answer remained a flat “No — all flammable materials are prohibited.”

No inspection. No discussion. No curiosity.

The Deeper Problem

Ironically, the building was 80% vacant.

Perhaps the admin preferred to keep it that way — fewer tenants, fewer problems, fewer things to explain to management.

And that’s really the heart of it: in many offices, the easiest way to stay “safe” is to say no.

Because saying yes requires accountability.

It requires understanding, judgment, and sometimes — courage.

Saying no, on the other hand, is effortless.

It protects your job, your retirement package, your peace of mind.

But it kills opportunity.

The Lesson

The Lesson isn’t to ignore rules. Rules exist for safety.

But when rules are enforced without understanding, they become walls instead of safeguards.

Sometimes, what an organization truly needs isn’t another layer of policy — it’s someone willing to look first, listen first, and decide after.

Because progress rarely starts with “no.”