Book: Four Workarounds

"The Four Workarounds" by Paulo Savaget

I. Core Theme: Workarounds as Innovative Problem-Solving

The central theme of the book is the power and potential of "workarounds" as creative, often unconventional solutions to problems, especially when faced with constraints, limitations, or seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The author frames workarounds not simply as temporary fixes but as a crucial form of innovation that can lead to impactful change, even societal progress.

II. Definition and Types of Workarounds:

The document does not provide a succinct definition of "workarounds," but rather illustrates them through examples. However, they can be understood as creative, resourceful, and often unconventional solutions that circumvent established rules, systems, or limitations to achieve a desired outcome. The book explores four main types:

• Piggyback: Leveraging existing systems or patterns to introduce a new element or solution. "So why not piggyback nutrients onto people’s existing dietary patterns to work around these constraints? The food fortification process consists of adding micronutrients to food items that the population is already eating." This is exemplified by the fortification of salt with iodine to combat iodine deficiency and the fortification of wheat flour with folic acid in Chile to decrease neural tube defects. The M-Pesa mobile money system in Kenya is another example of a piggyback workaround.
• Loophole: Exploiting ambiguities or using one set of rules to circumvent another. The author uses the example of Portia in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice who "turns around the wording of the contract to claim that it allows Shylock to remove one pound of Antonio’s flesh, but exactly one pound—no more, no less, and not a single drop of blood could be shed in the process. Portia’s workaround is clever and effective precisely because it doesn’t confront the brutality of the contract as a reason to nullify it. Instead it makes enforcement practically impossible." Another example is Rebecca Gomperts sailing a ship to international waters to provide safe abortions to people from countries where abortion is illegal.
• Roundabout: Indirect approaches that address underlying behaviors or beliefs to achieve a desired outcome. The example given is using tiles of Hindu gods on walls to prevent public urination in India: "If you can’t easily change people’s minds, why not tap into their belief systems to prompt them to act differently?"
• Next Best: Utilizing available or repurposed resources to create solutions, even if they are not ideal. This is illustrated by the story of Topher White, who repurposed discarded cell phones to monitor illegal logging in rainforests: "One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure." This approach focuses on the resourceful use of existing materials or technologies to address pressing problems.

III. Key Examples and Case Studies:

• Early Life Circumstance: The author's own infancy highlights the importance of workarounds in life-or-death situations: "My parents had to figure out how to save my life...Through word of mouth, they located young mothers living in favelas who generously fed me alongside their own babies."
• Albert Gonzalez: The example of the computer hacker demonstrates how deviant behavior, even criminal activity, can be a form of workaround, albeit with negative consequences.
• Iodized Salt: A classic example of a piggyback workaround, where iodine was added to salt to combat goiter.
• M-Pesa: The mobile money platform in Kenya showcases how a piggyback workaround can lead to a new business model with significant social and economic impact.
• Women on Waves: This organization's use of maritime law to provide abortions in international waters exemplifies a loophole workaround.
• The Wall of Hindu Gods: The roundabout solution of placing images of deities on walls to deter public urination in India.
• Guarani-Kaiowá Tribe: The Guarani-Kaiowá have a long history of facing forced eviction. Because their lands weren’t officially demarcated, farmers purchased their territory, and the result was many legal and physical battles.
• Topher White and Rainforest Monitoring: Repurposing discarded cell phones to monitor illegal logging.
• Bitcoin: The creation of Bitcoin as a workaround to bypass centralized financial systems and offer anonymous transactions.
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg: RBG strategically evading or redirecting questions during trials.

IV. Importance of Context and Perspective:

The book emphasizes that conformity, deviance, and morality are context-dependent. What constitutes a workaround can vary depending on the situation and the rules in place. The author illustrates this point with personal anecdotes, such as his contrasting behavior regarding jaywalking in Brazil versus Germany.

V. The Workaround Attitude:

Savaget argues that a specific mindset is crucial for identifying and implementing effective workarounds. This includes:

• Attentiveness and Inquisitiveness: A willingness to question the status quo and explore unconventional solutions. The example of the student who asked her teacher to stand on a blank piece of paper during a test illustrates this "attentive, inquisitive, and slightly cheeky disposition."
• Embracing Ambiguity: Recognizing that there may be multiple perspectives and solutions to a problem.
• Resourcefulness: Identifying and repurposing available resources.
• Challenging Assumptions: Questioning conventional wisdom and established norms. "Eshu definitely isn’t the devil, but he isn’t unequivocally benevolent either. He can both confuse and instruct us because he occupies a special place in Yoruba theology."

VI. Key Considerations for Implementing Workarounds:

• Viability: Assessing whether a workaround is practical and achievable.
• Impact: Considering the scale of the potential impact, whether individual or community-wide.
• Public Perception: Being mindful of how a workaround might be perceived by others.
• Ethical Implications: Even if legal, is the workaround morally sound?

VII. Scaling Workarounds:

The book introduces three directions for scaling workarounds: "up," "deep," or "out." Scaling "deep" means strengthening ties and embedding the workaround in its context. M-Pesa pursued both "up" (reaching different countries) and "deep" (connecting to local governments and businesses) strategies simultaneously.

VIII. Leadership and Culture:

The document touches on the importance of leadership in fostering a culture that encourages workarounds. This includes:

• Debunking the myth of the fearless, risk-taking leader.
• Promoting the ethos of "ask for forgiveness, not permission."
• Avoiding "groupthink" and encouraging diverse perspectives.

IX. Practical Application:

The author gives prompts for brainstorming and generating ideas for workarounds.

• Loophole: "Rules—and their limits—can be reinterpreted to your benefit. Like Portia in The Merchant of Venice, can you make a rule impossible to enforce?"
• Next Best: "What resources are easily immediately available? How can resources be repurposed or reinterpreted to achieve different goals?"

X. Conclusion:

"The Four Workarounds" presents a compelling argument for the importance of creative problem-solving and unconventional approaches in a world often constrained by rules, regulations, and limitations. By embracing a "workaround attitude," individuals and organizations can unlock innovative solutions and drive meaningful change.

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