Dakota tribal wisdom says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. However, in organizations like governments, hospitals, large companies, school districts, etc. (i.e. bureaucracies), we often try other strategies. These can include the following:

·         Buying a stronger whip.

·         Changing riders.

·         Appointing a committee to study the horse.

·         Arranging to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.

·         Increasing the standards to ride dead horses.

·         Appointing a team to revive the dead horse.

·         Creating a training session to increase our riding ability.

·         Comparing the state of dead horses in today's environment.

·         Pass a resolution declaring that "this horse is not dead".

·         Blaming the horse's parents.

·         Harnessing several dead horses together for increased speed.

·         Declaring that, "No horse is too dead to beat."

·         Providing additional funding to increase the horse's performance.

·         Do a study to see if contractors can ride it cheaper.

·         Declare the horse is "better, faster, and cheaper" dead.

·         Form a quality circle to find uses for dead horses.

·         Revisit the performance requirements for horses.

·         Say this horse was procured with cost as an independent variable.

·         Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position.