The key is to remember that there is a reason. And the importance is not to forget or bypass the reason. When the reason is lost, that is when the wheel needs to be (frantically) reinvented - to say the least.
That is why we need to keep our eyes open and question. The point of questioning is not to find fault, but to find whether it is the best available thing to fit the requirements. And the point of questioning is to improve matters, not just observe.
If something is being followed for long, it most probably is one of the best solutions, and answer. But the reason it is not effective is because it is not implemented correctly. And also if there are people who follow some rules and become so used to it that they dont understand why it is there. Or want to understand. That is when the reason is lost. That the implementation is wrong.
But basically, what we need to remember is, there is a reason something exists.
This may be for good/bad, but the point is, it does exist, and the it is good if we can make the best of it. Anything is good if we make the best of it.