"The Compliance Illusion – Mistaking paperwork for actual safety and progress" exposes the dangerous gap between "work as imagined" (the rules) and "work as done" (reality). It critiques the modern corporate obsession with checkboxes, arguing that excessive documentation often creates a false sense of security while actively hindering real performance. Risk expert Allan Watts analyzes major industrial accidents and corporate failures where all the forms were filled out correctly, but the system still collapsed. The book distinguishes between "generative safety" (culture) and "bureaucratic safety" (cover-your-ass). It calls for a "clutter clearing" of policies that serve no purpose other than liability protection. "The Compliance Illusion" is a wake-up call for managers and safety officers. It advocates for a return to common sense and operator autonomy, showing that a thick rulebook is often a sign of a weak organization. It teaches how to measure real outcomes instead of just measuring the paperwork.