I think you're engaging in some dichotomous thinking. I'm not making the claim you'd have to have "control over the entire process". What I'm cautioning against is just looking to the tail end of a process and assuming that's where you need to add leverage.
Even in your examples, yes, you have to work with other teams. "Control" doesn't mean you have dictatorial control over those teams. But it does sometimes mean you have build relationships, leverage what you can, and explain the value to those that do have some modicum of control. The idea that we just throw our hands up and jump to workarounds is often an excuse for taking the short-term easy at the expense of a better long-term solution.
Even in your examples, yes, you have to work with other teams. "Control" doesn't mean you have dictatorial control over those teams. But it does sometimes mean you have build relationships, leverage what you can, and explain the value to those that do have some modicum of control. The idea that we just throw our hands up and jump to workarounds is often an excuse for taking the short-term easy at the expense of a better long-term solution.