continuum-of-problem-solving

What I'm Thinking About The continuum of Problem-solving:

You solve the visible problem.

You solve the problem that caused the visible problem.

You avoid the problem.

When solving visible problems, it's easy to signal value creation to others. If you work in a large organization with a regular paycheck, few people ask if the problems should exist in the first place. Instead, everyone thinks you're indispensable because you're so busy solving problems.

As you move toward avoiding problems before they happen, visibility decreases. Explaining what you do all day becomes harder and more subjective. Rewarding people for something that didn't happen is very difficult. Thus, it becomes risky for the employee to avoid problems.

Entrepreneurs (and others with skin in the game) naturally move away from the visible problems and into the invisible ones. When you have something to lose, you care less about signalling and more about outcomes