You missed the quarterly target by 3%. The new hire quit after two weeks, and a key client complained about response time.
Each feels like an isolated incident. Something to fix and move on from.
But step back. Look at the pattern.
The missed target follows three quarters of “almost there.” The quick departure mirrors four others this year. The client complaint echoes feedback you’ve been getting for months.
Harvard Business School research shows executives spend 23% of their time firefighting incidents while ignoring the systems that create them. We’re wired to solve the immediate problem, not examine why it keeps happening.
The difference between incident and systemic isn’t the event—it’s the frequency and your response to it.
An incident gets a band-aid. A system problem gets surgery.
When you catch yourself saying “this won’t happen again” for the third time about the same type of issue, you’ve crossed the line. The problem isn’t the problem anymore. Your tolerance for it is.
Great leaders distinguish between noise and signal. They know the difference between fixing and preventing.
The question isn’t whether you can solve today’s crisis. It’s whether you’re brave enough to prevent tomorrow’s.
