You're looking at problems all wrong 🤔


Hey Reader!

I heard this great quote recently.

Problems are only opportunities in work clothes. - Henry J. Kaiser

As an operations person, this idea is very close to my heart.

I find people in operations roles often resent problems as if they are getting in the way of their work.

The fact is that the problems ARE your work!

This extends to technical roles as well.

Early in my career, I was complaining to an older colleague that companies were dumb for using Windows infrastructure. I said, "If we deployed a Linux infrastructure, everything would just work."

The old guy just smiled, shook his head, and said, "How do you think we make money around here? What would happen to us if everything just worked?"

Stop viewing problems with hostility. Instead, view them through curiosity. Why does this problem continue to occur? What is the root source? Can that be solved for instead?

This is especially true if you are in an operations/owner role. You are the chief problem solver. Don't resent the problems you encounter. Get excited about the opportunity to solve the next puzzle.

PS.

I'm running a 2026 goal planning workshop on Tuesday Jan 13th. Register here if you'd like to get a jumpstart on success in 2026.

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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