Little Problems Become Big Problems

August 25, 2026

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“If somebody tells you something needs fixed and you don’t do something about it, then you really lose credibility very quickly.”

I recently learned firsthand how quickly a little problem can become a big one. Before traveling to Australia, I had a small scratch on the back of my hand from working in the yard. It was smaller than a dime, so I treated it with Neosporin and a Band-Aid. When it continued getting worse, I saw a doctor in Australia and started antibiotics. By the time I returned home, I went directly to the emergency room. Eventually, I spent five days in the hospital, had surgery, and needed a skin graft.

All from a little scratch.

There is a lesson in that experience that applies far beyond your health. Problems rarely improve when you ignore them. Even when you are addressing them, you need to pay attention to whether what you’re doing is actually working. If it isn’t, you may need to change your approach.

The same principle applies in business. Jody recently attended D23 and noticed how much attention Disney gave to details such as crowd flow, shopping queues, and event operations. Those details may seem small until they aren’t handled properly. Then a crowded store or poorly managed line quickly becomes a frustrating experience.

As a leader, you need to develop the habit of noticing those details.

When I ran hotels, I walked the operation every day. At first, you may not notice much. Keep doing it and you’ll begin seeing things you missed before. Even more importantly, employees become comfortable enough to tell you about problems you may never discover on your own.

Then you have to follow through. If an employee points out a problem and you don’t address it, you lose credibility. When they see you listen and take action, they keep talking to you. That helps you identify small problems while they’re still small.

You cannot understand everything happening in your business from behind a desk. Go where the work happens. Talk with your employees and customers. Pay attention to what you see. The world outside your office is what you need to know as a leader.