Earlier business notes
Notice a recurring problem before calling it a pattern
A way to examine repeated founder problems through real examples, competing explanations and a small change you can review.
By Rajiv Sankarlall · Updated
When the same problem shows up again, it can feel as though you already know the cause. Perhaps every hire disappoints you, every launch becomes a rush or every delegated task returns to your desk. Before deciding what the pattern means, gather a few actual examples.
Repetition is a useful signal to investigate. It is not proof that every instance had the same cause or that the problem says something fixed about you or your team.
Write down what happened
Choose several recent situations. For each, record what you expected, what happened, what information people had and what you did next. Separate those details from your explanation of them.
“The deadline moved after we added a feature” describes an event. “Nobody here cares about deadlines” is an interpretation. Keeping them apart makes room for a more useful conversation and gives other people something they can correct.
Consider another explanation
Ask what would have to be true for your first explanation to be wrong. Could the issue involve unclear priorities, missing access, conflicting promises or a skill that has not been taught? Could a decision you made have changed the work in a way you did not account for?
Talk with someone who saw the same situation from a different position. Ask what you are missing rather than seeking agreement. They may not have the answer either, but their perspective can expose assumptions worth testing.
Change one condition
Pick a change small enough to observe. If priorities keep changing, agree where they are recorded and how a change is approved. If work comes back for permission, define which choices the owner can make. Set a review point and decide what evidence you will look at.
If the problem persists, revisit the explanation rather than simply applying more effort to the same fix. Keep what you learned visible so the next discussion does not start from memory alone.
The same approach can help with your personal habits. Notice when work displaces something important, what you tell yourself in that moment and what makes it hard to choose differently. Avoid turning the observation into a verdict on your character.
For a related reflection, read what your values look like outside the company. Coaching provides a place to explore those choices through questions grounded in your own experience.