Modern Mentor Stop fighting fires: 5 ways to spot problems before they become crises
5 snips
Apr 21, 2026 They unpack why small, hidden problems regularly become costly crises. They describe a monthly “slightly off” check-in to surface tiny issues early. They explain separating flagging from fixing so teams can raise concerns without blame. They recommend looking earlier at work in progress and responding calmly to encourage transparency.
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Daughter's Hidden Snip Turned Into Emergency Bangs
- Rachel Cooke describes her daughter hiding a small haircut that escalated into emergency bangs.
- The example shows how a tiny, hidden action became a big, avoidable problem when it wasn't surfaced early.
Crises Usually Start As Hidden Sparks
- Most workplace crises start as small, hidden sparks that grow because there's no home to surface them.
- Without a ritual or container, small issues sit in people's minds until they either resolve by accident or explode.
Run A Monthly Slightly Off Check-In
- Do build a monthly “slightly off” conversation into your team rhythm to surface small problems.
- Ask the single question: What's something that's not broken but doesn't feel quite right, and treat it as noticing, not accountability.