Why do well-intended fixes often make the original problem worse?
Why do well-intended fixes often make the original problem worse? How good intentions quietly backfire—and when quick fixes actually help Big Picture When we rush in with well-intended fixes, we often tug one thread of a system and accidentally tighten knots somewhere else. These “helpful” moves—extra rules, new incentives, bigger roads, more meetings—can actually amplify the very problems we’re trying to solve. The core issue isn’t that people don’t care; it’s that we underestimate how interconnected and adaptive systems really are. Below, we’ll unpack why well-intended fixes backfire, when fast, simple fixes do make sense, and how to design interventions that actually make things better instead of just moving the mess. In one sentence Good intentions without systems thinking often turn small problems into bigger, harder-to-see ones. The paradox of good intentions If intent were all that mattered, most organizational and personal problems would be solved by now. A manager a...