The best way to prevent big issues before the happen...

If you want to see how a simple act can change the future... You've come to the right place. I'm no magician. I'm no fortune teller (RIP Miss Cleo).

But I am psychology geek who happens to spend far too many weekends reading psych papers from the 60s and 70s..

Psychologists back then had far fewer rules. They did things today that would (and should) be scrutinized for being unethical and inhumane. BUT...

These studies did uncover some interesting truths about human behavior. One in particular (that isn't REALLY that bad) took place in 1969 when two psychologists from Stanford took a car to the Bronx and a car to Palo Alto.

The car they took to the Bronx was parked with its hood up, doors open and license plates removed. Within 10 minutes the car was vandalized and in 3 days it was unrecognizable.

The car they took to Palo Alto arrived like any normal car. Hood down. Doors shut. License intact. Nothing happened...

So...

Is the Bronx just bad? Not exactly.

The psychologist then smashes one of the windows in the car found in Palo Alto. A few hours later the car is flip upside down and completely destroyed.

The key takeaway?

Small issues can lead to big issues.

A small bit of vandalism like a broken window can lead to a car being flipped upside down and everything in it being stolen.

A small cigarette butt in front of a mall can lead to a bag of chips wrapper, paper cup and more being left right there with it.

The fact that there's an example of something bad sets an example. It tells potential vandals and people in the community that nobody here really cares.

It sets a standard.

Similarly... We have to be careful about the standards set at our companies.

Do you tolerate unethical automation? Do you tolerate mediocre writing? Do you tolerate people being late? Do you tolerate unpreparedness? Do you tolerate time wasting? Do you tolerate broken code? Do you tolerate poor design?

What you're willing to tolerate will compound. Bad design means more bad design. Bad time management means more wasted time.

The solution is simple. FIX IT.

Don't walk by it. Don't ignore it.

Clean it up before it creates a ripple. And the next time you see someone coming with a bat to smash a window be prepared to stop them in their tracks.