Perceive and don't tolerate problems.

Every problem is an opportunity to improve the machine. Do not tolerate problems. Use them to your advantage.

Many people prefer to look at things that are going well and celebrate them, while trying to hide the problems. And this is exactly opposite of what a healthy organization should be.

1. If you’re not worried, you need to worry—and if you’re worried, you don’t need to worry.
   Worrying about what can go wrong will protect you. Not worrying will leave you exposed.

2. Design and oversee a machine to perceive whether things are good enough or not good enough.
   There are a few things that you can do in order to protect your machine from having problems. First of all, define clear responsibilities to oversee the machine or do it by yourself. Don’t tolerate even the smallest problems, as they can become big ones over time. Encourage people to bring problems to you.

3. Be very specific about problems; don’t start with generalizations.
   Don’t say, “We are not communicating well with a client.” Instead, say who exactly is not communicating with whom. Avoid using “we” or “they.”

4. Don’t be afraid to fix the difficult things.
   Fixing very difficult things is easier than operating without fixing them.