Reactive Work

Performance systems often reward features shipped and incidents resolved rather than problems prevented. A structural misalignment occurs when engineers are optimized for past-facing maintenance while leadership focuses on future direction. The article contrasts immediate repair work with anticipating failures early enough to prevent them. Reactive problem solving responds only after something has already gone wrong. The article recommends escaping recurring reactive work by addressing a problem at its root. Increasing technical involvement can remain reactive if it is still driven by others' needs rather than direction-setting. Urgent Slack pings and reactive work reduce the time available to build new things. Fixing production after it is down is an example of reactive problem solving. The goal of protected build time is to move from constant reaction into intentional creation.