By the time a people issue becomes impossible to ignore, the underlying causes have often been present for some time.

Whether the issue presents as an unhappy leaver, a burnout case, a disciplinary incident, a complaint or an investigation, these things don't arrive out of nowhere.

Most have a backstory.

And while these moments often attract attention because they are visible and immediate, they are frequently preceded by a series of smaller signals that went unaddressed.

It may be the colleague who interrupts and undermines others in meetings because "that's just how they are." The leader who dismisses signs of strain in the team while piling on more pressure to deliver. The recurring complaint that never quite becomes serious enough to address. Or the difficult conversation that gets pushed into next month's one-to-one, and then the month after that.

Looking back, the path to where things ended up can seem inevitable.

In most cases, it wasn't.

One of the most useful questions leaders can ask is:

What has become normal here that would surprise a new joiner?

The answer is often more revealing than any engagement survey or feedback exercise.

What behaviours or practices do you think firms become blind to most easily?

For me, it's the cost of counterproductive behaviour from people who are seen as "too valuable" to challenge.