I’ve spent most of my career in operations, starting in the military and continuing in healthcare working alongside the people who actually keep organizations moving.

Forklift operators. Distribution techs. Unit clerks. Supervisors who walk ten miles a day without blinking.

They hold the mission together.

And yet, there’s a quiet crisis unfolding beneath the surface of many organizations.

It’s not a talent problem.
It’s not a work ethic problem.
It’s not even burnout, though that deserves serious attention.

It’s a curiosity problem.

Somewhere along the way, we stopped helping front-line workers understand why things operate the way they do. We handed them task reminders, job descriptions, and badges, but rarely connected their work to the broader mission, financial realities, or strategic outcomes of the organization.

We optimized for efficiency and quietly stopped teaching.

As a result, people do their jobs well, but often without understanding how their decisions affect the larger system. When those same people are promoted, they become leaders who know their slice of the pie but not the whole picture.

I’ve seen this play out repeatedly:
A hiring freeze is announced. Leaders rush to push through job requisitions, not because the roles were thoughtfully evaluated, but out of fear of losing resources. Months later, layoffs follow to correct the cost imbalance.

And rarely does anyone stop to ask: Why did we do that?

This isn’t just a healthcare issue. It’s a systems-thinking issue, and it shows up in every industry.

That’s what this series is about.

Beyond the Pie Slice will explore the unseen connections between front-line behavior and organizational performance. It will challenge the idea that being good at your job is the same as understanding your impact.

Because in complex environments, success depends on more than execution.
It depends on people who think critically, understand the mission, and see beyond their role, whether they manage a storeroom or sit in the C-suite.

Organizations don’t thrive when people only know their piece of the puzzle.
They thrive when people understand how the puzzle fits together.

Field Notes from the Author:
This idea has followed me for years, every time I’ve watched capable, well-intentioned people miss the bigger picture. This series is my attempt to share what I’ve learned, and what I believe organizations can build when we lead beyond the job description.