The wrong fix usually has three signs: it attacks the visible symptom, avoids the owner-level decision, and cannot name the proof that would show the business changed.
Name the tempting fix
Write the move you are about to buy or assign.
Name the problem it assumes
Ask what problem must be true for that fix to make sense.
Name the avoided decision
Find the owner-level decision that the fix lets you postpone.
Name proof before spend
Decide what must change in customer, cash, team, or owner load before scaling the fix.
Use this four-part check.
Hire, tool, campaign, process.
What must be true?
What decision remains open?
What would change?
Common questions.
How do I know if I am fixing the wrong thing?
If the fix cannot name the business problem, the owner decision, and the proof of change, it may be aimed at the wrong layer.
Can a useful fix still be wrong?
Yes. A good tool, hire, or consultant can still be wrong for the current constraint.
What should I do before spending?
Name the assumption and run the smallest proof check that could disprove it.