When they start a new job, the smart worker spends most of their time listening. Listening to what happened before. To “why we do it this way”. Not as a substitute for action, but as research. After all, it would be foolish to start making decisions without any context of the situation.
It’s tempting to view points of friction or problems in the system as the problems of the people who created them. It’s natural to believe that your responsibility is looking forward, not backward. Yet a problem that was created “before your time” is still your problem. And to solve it, you’ve got to be willing to own it completely.
Some of those inherited problems are bigger than others. Some you need to address sooner rather than later. But the moment you step into the shoes of the person responsible, you’re on the hook for finding solutions. Being the new person is like a tax return extension. You may get a bit more time, but your taxes are still owed.