Who Makes Good Operators? The Problem Child is Now the Problem Solver
Why the Kid Who Couldn’t Sit Still in Class is the One Keeping Your Business Together
Bad Student = Good Operator
Most Operators were terrible students — I know, a bold, sweeping statement with no data to back it up.
Let me explain.
They were the ones who couldn’t sit still; they were impatient kids when the lesson dragged on and questioned why things had to be done a certain way. They weren’t the ones with legible handwriting or neat notebooks. Their work was done fast, sometimes messy. Perfection wasn’t the goal; completion was. Give them a challenging problem with moving parts and variables, and they’ll solve it in half the time.
They weren’t the loud leaders in group projects, but when they were involved, they quietly chimed in on the side to make sure everyone was doing their part of the project. They could read a classroom, anticipate a problem, and keep things on track, not by being bossy but by orchestrating quietly and efficiently.
Operators knew everyone's secrets at a young age, not because they asked but because people trusted them. They listened, advised, and helped solve the problems of the day.
Those same traits serve them in operations. Impatience becomes speed. Questioning authority becomes finding better and more efficient ways.
What looked like flaws back then are now the strengths that companies desperately need.
Maybe That’s Just Me
Maybe this is what I tell myself to justify a misspent youth, but after 12+ years in operations, I think there’s some truth. Being an Operator isn’t something you can easily teach. It requires a different type of brain mechanics — the kind that thrives on chaos, notices patterns others miss, and pivots before anyone else sees the need to.
Being a good Operator? That’s another level entirely. It takes a functional ADHD mind to juggle priorities, jump between tasks, and keep a mental map of everything in play. The ability to see how everything links together, even when no one else can, makes the chaos manageable.
You also have to be an expert at listening - and I don’t mean nodding along. I’m talking actively listening without speaking, which is the highest form of problem-solving. It’s also knowing the right questions, understanding the subtext, and spotting potential fires before they ignite. In operations, trust and empathy are your currency. Without them, everything falls apart.
None of this comes from a textbook. It’s instinct, honed by experience. Being a good Operator is about doing whatever it takes to keep the machine running, even if no one sees you doing it.
The Checklist
“Don’t be the smartest person in the room, be the most prepared” - My Old Manager, Li Wang
If you’re in operations or want to be, here’s my checklist of skills you should have. This isn’t what you’ll find in a job description. These are the essentials, the unteachable traits that make a good Operator indispensable:
Fire on All Synapses: Keep a mental map of everything in play and be able to recall it all.
Pattern Recognition: Spot inefficiencies, needless redundancies, and potential issues before anyone else sees them.
Live in Chaos: Thrive when things are messy. Find structure in disorder and clarity in confusion.
Active Listening: Hear what people are really saying, read between the lines, and understand subtext.
Nuanced Approach: Know when “close enough” is better than “perfect.” Precision isn’t always the goal — progress is.
Speed Run Problem-Solving: Fix things fast and efficiently. Overthinking is a luxury you don’t have.
Ego Control: Support others getting praise for your work. The win matters more than the credit.
Quiet Leadership: Lead from behind the scenes—Orchestrate outcomes without stepping into the spotlight.
Bureaucracy Navigation: Cut through the BS and busywork to keep things moving forward.
Resilience: When shit hits the fan, keep calm, keep solving, and keep going.
Don’t Own the Details: The details belong to other departments. Your role is to connect the dots and remove obstacles. Keep others on task for the detailed delivery.
Operations is not only about following the process; it’s about knowing when to bend, break, or rewrite it — all while no one sees you. If you’ve got these skills, you’re not just in operations. You are the operation.