Sometimes an “improvement” makes things worse. The Germans even have a word for it: verschlimmbesserung.
In this episode, Mark Graban shares the story of how a well-intentioned fix to Europe’s vineyard fungus problem in the 19th century nearly wiped out the continent’s wine industry. The introduction of American grapevines solved one issue but unleashed a far bigger one: phylloxera, a microscopic pest that devastated vineyards, economies, and cultures across Europe — including Mallorca, where wine production lay dormant for nearly a century.
This historical case offers powerful lessons for today’s leaders:
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Why most of the time small, contained tests are best
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When risks are irreversible, testing may not be safe at all
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How to balance experimentation with rigorous risk assessment
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Why good intentions aren’t enough if you create tomorrow’s crisis while solving today’s problem
From vineyards to hospitals, factories, and offices, the challenge is the same: how do we solve problems without making things worse?