What gets measured as 'productivity' systematically excludes the experimental, non-linear work that creates breakthrough value. We've confused visible activity with actual value creation.

The researcher who 'wastes' months on failed experiments before discovering penicillin. The engineer who spends weeks 'doing nothing' before architecting a system that saves thousands of hours. Both show zero productivity in standard metrics.

Breakthroughs are only appreciated in hindsight. We should stop measuring productivity and start measuring impact, and the only way to let that shine is by giving people with a strong conviction the time, space, and resources they need to do their greatest work, without judgment or detracting performance metrics.