A critical insight for this year: identify and remove problematic actors fast.

These individuals typically share a pattern—they resist transparency, operate in the shadows, use silence as a weapon, and drain organizations for their own interests. Once their behavior comes to light, they fight back hard, disappear, then resurface elsewhere repeating the exact same playbook.

Early intervention isn't just damage control. It's about protecting the integrity of your community, DAO, or project ecosystem. The sooner you recognize the red flags, the better your chances of building something that actually lasts.