[motohagiography]

At an executive level, knowing about a problem means you are accountable to resolve it.

Their job is to use their limited human attention and direction to effect constructive change and hold risk. Notifying them of a problem without a solution attached is the same as creating a problem for them.

Often the solution will be to make the source of that problem disappear. The only important things are ones they can do something about by directing or convening people to solve it.

Their priority is to maintain degrees of freedom in decision making, and always maintain their leverage in relationships to their stakeholders. You don't need to understand the details of that as most of it will be invisible to you, but you do need to understand how your work supports the credibility of their commitments and doesn't force their decisions.