Competition for jobs gets more intense all the time and the employees that look for problems and provide solutions without being asked will be the most valuable. They will stand out from their peers and are more likely to not only keep their jobs during down times, but will get asked to solve the interesting and challenging problems.
That is so true. Wherever one is, one should always strive to be the solution and not the problem. Follow that rule, and one will never be hungry from lack of employment.
I've met a lot of people who I considered to be smart and even talented, however, they were also totally useless on a good day and a disaster waiting to happen on a bad one. I'm talking here about drama queens, passive aggresive types who sabotage the efforts of other team members, blind risk takers, etc. Those guys should be weeded out of a team when spotted.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho