Picture this: a CEO who opts for a hefty salary increase at the expense of the company's overall performance, a real estate agent pushing for a quick property sale rather than the highest possible price, an insurance company focused more on safeguarding profits than honouring policies, or a politician veering towards lobbyist influences over the needs of their constituents. These distinct scenarios, as varied as they are, share a common denominator: they're all textbook examples of the principal-agent problem.