Principal–agent problem

The principal–agent problem is like a game. There are two people: the principal and the agent. The principal wants the agent to do something, and the agent is trying to get the principal to give them something special. The principal is like a boss and the agent is like an employee.
The problem is that the principal and agent don't always agree on what is best for them. The principal wants the agent to do something that will help the principal in the long run, but the agent might want something that will help them in the short term. The principal needs to find a way to make sure the agent does what the principal wants, and not just what the agent wants.