Why are you doing your team's work?
I asked a leader this recently.
They didn't hesitate.
"Because that's what I was hired to do."
I understand the instinct.
But doing your team's work isn't leadership.
It's individual contribution with a bigger title.
And it sends a message you probably don't intend.
"I don't trust you to do this."
When a leader keeps taking over, it usually points to one of three things:
You haven't hired well.
You inherited a team you don't yet trust.
Something else is going on that needs your attention.
(Pro tip: Sometimes that something is your own struggles with delegating.)
One of the most important jobs of a leader is to grow others.
And you can't grow people if you won't let them do their jobs.
