The Moment Before You Say, “I’ll just do it.”

There’s a moment I watch leaders step into all the time.

It’s quick. Almost invisible.

Something isn’t moving fast enough.
A detail gets missed.
Someone looks unsure.
A deadline is looming.

And inside, almost automatically, comes the thought:

I’ll just do it.

Not because you want control.
Not because you don’t trust your people.
Not because you think you’re the only capable one.

It feels faster. Easier. Cleaner.

You can picture the outcome.
You know how you want it done.
You can avoid the back-and-forth.

So you step in.

And in that moment… it even feels helpful.

But what I notice when leaders slow down enough to look at that split second is this:

That decision isn’t just about the task.  It’s about relief.

Relief from waiting.
Relief from uncertainty.
Relief from having to explain, align, or stay engaged in the messiness of shared work.

“I’ll just do it” isn’t control.  It’s a tension release.

And it works… in the short term.

The task gets done.
The standard is met.
The discomfort disappears.

But over time, something else quietly forms.

People stop stepping forward.
Ownership hovers instead of landing.
And leaders start feeling like everything comes back to them.

Not because their team won’t step up…
But because that moment keeps getting decided the same way.

This isn’t a character flaw.
It’s a pattern.

A very human one, especially for leaders who care deeply about outcomes, people, and doing things well.

When leaders begin to notice that split second (the breath, the tension, the urge to step in) something shifts.

Not immediately in behavior…
But in awareness.

And awareness is where different choices eventually become possible.

Not forced.
Not performative.

Just different.

Because the dance starts to look different.


💜Stacey


Hey, Leader. Awareness is the first step. What happens in your mind/body right before you say, “I’ll do it myself”? You may not think so today, but you have another choice.