10 habits that quietly crush our teams

These 10 habits are quietly crushing our teams:

They can handle hard work.
They can’t handle:

🚩 Unnecessary work
🚩 Meaningless work
🚩 Inefficient work

The truth is, we mean well.
But, these virtues put our teams in a vice.

Do any of these sound familiar?

1/ Always Available Trap
↳ Your 11 PM replies create midnight anxiety
↳ When you never unplug, neither will they

2/ I’ll Just Handle It Reflex
↳ Quick fixes create permanent dependencies
↳ Build problem-solvers, not permission-seekers

3/ Hustle Harder Signal
↳ Your overtime becomes their default
↳ Excellence needs recovery

4/ Perfect Over Done Mindset
↳ One more iteration isn’t always the answer
↳ Done beats perfect every quarter

5/ Problem Solver Identity
↳ Being the hero makes your team helpless
↳ Guide discovery, don’t gift answers

6/ Crisis Mode Default
↳ Constant urgency kills clear thinking
↳ Always reacting means rarely building

7/ Positive Vibes Only Shield
↳ Forced smiles hide real struggles
↳ Growth lives in uncomfortable conversations

8/ Just One More Thing Habit
↳ Small requests stack into silent stress
↳ Respect boundaries to keep talent

9/ Meeting Marathon Culture
↳ Calendar chaos crushes creativity
↳ Make space to attack bottlenecks

10/ Instant Response Expectation
↳ Always-on kills deep work
↳ Give space for fresh thinking

Your leadership habits shape your culture.
Make them intentional, not accidental.

Your team isn’t tired from the work.
They’re tired of how you lead it.