Just Because I Can, Doesn't Mean I Should
- Tessa Brock
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
I remember a time when I was traveling with several of my team members to an event. We were weaving our way through the airport. The line for security was long. I had TSA PreCheck. I could see the fast lane. I could easily jump this long line and get to the other side!
But then I looked beside me.
Some of my team members weren’t frequent travelers. A few looked unsure about what to do next, where to place their shoes, what counted as a “liquid,” and how to scan their boarding pass. I saw the hesitation in their eyes.
I glanced back at that fast lane one more time, then turned and silently reminded myself,
“Leadership doesn’t race ahead, it slows down and walks beside.”
Could I have zoomed ahead and met them at the gate later? Absolutely.Would they have understood? Probably.But just because I could, didn’t mean I should.
Leadership is full of these choices.Just because I could say something… doesn’t mean I should.Just because I could defend myself in an escalated moment… doesn’t mean I should right now.Just because I could do something myself instead of delegating… doesn’t mean it serves the team growth of the team.
Self-aware leaders learn that restraint is just as powerful as action. Sometimes what you don’t do speaks louder than what you do.
Leadership isn’t about perks. It’s about presence.
In that moment, I wasn’t just a traveler, I was a leader.
My team didn’t need me to walk faster.They needed me to walk with them.
True leadership isn’t about using every benefit at your disposal. It’s about knowing when to set them aside in service of something bigger.
It’s about knowing that your presence (or absence) sends a message, even when you don’t say a word.
That small moment at the airport was a reminder:Leadership is a thousand invisible decisions.The ones no one applauds.The ones that shape how others feel: safe, attended to, seen.
So yes, I’ll still use my PreCheck when I travel alone.But with my team? I want them to know:I’ll walk with you.I’ve got you.We’re in this together.
Reflection Questions for Self-Aware Leaders:
Where in my leadership life do I prioritize convenience over connection?
What small decisions have I made that quietly shaped team culture, for better or worse?
Have I ever unintentionally signaled “you’re on your own”? How can I repair or shift that dynamic?
What does it look like to lead with presence in the moments no one sees?
Am I willing to give up a personal shortcut to walk beside someone who needs me?
I’m curious: how does this resonate with you? Share your experience, HERE.
You Matter!
