The Hidden Cost of ‘Doing It Myself,’ According to Teddy Hristova Williams

In a recent LinkedIn post, Teddy Hristova Williams discusses a common sentiment expressed by clients that can hinder team growth and efficiency: the urge to “do it myself.” Williams highlights how this seemingly faster approach can mask a deeper issue of knowledge transfer and team development within businesses.

The Illusion of Speed

Teddy Hristova Williams points out that while a task might indeed be quicker when handled by the business owner or a senior figure, this immediate efficiency often comes at a long-term cost. The core of the issue, as Williams articulates, is not just about speed but about the underlying skill and knowledge gap.

“It’s just faster if I do it myself.”

This sentence, repeated across three different clients this month according to Williams, signifies a critical bottleneck. Williams elaborates on the implication:

“They’re not wrong. Today, once, it is faster. Here’s what it actually means: you still know how. They still don’t, and nobody’s taught them yet.”

This observation by Teddy Hristova Williams underscores a fundamental challenge in business operations: the reliance on a single individual’s expertise without a strategy for disseminating that knowledge. The perceived speed of self-execution prevents the development of a capable and independent team.

Building a True Team vs. Managing an Overhead

Teddy Hristova Williams argues that a team’s true value lies in its collective ability to execute tasks and drive the business forward, not just in its support capacity for one key individual. When a team cannot function effectively without the direct involvement of a specific person, it fundamentally changes the nature of that group.

“A team that can’t do it without you isn’t a team. It’s just you, with more overhead.”

In Williams’ view, this distinction is crucial for sustainable business growth. Building a team implies empowering individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge so they can operate autonomously. Conversely, a situation where tasks consistently revert to one person, despite having a team in place, transforms that team into a costly administrative burden rather than a strategic asset. This perspective from Teddy Hristova Williams encourages business leaders to critically assess their delegation and training practices.

Identifying and Addressing Knowledge Gaps

The post concludes with a reflective question posed by Teddy Hristova Williams, prompting business leaders to consider their own practices:

“What’s something only you know how to do, that you’ve never actually taught anyone?”

This question serves as a call to action, urging business owners and leaders to identify the critical knowledge silos within their organizations. According to Teddy Hristova Williams, proactively teaching and empowering team members is essential for breaking these cycles of dependency. By sharing expertise, leaders can foster a more capable, efficient, and truly collaborative team environment, moving beyond the false economy of “doing it myself” to build a business that can scale effectively.