IQ (Capability) – when expertise stops being enough
Behind the scenes of leadership, competence is rarely the problem.
The leaders I work with are capable, reliable, and highly skilled. They know their craft. They think clearly. They make good decisions. They’ve built credibility by delivering results – again and again.
And because of that, work keeps landing with them.
Not because they asked for it.
Not because they’re controlling.
But because they’re trusted.
Over time, capability becomes gravity.
The quiet pattern I see behind the scenes
In coaching conversations, a familiar dynamic emerges.
Leaders talk about:
- being the one others turn to when things get stuck
- stepping in “just this once” to keep momentum
- fixing issues because it’s faster than explaining
- holding knowledge that no one else seems to pick up
- being praised for reliability – while feeling increasingly stretched
They don’t describe themselves as overwhelmed.
They describe themselves as needed.
This isn’t a workload issue
It’s a scope issue.
These moments aren’t about poor delegation skills.
They’re not about time management.
And they’re not a sign of weak leadership.
They’re the unintended consequence of strong IQ.
Capability builds trust.
Trust builds reliance.
And reliance quietly expands scope – often without a conscious decision ever being made.
When IQ becomes the trap
IQ – your capability, judgement, and expertise – is what gets you promoted.
It’s the foundation of leadership credibility.
But when IQ becomes the dominant way you contribute, something subtle shifts.
You become:
• the default problem-solver
• the escalation point
• the one who “just knows how this works”
• the person others defer to – instead of stepping up themselves
Behind the scenes, many capable leaders are carrying far more than their role actually requires.
Not because they want control.
But because they’ve become indispensable.
The quiet question underneath it all
At some point, the internal question changes.
It’s no longer:
“Can I do this?”
It becomes:
“Why does everything land back with me?”
And often, it’s followed by another question leaders don’t always say out loud:
“Is this what leadership is supposed to feel like?”
Capability ≠ leadership scope
Strong IQ makes leaders effective.
But leadership isn’t about doing more of the work – it’s about holding the right work.
Behind the scenes, strain builds when:
- competence replaces clarity
- reliability replaces boundaries
- expertise fills gaps that were never meant to be yours
Left unchecked, capable leaders start to over-function – quietly absorbing responsibility to keep things moving.
And over time, that becomes unsustainable.
What starts to erode (slowly)
This kind of strain doesn’t show up as failure.
It shows up as:
- constant mental load
- difficulty switching off
- frustration when others don’t step up
- a sense that leadership feels heavier than it should
Not because you’re doing something wrong but because IQ alone can’t carry leadership forever.
Where this fits in the bigger picture
IQ is essential.
It’s foundational.
But on its own, it can pull leaders into work that limits their impact rather than expands it.
Behind the scenes, the work isn’t about becoming less capable.
It’s about learning when capability serves leadership and when it quietly works against it.
What comes next
Next in this series, we’ll look at what happens when leaders lean heavily on EQ and how empathy, care, and relational strength can sometimes turn into over-responsibility.
