If a Coworker Says “I’ll Fix It Quickly,” How to Avoid Last-Minute Surprises

It feels comforting in the moment. “I’ll handle this quickly.” Then comes a brief pause, and someone steps in with surety. It’s like there’s a designated owner for the problem. Then you move on to the next thing, feeling like it’s going to get done.

At first, nothing seems off. But then the update does not come. Or it comes later than expected. Or the fix is still in progress when you thought it would already be done. It does not always happen once. Sometimes, it becomes a pattern. The words stay the same. The outcome does not.

But as time goes on, the difference becomes apparent. Not because it’s being trumpeted from the rooftops, but because it’s apparent for anyone to see. You look at the dates, and you have a moment’s pause in believing it’s so quick again. Nobody says it out loud, but something changes.


Why They Say It Even When They Aren’t Certain

Mostly, it’s not about fooling anyone. They promise they’ll get it done quickly because they want to help, because they want to prove they can do it, because they don’t want it to slow down.

Research discussed in work by Andy Jackson on over-promising behavior explains how this often comes from a need to appear capable. Saying yes feels like the right response in the moment, especially when others are waiting.

There is also a mental shortcut at play. We tend to underestimate the time it will take to finish things. And that sprinkles in the optimism bias of underestimating the effort or the complexity. The idea is well-meaning, but the estimate is off. And so the promise is delivered with confidence, then reality shows up a little later.

The nature of the workplace culture might also influence how people behave in such instances. For instance, in a culture where speed is valued, the fastest responses will be celebrated as indicative of astute thinking. Taking time to calmly think through the options? That will be viewed as a deficiency in judgment, even if a more measured approach would lead to a better decision.

So, people rush to give quick responses. Then, they reflect on the situation afterward.

What does all this do to the team over time

Initially, the effects are minor. A brief stop in one place, a gentle push in another. However, the effects will begin to add up.

When the schedule changes unexpectedly, the entire group has to adjust. Someone has to wait a little longer than expected. Someone else has to take on more work than planned. These minor disruptions will begin to build up.

Forbes magazine investigated what people expect in the workplace and found that when leaders consistently promise more than they can actually deliver, the result will be a negative impact on the trust levels within the group. Before long, people will stop trusting the leader’s promises and start trusting them based on what they have done in the past. This will affect the way the work actually flows within the group.

Instead of moving forward with clarity, people start to add buffers. They check in more often. They prepare for delays, even when they are not confirmed. It creates extra effort that no one planned for. There is also a personal side to it.

When you depend on someone’s timeline, and it keeps slipping, it creates a quiet kind of frustration. Not always enough to call out, but enough to affect how you collaborate.

Over time, that feeling can grow into distance. People stop asking for help from the same person. They start working around them instead of with them. Another effect shows up in the workload.

When something is not delivered on time, the pressure does not disappear. It moves. Someone else has to step in or adjust quickly. That last-minute shift can increase stress, especially when it happens often.

Forbes reports that such unpredictability creates a stressful work environment. It’s not just about the job to be done, but also about the unknowns associated with the job.

It’s not just about what’s to be done, but also about what’s unknown. You’re not just doing your job, but also your job while being uncertain.

In most offices, when someone says "I'll fix it quickly," it isn’t intended to start trouble. It comes from a place of intent. But when it is repeated without matching outcomes, it changes how people listen, plan, and trust.

The process continues to move forward, and the delay becomes a rhythm until it feels normal. Before long, the meaning of the words starts to fade. Not because of a lack of effort, but because the result has conditioned people to accept the delay.