If an important task needs to be done but falls outside your wheelhouse, should you do it? While it may pay off—you’ll look like a hard worker and a team player—it could also backfire—you unknowingly may be stepping on someone’s toes. To make the best decision, consider the totality of the problem: what else is going on? How turbulent is the environment? How immediate is the problem? Taking a holistic view of things can help you gain perspective and better approach the issue. It’s also important to be aware of other team’s boundaries. If the issue is outside of your purview, it’s unlikely that you understand what’s happening in its entirety. Attempts to solve another team’s problems will usually be met with resistance, if not outright hostility. However, if you determine it’s necessary to “change lanes,” be sure you’re clearly communicating with all interested parties what you’re doing and when you’re done. If the project is not handed off properly, you may create a bigger problem than the one you were trying to solve