Above or Below the Line, Where Are You Leading From?

With the kids back to school and the Christmas holidays firmly in the rearview mirror, this is the point in the year when many Australian workplaces start to ramp up (although I appreciate for some of you there was no gentle easing back, as you grappled with December year ends or half year reporting!).

As the pace quickens, it is far too easy to get sucked back into the whirlpool of activity and lose sight of the intentions and aspirations you set yourself for 2026.

Our brains are wired to seek certainty. They are constantly scanning our environment, trying to predict what will happen next, yet in a world of increasing complexity that instinct can lead us astray. When we feel under threat, our pre-frontal cortex (the area of the brain dedicated to executive function) effectively goes offline so that we can focus on survival. When that happens, we default to old familiar patterns of behaviour.

For many of us those patterns look like perfectionism, micro-managing, over-working, people pleasing or allowing others to determine our priorities. These are the survival strategies we have developed over our lifetimes, when driven by fear or anxiety, although usually without us being fully aware of it.

This is what is described as operating below the line. It’s when your stomach churns, your chest tightens and from that constricted place your inner dialogue starts to sound like:

“Who did this?”

“Why are they so stupid?”

Or sometimes it turns inwards:

“How could I be so stupid?”

“I don’t deserve to be in this role.”

When we are operating above the line, fear and anxiety may still be present but they are no longer in the driver’s seat. We can acknowledge what we’re feeling without being hijacked by it. From this place we are open minded and committed to learning – learning and growing is more important than being right. We’re more playful and collaborative, and more able to take responsibility and act with accountability.

So if things are heating up at work and you can feel your buttons being pushed I invite you to pause and ask yourself:

Am I operating above or below the line?

What choice do I want to make here?

And perhaps most importantly give yourself some grace. We all drop below the line sometimes, it is entirely human. Take some deep breaths. Ask for a break from the conversation if you need it. Go for a walk and allow your body to process what’s arising. Then return to the conversation when you feel ready to respond differently.

If this has struck a chord, perhaps it is time for you and I to have a conversation, to explore how coaching could support you to lead from a place that feels both grounded and authentic.

With love,

Sue