If you drift - shift!
Mike Hohnen
Developing exceptional service organisations?Trusted Advisor?Coach?Trainer?Keynote Speaker
You’re in the zone. Fingers dancing across the keyboard, ideas flowing.
Ping.
An email notification flashes. Your stomach drops.
Bad news.
Suddenly, your productive day spirals into a mess of frustration and setbacks.
What just happened?
Instantly, you've gone from "above the line" to "below the line.”
Your mental state has been triggered, and that has caused a shift in you.
It's not the shift that's the problem.
Above the Line vs. Below the Line
Imagine a horizontal line - the line represents a neutral mental state
Above the line: You're open, curious, and committed to learning.
Below the line: You're closed, defensive, and committed to being right.
We all drift below the line. It’s an emotional reaction. It's human nature.
The real issue? Not noticing when it happens.
The Invisible Ripple Effect
When you're below the line and unaware:
Spotting the Drift:
Physical signs:
领英推荐
Mental signs:
The key is catching yourself. The sooner, the better.
If you drift:? Shift
Simply noticing you're below the line is half the battle.
Once aware, you can:
It's not about never going below the line. It's about how quickly you notice and shift back.
Your Challenge
This week, set an hourly reminder.
When it goes off, ask yourself: "Am I above or below the line right now?"
No judgment. Just notice.
You might be surprised how often you drift without realising it.
And that awareness?
It's your first step to transforming your leadership, relationships, and work culture.
Teach this to your team, establish a common language? and help each other? to shift when you drift - it will make a world of difference for everyone.
Mike
PS If you are finding this useful - please share it with your colleagues
...and do check out my free library section if you would like to sharpen your leadership skills
?? See you in the next issue
Owner & Leadership Presence co-creator
1 个月So impressively well written, Mike, and you hit so very spot on a theme that I believe all of us recognize (if we notice and catch ourselves ??) THANK YOU, Mike!
Founding Partner at beckmann Associates
1 个月As I′ve been saying often in the past years, last time a couple of days ago: I admire you for your wisdom, dear Mike. P.S. Currently, I'm above the line. And counting.