Above and Below the Line

Clear, focused thinking is essential to doing your best at work. Sometimes we don’t even realize whether we are in a clear thinking or feeling state until we pay attention to what we’re saying:

“I’m kind of bummed today.”
“I hate Mondays.”
“I’m just in a bad mood.”

WorkSmart employees recognize that how they are thinking, feeling and communicating is critical to their job performance.

Think of having an imaginary LINE which helps you judge your thinking, feeling and communicating at any given moment. When we are “above the line”, we generally think, learn and communicate in highly effective ways. We often feel:

• Optimistic
• Energized
• Creative
• Capable
• Joyful
• Appreciative
• Open
• Aware

When we are “below the line”, we usually think, learn and communicate in less effective ways. We might feel:

• Down
• Under the weather
• Apathetic
• Grumpy
• Tired
• Angry
• Anxious
• “Off"

Knowing where we are—either above or below the line—helps us CHOOSE what to do next.

A few months ago, I was sitting in a staff meeting, and it seemed like nothing was really going right. Have you ever heard someone say, “The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife”? We had a lot to do because we were preparing our yearly budget, we were getting ready to present our strategic plan to the board, and we were making plans for an upcoming trade show. We couldn’t seem to make any decisions that day (or should I say, I couldn’t make any decisions that day?)

I realized in the middle of the meeting that I was “below the line.” I was feeling distracted by a family situation, I hadn’t slept well the night before, and I was discouraged by the onslaught of gloomy financial news everywhere. Clearly, I wasn’t in my best thinking, feeling or communicating mind, and no doubt, everyone else in the staff meeting knew it—except me!

Being AWARE of your Line is important to your choices. When you know where you are on the line, you can be accountable for what you decide to do about it. Being accountable means you “own” your feelings, and you take control of your actions so you can get the best possible outcome.

Think of your own “LINE”. When you are “above the line”, how would you describe your thinking, feeling and communicating?

When you are “below the line”, what words would you use to describe your thinking, feeling and communicating?

Life looks different above and below the line

Our experience in life is greatly influenced by our state of mind, and whether we are ABOVE or BELOW the line

When I am Above the Line—positive, energized, clear and productive—my work seems easy. The people I work with are helpful, we operate as a team, and I feel like we can conquer the world together. I can even appreciate our differences, and value conflicts that occasionally arise.

Let’s go back to the staff meeting. Here’s what was going on in my head because I was below the line:
“What is wrong with these people?”
“Why does he disagree with everything anybody says?”
“We’re never going to get this done!”

When I’m below the line, problems aren’t just problems. They seem more like catastrophes. The same people who yesterday were part of such a great team are today the most annoying and difficult co-workers I’ve ever known!

How could this group of people have changed so quickly?

With this kind of negative thinking, how could I be an effective leader? What could I do to get the best outcome from the situation, even if I was “below the line?”


TRAMPOLINES AND SUBMARINES

Being Below the Line is part of being human. It isn’t a bad thing; sometimes it just “is”. What we do with our “below the line” state is another thing.

We always have choices.

If I’m below the line and I want to get back above the line, I can use TRAMPOLINES. Trampolines are the positive triggers we use to help us feel better, clarify our thinking, and “get back in the game”.

Trampolines might include:

• Taking a break
• Listening to music
• Eating a snack
• Deep breathing
• Getting some exercise
• Talking to a friend

Trampolines help us “re-set” our mental barometers and get back to being productive. What “trampolines” help you get back above the line?

But...

Sometimes we just don’t have it in us to rebound, and we might need to stay below the line for awhile. Being below the line is ok, as long as you’re aware of it, and you take responsibility for how your thinking, feeling and communicating affects other people.

Below the line behavior hurts others.

Use the Submarine

You can contain your below-the-line thinking, feeling and communicating by using The Submarine. Putting yourself in a submarine allows you to accept the way you are feeling, but not hurt anyone else with irresponsible words or behavior.

Being in a submarine might look something like this:

• Closing your office door for a short period and puttin up a sign with a picture of a submarine on it.
• Saying to a colleague, “I’m a little below the line today, so please don’t take anything I might say personally.”
• Focusing on independent work tasks that might be less people-oriented, such as paperwork or computer work.
• Listening to music on headphones while doing manual labor that doesn’t require communicating with others.

CAUTION: The Submarine is a technique intended for use ON OCCASION. If you find yourself in the submarine for multiple days, or if you notice one of your co-workers in the submarine for extended time periods, it might be time to ask yourself or him/her, “WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON?”

WorkSmart employees pay attention to their own line, and are aware of others’ lines as well. Checking in with others lets them know that they matter!

The good news about a submarine is that it always COMES UP (eventually).

Think of a time when you were Below the Line and needed to stay in your submarine. What helped you bring your submarine back to the surface (above the line)?

Were you wondering what happened at the staff meeting? After I became aware that I was Below the Line, I called a ten-minute break in the meeting. I knew I needed time to breathe, center myself, and make a phone call that was nagging at me. I also went to the break room and gathered some juice and snacks for everyone. When we resumed the meeting, I let my colleagues know that I had been feeling below the line, but wanted to get things back on track now. It was amazing how quickly they responded; we became more focused, productive and finished the meeting on much better ground than we started.

Practice:

During the coming week, pay close attention to whether you are ABOVE THE LINE or BELOW THE LINE at various times during the day. You may want to record on your calendar or in your planner what you observe.

Notice:

Was your position above or below the line a result of INTERNAL or EXTERNAL conditions?

What trampolines did you use to bring you back Above the Line?

If you chose to submarine, how long did you stay there? How did you come back up?